Covid-19 updates
On June 1, state health officials announced that the total number of positive test results for Covid-19 in the Granite State has reached 4,685. Three additional deaths as a result of the coronavirus were reported on May 31, for a total of 245, or roughly 5 percent of all cases. Around 63 percent of all people in New Hampshire who have contracted the virus have since recovered, data from the Department of Health and Human Services shows. The number of new positive test results for the virus in New Hampshire continues to fluctuate daily, from just 34 new cases on May 26, to 101 on May 28 and back down to 39 on June 1.
Governor’s updates
In the past week, Gov. Chris Sununu made multiple announcements in the state’s ongoing response to Covid-19.
On May 26, Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 48, which provides new special education requirements to support remote learning in New Hampshire. Under the order, each school district is required to hold Individualized Education Plan team meetings to consider extended school year services for every child by June 30 at the latest. Each school district must also ensure that it holds IEP team meetings for every student identified for special education services no later than 30 calendar days before the first day of that district’s 2020-2021 school year.
On May 28, Sununu announced the establishment of the Governor’s Covid-19 Equity Response Team to address the disproportionate impacts of the pandemic on the Granite State. The team, composed of state leaders in racial and ethnic disparities and health equity, will work on the collection and release of demographic data, as well as the analysis of social, cultural and systemic factors related to Covid-19. The team began meeting immediately and is expected to present recommendations within 30 days of May 28, according to a press release.
Also on May 28, Sununu, in a joint statement with Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette and Adjutant General David Mikoliaties, announced the state’s plans to break down most clinical surge flex facilities across the state, starting this week. The state does plan to keep four facilities operationalized in Manchester, Plymouth, Durham and Littleton. The National Guard will help hospitals, towns and the state DHHS pack up the locations. “We have ensured we have the ability to reopen four of the flexible surge sites within 48 hours if the need arises,” Shibinette said in the statement.
Also on May 28, Sununu issued a statement following President Trump’s announcement via Twitter that day that he will extend the National Guard’s Title 32 status through mid-August. Sununu said, in part, that this will “allow our National Guard to continue to provide critical services.” Sununu had written a letter to the president on May 22, urging him to extend the Title 32 status of up to 450 New Hampshire National Guard personnel from June 24 through Sept. 30.
On May 29, Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 49, extending Emergency Orders No. 2 (no dine-in restaurant services), No. 6 (temporary authorization of takeout beer and wine at restaurants with liquor licenses), No. 16 (public gatherings limited to no more than 10 people) and No. 27 (restriction of hotel services to all but essential workers) from May 31 to June 15.
Also on May 29, during a press conference, Sununu announced the release of reopening guidelines for more business sectors in the state, as part of his “Stay at Home 2.0” plan. As of May 29, behind-the-wheel driver’s education instruction was allowed to resume, as long as classroom instruction continues remotely and instructors and students wear a face mask at all times when behind the wheel. In-car time is also limited to a maximum of 60 minutes and door handles and other in-car surfaces must be disinfected before and after each drive.
In-person religious services were also able to resume on May 29, both indoors and outdoors and including weddings and funeral services. Places of worship, however, are encouraged to continue conducting services online or through means that allow participants to remain in their homes. All places of worship should limit building occupancy to 40 percent of capacity at all times.
Beginning June 5, lodging facilities such as hotels, motels, cabins, bed and breakfasts and inns will be allowed to resume services, including accepting overnight reservations from New Hampshire residents or out-of-state visitors who have met the 14-day quarantine requirement. Smaller hotels and inns can rent at full capacity, while those with 20 or more rooms must remain limited at 50 percent capacity.
Day camps in the Granite State will be allowed to open June 22, with several guidelines in place. Staff members must be state residents or out-of-staters who have met the 14-day quarantine requirement. Day camp attendees are also restricted to children who are state residents or out-of-staters who have met the 14-day quarantine requirement.
Details of all of Sununu’s announcements and orders can be found at governor.nh.gov.
Hospital clusters
Manchester hospitals Catholic Medical Center and Elliot Hospital, in conjunction with the state’s Department of Health and Human Services, are each investigating a cluster of patients and staff who have tested positive for Covid-19, according to a press release. Last week, two asymptomatic patients from the same unit at Catholic Medical Center were discovered to be positive after being tested for placement in long-term care facilities. At the same time, a staff member on that unit also tested positive. CMC tested all patients on that unit out of an abundance of caution and seven patients and seven staff came back positive. None of the seven patients had shown symptoms at the time of testing. Similarly, at Elliot Hospital, five patients on the geriatric psychiatric unit have tested positive. The hospital is currently testing the remaining patients and all staff on the unit. Both hospitals remain prepared for a surge in Covid-19 patients, according to the release.
Covid-19 dashboard
State health officials have launched a new Covid-19 dashboard to help people track the impact of the coronavirus in their communities, according to a press release. The dashboard is updated daily, displaying data on virus cases, related hospitalizations and deaths, as well as additional demographic detail and county of residence. The dashboard replaces the Covid-19 Weekly Summary Report, giving residents access to the weekly report’s data on a daily basis instead of weekly. The data can be viewed on any devices, including computers, tablets and smartphones. “It is easy to access and navigate … with meaningful information about the spread of the virus,” DHHS Commissioner Lori Shibinette said in a statement. The dashboard can be viewed at nh.gov/covid19/dashboard/index.htm.
DMV road tests
The New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles resumed road tests for eligible applicants on June 1, according to a May 29 press release. Prior to scheduling a road test, applicants must complete all driver licensing requirements, including successfully passing a knowledge test. Applicants who need to complete one can request an appointment at any one of the locations currently open, including in Concord, Dover, Keene, Manchester, Nashua, Newport, Salem and Twin Mountain. For licenses expiring by July 31, in-person driver’s license renewal appointments are available, although customers are encouraged to renew online if eligible.
Manchester protest
On May 30, about 800 people participated in an organized Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Manchester. The group gathered at Veterans Park around 10 a.m. and marched peacefully throughout the city before returning to the park. No arrests were made during the protest, according to a press release from the Manchester Police Department. After the protest, a group of more than 100 people marched to the Department headquarters at 405 Valley St. At around 1:30 p.m., a truck drove up and there was a verbal altercation between its occupants and the protestors. One of the occupants got out and displayed a gun. Manchester police took that person and one other into custody. They were later identified as Scott Kimball and Mark Kimball, who were both charged with felony riot and felony criminal threatening.
Concord Hospital Otolaryngology is a new practice set to open on June 8 for patients with ear, nose and throat diseases and disorders. The office will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located at the Concord Hospital Medical Offices at Horseshoe Pond, 60 Commercial St., Suite 401 in Concord.
On May 29, Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, along with members of the Manchester Emergency Operations Center, received 10,500 masks donated by Taichung City, which is the Queen City’s sister city in Taiwan. “We’re so thankful for their partnership, and for their generosity,” Craig wrote on her Facebook page.
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services issued an advisory on May 27 that cyanobacteria bloom had been observed on Governors Lake in Raymond. The department advises the public to avoid contact with water that has elevated cyanobacteria conditions, and to keep pets out of the water as well, as cyanobacteria can produce toxins that pose health risks to people and animals. The advisory was still in effect as of June 2 and will remain in effect until the risk has abated.
The Nashua and Manchester Doorways programs, which are part of the state’s efforts to combat the opioid crisis, have transitioned their operations to Catholic Medical Center and Southern New Hampshire Health, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. The transition will “strengthen and expand treatment and recovery services for individuals seeking help with substance use disorder,” according to the release.
