Coronavirus in New Hampshire: Important information, latest data

BREAKING NEWS… GOVERNOR SUNUNU IS UPDATING THE STATE’S CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE. LET’S LISTEN IN. EVERYBODY TRANSITIONED OVER BY OCTOBER 26, SO THAT’S REALLY A DECENT TIME LINE THAT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE FACILITIES AND REALLY PROBLEM SOLVE ANYTHING THAT THEY ANYTHING THAT THEY RUN INTO SO WE’VE COMMITTED TO ALL OF THE NURSING HOMES THAT IF FOR SOME REASON THEY RUN INTO CONTRACT CONTRACT CONTRACTING ISSUES WITH THE COMMERCIAL LABS, WE CERTAINLY WILL EXTEND BEYOND THE 26. THIS IS NOT A HARD AND FAST. STATE THAT IF THEY DON’T HAVE A PARTNER BY THE 26TH AT WE’RE JUST GOING TO STOP TESTING. WE’RE VERY COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE GOOD SURVEILLANCE. TESTING GO WOULD GOING FORWARD. SO THAT’S WHAT WE’RE WORKING ON THIS WEEK. AND SO THE WAY THAT THE SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE SET UP IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE MAKING IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE WE HAVE IN THIS IS AN EXAMPLE ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE’RE GOING TO THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM IS PROVIDE MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITIES FOR THE FACILITY. SO WHAT WE’RE RECOMMENDING IS ALL PCR BASED TESTING ONE WEEK OF THE MONTH. THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THEIR STAFF TESTED IN EVERY OTHER WEEK IN THAT IN THAT MONTH. THEY’RE GOING TO TEST 10% RANDOMLY OF THEIR STAFF. SO THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS THIS SCHEDULE IS THAT THEY CAN CHOOSE WHAT WEEK AND WHAT DAY OF THAT WEEK THAT THEY WANT TO DO SPECIMEN COLLECTION. IT’S BETWEEN THEM AND THEIR COMMERCIAL LAB PARTNER. SO IF THEY DECIDE THAT THEY’RE GOING TO DO 10% ON WEEK 1 AND TWO AND THEN A HUNDRED PERCENT ON WEEK 3 THAT IS COMPLETELY OK THIS THESE INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS GIVES THEM THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO WHAT’S DO WHAT’S BEST FOR FOR THEIR FACILITY AND THEIR STAFF THIS PUTS THEM IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL OF THE CMS GUIDELINES. IT STILL PROVIDES THE FUNDING AND THE SUPPORT THAT IS NEEDED TO HAVE A GOOD GOOD SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM MOST STATES MOVE. TO A SELF-DIRECTED TESTING PROGRAM FOR LONG-TERM CARE BACK IN THE SUMMER WE CHOSE TO HOLD ON TO OUR PROGRAM A LITTLE BIT LONGER AND WHAT THIS IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO DO IS WE HAVE OTHER GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT WE WANT TO PUT ON SURVEILLANCE OUTSIDE OF LONG-TERM CARE. WE WANT TO TO BRING SOME ASSISTED LIVING MORE ASSISTED LIVING INTO A SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM HOMELESS POPULATIONS JAILS DIFFERENT CONGREGATE LIVING SETTINGS THAT I THINK NEED TO BE A SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM AND SO MOVE. THE NURSING HOMES OFF INTO THEIR OWN SELF DIRECTED PROGRAM GIVES US THE ROOM TO BE ABLE TO BRING THOSE OTHER POPULATIONS ON TO A PROGRAM. THAT’S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. I THINK I’M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO BETH DAILY. NOT QUITE AS GOOD AS WHAT THE FOOT AS YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I’M GOING TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE’VE LEARNED TO DATE AROUND. ACT RACING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE SINCE MARCH WE’VE INVESTIGATED NOW JUST OVER EIGHT THOUSAND CASES OF COVID-19, AND THIS HAS RESULTED IN US INTERACTING WITH MORE THAN 22,000 CLOSE CONTACTS WHO HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND NAMED AS HAVING HAD CLOSE CONTACT WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS. WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN A VERY ROBUST CONTACT TRACING OPERATION AT THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND AND CONTRACT OUR STAFF AS NEEDED THROUGHOUT THE RESPONSE. CURRENTLY WE HAVE A HUNDRED AND TEN. TRACERS