NEWS & CITY LIFE
H e a l t h | By Lynn Arditi
In partnership with The Public’s Radio • ThePublicsRadio.org
Will the rise of the Delta variant mean a return to mandatory masking in Rhode Island? The fast-spreading Delta variant of the coronavirus which emerged in Rhode Island just a few weeks ago is raising alarms in other parts of the country with lower vaccination rates. Nationally, the Delta variant makes up about 93% of new coronavirus cases, up from about 50% the week of July 3, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The dramatic increase in the variant has been blamed for a recent outbreak on Cape Cod and surge in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in
places such as New York City. “The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 variants is to prevent the spread of disease, and vaccination is the most powerful tool we have,” Walensky said during a U.S. Senate hearing Tuesday (July 20). In Rhode Island, health officials say they are monitoring the data locally and nationally “very closely” while continuing to follow the federal CDC guidance. Gov. Daniel J. McKee said Tuesday that he is not expecting any major problems
with the Delta variant in Rhode Island that would cause the state to have to “move backward” in restricting businesses or gatherings. McKee said Rhode Island is in good shape with vaccinations, citing data showing that about 80% of adults have had at least one shot. Addressing those concerns in an interview Thursday with NPR’s All Things Considered, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, said recently on NPR’s All Things
Photo by Gretchen Etl/ special to The Public’s Radio
The pedestrian bridge in Providence, R.I. shortly after the state lifted its masking mandate for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people outdoors as of June 2
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ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2021
