Health & Fitness
100% Capacity, Unlimited Social Gatherings Coming To RI May 28
By May 28, Rhode Island's restaurants and businesses can return to 100 percent capacity and the social gathering limit will be lifted.
PROVIDENCE, RI — Some big changes are coming to Rhode Island, a week earlier than initially planned. Gov. Dan McKee announced Thursday that requirements for mask-wearing, capacity restrictions and more will be loosened starting May 7, with even bigger changes coming May 28.
Under the new rules, Rhode Islanders will be able to forgo mask-wearing in certain outdoor situations, gather in larger groups in churches, restaurants and businesses and hold larger social gatherings.
These new regulations are being developed with fully vaccinated people in mind, said Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, the director of the Rhode Island Department of Health. That means a person received all required doses of their COVID-19 vaccine at least two weeks prior. For people who have not yet gotten vaccinated, the new regulations represent "high-risk activities," she said.
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"Every day you don't get vaccinated, your risk of getting COVID-19 gets higher," Alexander-Scott explained.
Here's a look at what Rhode Islanders can expect in the coming weeks in Rhode Island.
Find out what's happening in Newportfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
| Category | Starting May 7 | Starting May 28 |
| Mask-wearing | Required indoors and if less than 3-foot spacing outdoors. | Same as May 7 |
| Indoor dining | Capacity: 80 percent indoors, 100 percent outdoors with 3-foot table spacing. No restrictions on table size. | 100 percent capacity, no restrictions on table size. |
| Bar areas | Indoors: seated service and plexiglass dividers required. | Indoor standing service allowed, no plexiglass barriers needed. |
| Catered events | 80 percent capacity, up to 200 people indoors or 500 outdoors, with testing recommended. Note: student events, such as proms, will require testing | 100 percent capacity with no attendee limits, and indoor standing bar service, cocktail hours and open dance floors. Testing not required. |
| Houses of worship | 80 percent capacity, 3-foot spacing required. | 100 percent capacity, 3-foot spacing required indoors. |
| Retail stores | 80 percent capacity, 3-foot spacing required. | 100 percent capacity, 3-foot spacing required indoors. |
| Gyms, sports facilities | 80 percent capacity, 3-foot spacing required. | 100 percent capacity, 3-foot spacing required indoors. |
| Personal services (salons, barbershops) | 80 percent capacity, 3-foot spacing required. | 100 percent capacity, 3-foot spacing required indoors. |
| Venues of assembly | 80 percent capacity up to 500 people indoors, no cap outdoors and 3-foot spacing. Note: Dept. of Business Regulation approval is required for events with 2,500 people or more. | 100 percent capacity, with no limit on attendees and 3-foot spacing indoors. Note: Dept. of Business Regulation approval is required for events with 2,500 people or more. |
| Funeral homes | 80 percent capacity, 3-foot spacing required. | 100 percent capacity, 3-foot spacing required indoors. |
| Offices | 80 percent capacity, 3-foot spacing required. | 100 percent capacity, 3-foot spacing required indoors. |
| Social gatherings | Up to 25 people indoors, 75 people outdoors. | No limit |
| Sports | April 26: high-risk sports allowed to have competitions, more spectators allowed. | Out-of-state teams can attend in-state tournaments. |
Masks will be required at weddings, regardless of if they are indoors or outdoors, Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor said. In addition, student-specific catered events such as proms will require testing prior to attendance.
"This is a terrific day for small business and all business in Rhode Island," Pryor said, reiterating the need for as many Rhode Islanders to get vaccinated as are eligible to allow for safe reopening.
The Rhode Island Hospitality Association, which has worked closely with the state government throughout the pandemic, said the new regulations "reflect more than a year of the RI Hospitality Association’s advocacy to safely re-open Rhode Island."
"[The changes] allow the hospitality industry to operate without the significant restrictions previously imposed on our industry," CEO Dale Venturini said. "Our strategy from day one has been to efficiently and safely re-open business and we believe this goal has been achieved. Thank you Governor McKee for his leadership, the Department of Health, and Commerce RI for their inclusivity."
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