Latest news with #DawnWilliams
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Traffic backed up on Connecticut highways as Memorial Day travel kicks off
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Traffic is backed up in all directions on highways in the state as people get ahead of their holiday travel. Experts predict record travel on Memorial Day weekend Friday marks the beginning of the 100 most dangerous days on Connecticut highways. Connecticut Department of Transportation and state police teamed up with AAA to talk about the dangers of driving impaired, distracted or driving drowsy. 'When I see someone in my rearview mirror speeding through, I let him go by and get out of the way, and I keep it moving,' Dawn Williams, a Plainville resident, said. The earlier you start your day, the better. Hitting the road at around 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. means you'll hit the least amount of traffic. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
5 years later: Rhode Islanders reflect on COVID-19's lasting impact
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Masking up. Distance learning. Social distancing. No one could have predicted the profound changes that followed the World Health Organization's declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic—five years ago Tuesday. Dozens of essential care workers and advocates gathered outside the State House to remember Rhode Island's nearly 4,500 victims of the pandemic and address the ongoing challenges their field still faces. A year-long investigation by The Guardian and Kaiser Health News found that 3,607 U.S. healthcare workers died while fighting COVID-19 on the frontlines in the first year of the pandemic. Dawn Williams, a registered nurse at Butler Hospital, emphasized the resilience and dedication of local health care workers, despite the immense surge in mental health issues, compounded by the fear and isolation brought on by COVID-19. 'We were hailed as heroes in the darkest days of the pandemic,' Williams said. 'We provided critical support to patients grappling with anxiety, depression, and other mental health crises, often at great personal cost.' A union representing thousands of New England health care workers is calling for increased resources and state funding to support frontline staff who risked their lives in the pandemic's early days. 'These health care workers, these essential workers, they got out of their house, they went to work, they cared for us in the worst of moments,' Jesse Martin, executive vice president of SEIU 1999 New England, said. 'We can't abandon them now.' On March 1, 2020, former Gov. Gina Raimondo announced the state's first confirmed case of the virus. Just over a week later, Raimondo declared a state of emergency, saying it was necessary to 'put more tools in our toolbox to take the necessary steps.' RELATED: 5 years since first COVID-19 case announced in RI COVID-19 was declared a national emergency on March 13, 2020, following the WHO's global pandemic announcement. Distance learning in Rhode Island began on March 23, 2020, and five days later, a stay-at-home order was issued. To prevent the spread of the virus and 'slow the curve,' social distancing measures were put in place and masking policies introduced. In December 2020, the first COVID-19 vaccines were developed and made available to the public, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Several events and public establishments, including schools, restaurants, and workplaces, required proof of vaccination for entry. Since September 2021, vaccine booster shots have been offered, with the CDC advising everyone to stay up to date with the yearly dose. Although the pandemic may feel like a distant memory for some, and many of these practices are no longer enforced, its effects remain fresh for others. Rhode Islanders say the changes have left a lasting impact. 'The change in the young people who had to miss the social contact,' Providence resident Maryann Daley said. 'I think that's really profoundly changed our culture and I'm really sad about that.' North Providence resident John Samuel said he still struggles with the idea of working from home. 'We don't meet a lot of people. I mean, we can't even see each other, who we're working with. Especially for me, I prefer going to work,' Samuel said. Scott Rivkees, who specializes in pandemic preparedness and response at Brown University, previously served as the state surgeon general and secretary of health in Florida at the start of the pandemic. 'The nation, really, was gripped with fear at this time,' Rivkees reflected. He said COVID-19 is now a campaign issue, as people seem to have forgotten the pandemic's devastating effects—including the death toll. 'It's almost as though it's a forgotten pandemic,' Rivkees said. 'We forget what we went through during those early times to keep people safe.' In total, nearly 4,500 Rhode Islanders and almost one million Americans lost their lives to the virus. While COVID-19 is no longer as widespread, it continues to affect the U.S., with 22 deaths reported in the first two months of 2025. AHEAD: Flu activity now highest in 15 years Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
