Coronavirus in our Community

As a City, we are committed to ensuring that all Newport residents are able to access free, healthy food options during this challenging time. Please click here to download our Food Resources Guide

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WEEKLY FOOD DISTRIBUTION

The City of Newport has COMPLETED its weekly drive up/walk up food distribution site at the Pell School. If you're in need of Food Assistance, please contact the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center as listed below. 

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FOOD PANTRIES

Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center
20 Dr. Marcus Wheatland Blvd. // Mondays , Wednesdays & Fridays 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Community members can receive one week’s worth of food every two weeks at the MLK Food Pantry. Those in need of delivery may call the City’s Emergency Operations Center at (401) 845-5501 to arrange for delivery.

East Bay Community Action Program (EBCAP)
9 Broadway // By Appointment
Only All food is pre-packaged and staff will hand the bags to food pantry guests upon arrival. Call (401) 848-6697 x. 212 to schedule an appointment.

Salvation Army
51 Memorial Blvd. // Mondays , Wednesdays & Fridays 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
The Salvation Army Food Pantry is available for those in need

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GRAB & GO MEALS

Boxed breakfast and lunches are available at the following locations, Monday - Friday to anyone 18 years and younger. Provided by the Newport Public Schools.

Pell Elementary School  12 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Martin Luther King Jr. Center 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Chapel Terrace Apartments 11 - 11:30 a.m.
Festival Field Apartments 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Bayside Village Apartments 12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m.

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MEALS ON WHEELS

At-risk residents and seniors are eligible for free weekly meal delivery every Friday through Meals on Wheels. Please call (401) 743-3197 to sign up for delivery. 

As a City, we understand that many in our community - both residents and businesses alike - have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Please know that we are committed to easing that burden. 

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Current City Programs

»  Effective immediately, we will be abating all penalties and interest on Fourth Quarter taxes due on May 5^th until June 30, 2020.  Businesses and individuals that have been financially harmed by the coronavirus may apply for additional relief by downloading our online application and emailing it or mailing it to: lsitrin@cityofnewport.com, or Finance Director, 43 Broadway, Newport RI 02840. Other financial relief measures may include further delay of the 4^th quarter taxes or establishment of a payment plan approved by the City. Please call 401-845-5394 if you need an application mailed to you or if have any questions. 

» Utility shutoffs and collections activities have been suspended for Newport Water Division customers. If you're facing financial hardship, please contact the Utilities Department at (401) 845-5600 to set up a flexible payment plan in order to avoid growing balances.

» The City’s resident parking program, which normally goes into effect on May 1^st of each year, is being delayed. Motorists are advised that resident parking stickers will not be required, and Police will not be enforcing resident-only parking rules until June 1^st of this year. By delaying the parking program, we are hoping to make it easier for the residents and businesses to better manage the current uncertainty.  

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Forms & Applications

» City of Newport Tax Abatement Application

» Apply for a Federal Disaster Loan for Small Businesses
The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital up to $2 million to Rhode Island small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information, and download applications at: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. If a paper forms are preferred, they can be accessed here.

If your business has questions regarding SBA loans and access to capital, please call RI Commerce's Small Business Hotline at (401) 521-HELP or e-mail info@commerceri.com.

 

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IRS Economic Impact Payments

The IRS is committed to helping you get your Economic Impact Payment as soon as possible. The payments, also referred to by some as stimulus payments, are automatic for most taxpayers. See if you're eligible for Economic Impact Payment.

The IRS has established a special section focussed on steps to help taxpayers, businesses and others affected by the coronavirus. Click here to learn more. 
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CDC COVID-19 Sympton Self Checker

Click here to access the Centers for Disease Control's free online symptom checker
 

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The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) recommends that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should be tested. The symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches (myalgias), chills, runny nose or stuffy nose, sore throat, headache, or diarrhea

Patients with health insurance

• If you are tested at an urgent care, physician office, health center, emergency room, or hospital, there is no cost to the patient for lab tests.
• You should not be charged for a visit with a physical exam or a tele-health evaluation for a COVID-like illness.
• If you are charged for either of these services, talk to your provider at the time of service. If you still have questions, contact your health insurer’s customer service phone number on the back of your health insurance card.

Patients without health insurance

•  You will be charged for a COVID-19 test and/or a doctor’s visit if you go to a Respiratory Clinic or to a healthcare provider’s office.

You can get a free COVID-19 test four ways:

•  Call your provider (if you have one) to get an order for a COVID-19 test at one of the drive-up testing sites at CCRI in Warwick or at Rhode Island College in Providence.

•  Go online to be pre-screened for CVS rapid testing and to get an appointment. 

•  You can make an appointment to get tested at Clínica Esperanza/Hope Clinic in Providence. Drive-up testing is available three days a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Please call 401-408-0238 and visit their website to find more detailed information. Services are multilingual, including in Spanish.

•  Providence Community Health Clinics (PCHC) Patients: Drive-up and walk-up COVID-19 testing is being provided by PCHC in tents in the parking lot of Robert L. Bailey IV Elementary School, at 65 Gordon Avenue. The walk-up testing option does not require a car. This option is located across the street from PCHC’s Prairie Avenue clinic. Bilingual personnel, materials, and signage will be available at the site. 

