Rhode Island Ramps Up Coronavirus Test Effort

PROVIDENCE, RI — As Rhode Island enters its two-week coronavirus "pause," the state is scrambling to make much-needed improvements to the state's testing system.

"Demand is higher than it's ever been, and our systems were just not built for this kind of volume," Gov. Gina Raimondo said during her weekly news conference on Wednesday.

In the next two weeks, the state is remaking the testing structure, and hopes to achieve three goals:

1. Test everyone with symptoms within 24 hours of onset
2. Build better testing infrastructure for high-risk populations and high-density communities
3. Provide access to results to everyone who gets tested within 24 hours

To meet these goals, the Rhode Island Department of Health will open new test sites, some focused on symptomatic or asymptomatic people only; strategically deploy the new, 15-minute rapid tests given to the state and more. A new test site is opening at the Dunkin' Donuts Center, offering up to 5,000 rapid tests daily to people without symtpoms.

A new pilot program is being launched in Central Falls this week, aimed at improving the approach to testing high-density areas, where the virus often spreads quickly. Every day, 1,000 tests will be available to residents of the city.

"In an ideal world, we'd test everyone in Central Falls," Raimondo said.

The state is also launching a cyclical testing program for higher-risk employees such as health care workers, teachers and students, first responders and certain public-facing workers. This program will utilize the new rapid testing kits, which do not need a special machine to synthesize samples and produce results in 15 minutes.

To help get people their test results quickly and easily, the state launched a new text program, which sends an automated message to users when their test results are ready. To take part, Rhode Islanders must provide their cell phone number at the test site. All test results are available on portal.ri.gov.

The department is also working to improve the state's contact tracing program, which has seen significant delays in previous weeks. Over the past week, the backlog of cases was cleared in the K-12 school system, and everyone now receives a call within 24 hours, Raimondo said.

To help keep the contact tracing system running smoothly, it's important for Rhode Islanders to be proactive, the governor continued. Once a person receives their positive test results, it's imperative that they begin self-isolating at home immediately, and reach out to their close contacts directly so they too can self-isolate and get tested.

Coronavirus in Rhode Island: Read more

• 'For 2 Weeks, Lock It Down': RI's Pause Starts Nov. 30
  
• Cranston Coronavirus Field Hospital To Accept First Patients
  
• Santa Is Exempt From RI Coronavirus Restrictions, Says Raimondo
• Rhode Island's Hospitals Reach Coronavirus Capacity
• Fourth Coronavirus Case Found In Narragansett Police Department