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CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND - DECEMBER 03: Protesters of Voices for Freedom hold a sign saying 'Lest we forget. They fought for our freedom' as they protest vaccine mandates at the Bridge of Remembrance on December 03, 2021 in Christchurch, New Zealand. New Zealand's new COVID-19 Protection Framework comes into effect from today, with different regions transitioning to different traffic light restriction levels. Northland, Auckland, Taupō and Rotorua Lakes Districts, Kawerau, Whakatane, Ōpōtiki Districts, Gisborne District, Wairoa District, Rangitikei, Whanganui and Ruapehu Districts move to Red level, while the rest of the North Island and all of the South Island move to Orange settings.
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee confirmed the first case of Omicron in the state this past weekend. Amid fears that more cases could be detected in the coming days, the governor also extended his executive orders until Jan. 8.
McKee said that new mandates would also be imposed, including wearing masks in school. He also declared a disaster emergency due to the newest COVID-19 variant.
Rhode Island has one confirmed Omicron case
According to reports, the first confirmed case of Omicron in Rhode Island hit a woman in her 20s who traveled to New York. Those who came in contact with the locals are currently being traced. The individual is reportedly fully vaccinated, but she has not received a booster shot.
According to the US News, McKee will also announce a set of actions to address the increasing number of COVID-19 cases and alleviate hospital confinements this week.
Schools will remain open for face-to-face classes, and there won't be any lockdown so as not to disrupt small businesses, according to WHDH.
Rhode Island residents should not panic
Following McKee's recent announcements, he reminded residents of Rhode Island not to panic. He also said that the state knew that Omicron would soon get to Rhode Island, so they had the necessary tools to keep everyone safe. He also said Rhode Island would do precisely what they did when the Delta variant hit the state.
Those who are not yet vaccinated should consider getting the jab, and those who already need to get their booster shot to do so as soon as possible.
According to NBC Boston, there are dozens of locations where locals could get vaccinated, including schools, clinics, senior citizen centers, offices, pharmacies, and more.
Rhode Island vaccine mandate criticized
As of press writing, there is a vaccine mandate in Rhode Island for those working in the medical profession. Last month, the state faced some controversy after a handful of healthcare workers questioned why there is no exemption on religious grounds.
Atty. Joseph S. Larisa Jr. said that over 300 healthcare workers qualify for religious and medical exemptions and shouldn't be vaccinated.
Larisa Jr. added that as long as these healthcare workers continue wearing their face masks, they should be allowed to continue working.
However, Assistant Attorney General Michael W. Field said that wearing masks isn't enough to prevent the spread of COVID-19 or ensure that healthcare workers won't put their patients at risk when they come into close contact with them.
According to the Providence Journal, the state regulation enacted on Aug. 17 states that all healthcare workers should be vaccinated by Oct. 1.
Healthcare workers asking for religious exemptions do not want to get vaccinated because of claims that aborted fetal cell lines are used in the development and production of the vaccine.
However, the publication stressed that the vaccine does not contain aborted fetal cells. It's unclear where the claims came from, but it has been confirmed that it's incorrect.
Related Article: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Announces Suspension of Elective Surgeries in Westchester County Due to Rising COVID-19 Cases, Declares State of Emergency