•  Transportation options to COVID-19 testing may be available to eligible Rhode Islanders.

 

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL (CDC)

• Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19

RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 

Whenever you are leaving your home to procure or provide essential services, either in public or in private settings, RIDOH is asking residents to please wear a clean cloth face covering at all times.

Face coverings are not a substitute for our most powerful tools to slow the spread of COVID-19: staying home and practicing physical distancing – staying six feet away from all people – at all times. However, face coverings can:

• help prevent you from infecting others; and
• help save medical masks for healthcare workers or other essential workers that take care of people who are sick - or may be in contact with people who may be sick

If you are already using cloth face coverings while out and about, thank you for taking this step to slow the spread of COVID-19. If you aren't, help us save lives by doing so.

• Tips on how to make your own cloth face covering

• DIY instructions - Video by Dr. Jerome Adams, U.S. Surgeon General 

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GUIDANCE

• Our best community and individual defense against COVID 19 is washing our hands frequently, avoiding touching our eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, avoiding being around sick people and physical distancing, especially by staying at home. A strong health care delivery system and emergency response system is also an essential core defense to save lives when people do get ill.

• There may be a benefit to reducing asymptomatic transmission and reinforcing physical distancing from the use of face coverings. However, face coverings may increase risk if users reduce their use of strong defenses, such as physical distancing and frequent hand washing, when using face coverings.
   

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BACKGROUND

What is a cloth face covering?

A cloth face covering is a material that covers the nose and mouth. It can be secured to the head with ties or straps or simply wrapped around the lower face. It can be made of a variety of materials, such as cotton, silk, or linen. A cloth face covering may be factory-made or sewn by hand, or can be improvised from household items such as scarfs, T-shirts, sweatshirts, or towels.

How well do cloth face coverings work to prevent spread of COVID-19?

There is limited evidence to suggest that use of cloth face coverings by the public during a pandemic could help reduce disease transmission. Their primary role is to reduce the release of infectious particles into the air when someone speaks, coughs, or sneezes, including someone who has COVID-19 but feels well. Cloth face coverings are not a substitute for physical distancing and washing hands and staying home when ill, but they may be helpful when combined with these primary interventions.

When should I wear a cloth face covering?

You may choose to wear a cloth face covering when you must be in public for essential activities, such as shopping at the grocery store. Wearing a cloth face covering does not eliminate the need to physically distance yourself from others.

How should I care for a cloth face covering?

It’s a good idea to wash your cloth face covering frequently, ideally after each use, or at least daily. Have a bag or bin to keep cloth face coverings in until they can be laundered with detergent and hot water and dried on a hot cycle. If you must re-wear your cloth face covering before washing, wash your hands immediately after putting it back on and avoid touching your face. Discard cloth face coverings that:

• No longer cover the nose and mouth
• Have stretched out or damaged ties or straps
• Cannot stay on the face
• Have holes or tears in the fabric

Restaurants Asked to Submit Plans for Outdoor Dining 

NEWPORT, R.I. (Tuesday, May 19, 2020) – As Rhode Island begins to re-open for business, restaurants interested in offering outdoor dining are being asked to submit plans to the City to allow for expanded operations that would otherwise require Zoning or Council approval.
Read more »

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Parking Meters, Residential Parking Go into Effect June 1st

NEWPORT, R.I. (Tuesday, May 19, 2020) – The City of Newport’s metered parking and resident sticker programs will go into effect on June 1^st. 
 
Metered parking will be in effect from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. daily, including weekends and holidays. The fee for parking in a metered space is $1.25 per hour in increments of twenty-five cents. The fee for the meters on Memorial Boulevard at Easton’s Beach is $2 per hour.  Read more »
 

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Easton’s Beach Bathhouse, Reserved Parking Programs Suspended due to COVID-19 

NEWPORT, R.I. (Thursday, May 14, 2020) – In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing public health concerns, both the bathhouse and reserved parking pass programs at Easton’s Beach have been discontinued for the 2020 season.
 
We are terribly disappointed to have to cancel these wonderful community amenities, however as we continue to develop our plans for the upcoming season it is critical that we adjust our operations in order to provide for the safety of both our beachgoers and the community at large. At this time, a reopening date for the beach is still unknown as we await guidance from the Governor and State health officials. Read more »
 

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Aquidneck Island Communities Launch Joint Recovery Effort 

NEWPORT, R.I. (Wednesday, May 13, 2020) – Aquidneck Island’s three municipalities are banding together to help the island’s economy recover from the COVID-19 outbreak.
 
The City of Newport and the Towns of Middletown and Portsmouth have announced a joint effort to help businesses re-open and job seekers get back to work as quickly and as seamlessly as possible.
  Read more »

 

 

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COVID19 testing site opening in Newport May 6

East Bay Family Health Services, a division of East Bay Community Action Program (EBCAP), will be opening COVID19 testing by appointment only to its patients and to the general public starting on Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at its Newport location.   
  Read more »
 

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City Delays Start of Paid Parking Season

It will be free to park at metered spaces and municipal parking lots throughout the City for the entire month of May.

 
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the City announced on Tuesday that the start of the Newport’s annual Parking Meter program is being delayed until June 1, 2020. The start of the Residential Parking Program, which normally runs from May 1^st through October 1^st, is also being delayed until June 1^st. Read more »

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Visitors Asked to Wear Face Masks on the Cliff Walk

In accordance with guidance from state health officials, the City of Newport is advising that face masks should be worn at all times while traversing the Cliff Walk until further notice.
 
As one of the state’s most popular tourist attractions, the Cliff Walk regularly draws over 1 million visitors every year. Read more »
 

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Runners of Cancelled Marathon Urged to Avoid Running in Groups 

 
\Newport and Middletown officials are urging runners who had planned on participating in this weekend’s Rhode Race’s Newport Marathon and Half Marathon to stay close to home and avoid running in groups amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Read more »

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Access to Southern Embankment of Easton’s Pond Closed

Due to necessary repairs, a portion of the unimproved walking trail along the Easton’s Pond Dam has been closed to the public.

The access ramps to the pond along with the stone dust path that was constructed from 2011-2013 remain open to the public.

Read more »

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COVID-19 Related Processing Delays Reflected in Utility Bills

Newport Water Division customers are being advised that due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, payments mailed prior to March 31^st may have been delayed due to a processing lag experienced by the City’s bank. As a result, April bills that were mailed to customers last week may inaccurately include a past due balance reflected on their account. Read more »

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Three Newport Firefighters Test Positive for COVID-19

Three members of the Newport Fire Department have tested positive for COVID-19.The firefighters, who are not being identified due to patient privacy concerns, are all recovering in self-isolation at home and the Rhode Island Department of Health has been notified. At this time, there is no impact on our public safety readiness and the Newport Fire Department has implemented contingency staffing protocols. Read more »

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City Places Restrictions on Beach, Cliff Walk Access

The City of Newport on Wednesday announced the temporary closure of several City parks and beaches due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Beginning Friday, April 3^rd, parking will be prohibited at Easton’s Beach as well as adjacent access points to the Cliff Walk and Braga Park. The City is encouraging all residents to continue to be active and get out for walks or bicycle rides, but to do so close to their own homes. Read more 

City Launches Temporary Food Distribution Program
The City of Newport on Monday announced that it will be opening a weekly drive up food distribution site at the Pell Elementary School beginning Wednesday, April 1, 2020. The temporary distribution site will be set up every Wednesday through April 29^th.

Out of State Travelers Urged to Self-Quarantine
Following the recommendation of Gov. Gina Raimondo, the City of Newport is instructing all out-of-state travelers and seasonal residents to self-quarantine upon visiting the City for a period of two weeks. Read more here »

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Council Extends Emergency Declaration
The City Council voted 7-0 in a special remote session on Monday afternoon to extend Newport’s Emergency Declaration for 30 days in order to more effectively address the threat presented by the COVID-19 virus. Read more here »

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City Hall, Offices Closed Effective Monday, March 23 
In light of current concerns related to the COVID-19 outbreak, please note that all City Offices will be closed to the public beginning Monday, March 23. While City Hall had previously been limited to essential city business only for the last week, beginning Monday, City offices will be available strictly by phone, email, or on a limited appointment only basis. Individual departments will remain fully staffed and any residents, establishments or entities who have ongoing business with the City are encouraged to conduct it online or via telephone. Read more here »

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Residents reminded that “flushable” wipes can lead to costly sewer backups  
The Department of Utilities  is urging all  residents in Newport to refrain from flushing disinfectant wipes – including those labeled “flushable” – and instead, to dispose of them in the trash. Read more here »

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Financial Relief Package Announced for Newport Residents, Businesses 
The City's resident parking program has been delayed, utility shutofffs are suspended, and tax abatements are being offered to anyone in need. Read more here »

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City Hall, Offices Offering Limited In-Person Services
Due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19, City Hall is currently open for essential business only, and all City meetings have been cancelled.For the time being, and until further notice, residents and businesses are encouraged to use our online and mail-in services for any and all City business. Please visit our website for a full list of online services. Read more here »​

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 City Declares Local State of Emergency

The declaration follows a recommendation from Gov. Gina Raimondo and will be in place until further notice. Its intent is to provide the City with more flexibility to manage day-to-day operations in light of the evolving nature of the situation. Read more here »

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» City Announces New Measures on Mass Gatherings
We're asking businesses to limit gatherings of 250 people or more, and venues hosting smaller gatherings to abide by any and all guidelines issued by the Rhode Island Department of Health. Failure to do so may result in penalties such as fines, or license suspension or revocation.

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» Residents Urged to Take Advantage of City's Online & Mail Services
From paying taxes and parking tickets, to searching property records, requesting vital records and applying for building permits or memorial benches, the City’s website can service a large variety of requests either directly online or through mail correspondence.

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» Newport Recreation Temporarily Suspending all Youth, Adult Programming

» St. Patrick's Day Parade & City Sponsored Events Cancelled

» Newporters Reminded to Sign up for Emergency Alerts

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