WORKING WITH US AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR RESPONSE THE PRIMARY RISK FACTOR FOR COVID-19 WAS FIRST INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL AND THEN LATER DOMESTIC TRAVEL TRAVEL AS A RISK FACTOR AS YOU CAN SEE HAS DECLINED AS THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS WERE IMPLEMENTED WHEN THESE WERE THEN LATER LIFTED WE HAVE STARTED TO SEE TRAVEL ASSOCIATED CASES INCREASE BUT NOT TO THE SAME EXTENT AS PRIOR TO THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS IN PARTICULAR. WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WHEN YOU DO CHOOSE TO TRAVEL IT’S BEST TO AVOID PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND THEN ALSO ATTENDING ANY LARGE EVENTS OR CROWDED SPACES NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE AS LOCAL COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION INITIALLY INCREASE DURING THE LATE SPRING COVID TOOK HOLD IN OUR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES AND A MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE WERE IDENTIFYING AS CASES HAD HAD EXPOSURE TO AN OUTBREAK AND THAT WAS WHAT THEIR RISK FACTOR FOR COVID-19 WAS AS THESE OUTBREAKS CAME UNDER CONTROL THROUGH THIS ENHANCED INFECTION PREVENTION IN THE AS WELL AS ARE VERY AGGRESSIVE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY TESTING PROGRAM FEWER OUTBREAKS OCCURRED AND THEN FEWER OUTBREAK ASSOCIATED CASES NATURALLY OCCURRED AS WELL OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS NEXT SLIDE. PLEASE CURRENTLY IN OVER THE SUMMER AS PEOPLE HAVE RELAXED THEIR SOCIAL DISTANCING RESTRICTIONS. WE HAVE CONTINUED TO IDENTIFY PEOPLE WHO COME INTO CLOSE CONTACT WITH A CONFIRMED CASE AND AT THIS POINT THIS IS TAKEN OVER AS OUR PRIMARY RISK FACTOR FOR COVID-19 IN, NEW HAMPSHIRE. THIS IS ALWAYS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL RISK FACTOR FOR COVID-19 IN OUR STATE BECAUSE THIS VIRUS IS PRIMARILY SPREAD THROUGH CLOSE CONTACT TO SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN INFECTED BUT THE PROPORTION OF INDIVIDUALS DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19 HAS INCREASED OVER TIME AND IT’S HOLDING FAIRLY STEADY NOW AT ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR CONFIRMED CASES NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE AND THEN LASTLY IN TERMS OF RISK FACTORS THE PROPORTION OF PEOPLE WITH COVID-19 WHO HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED A SPECIFIC RISK FACTOR ONE OF THE ONES THEY’VE ALREADY MENTIONED TRAVEL BEING ASSOCIATED WITH AN OUTBREAK OR BEING ASSOCIATED WITH A KNOWN CASE. THIS HAS INCREASED AS PEOPLE HAVE GONE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY. SO IT DECREASED DURING THE STAY AT HOME ORDERS AND NOW ABOUT 25 TO 30 PERCENT OF OUR PEOPLE HAVE WHO HAVE COVID-19 HAVE NO IDENTIFIED RISK FACTOR AND WE THINK THIS REALLY IS REPRESENTING THAT COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION. HOWEVER, DUE TO OUR EFFECTIVE PERSONAL PREVENTION MEASURES ARE TAKING THE ACTUAL BRR PEOPLE WITH COVID HAS NOT INCREASED. SO IT’S JUST THE PROPORTION OF CASES ATTRIBUTED THAT TO HAVE NO ATTRIBUTABLE RISK FACTOR HAS INCREASED BUT THIS HAS NOT RESULTED IN AN ACTUAL INCREASE IN NUMBERS OF CASES AS YOU ALL KNOW NEXT SLIDE, SO THESE EIGHT THOUSAND CASES HAVE IMPACTED MANY INSTITUTIONS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND IN PARTICULAR, YOU KNOW, OUR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES HAVE BEEN HEAVILY IMPACTED MORE RECENTLY. WE’VE SEEN SOME AND COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. WELL AS OUR K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS BEING IMPACTED, BUT YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS GRAPHIC THAT CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES IN CHILDCARE CENTERS HAVE HAD RELATIVELY FEW CASES DESPITE THIS INCREASING NUMBER OF INFECTIONS IDENTIFIED IN OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS. A LOT OF THIS HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO INCREASES IN TESTING AND MORE AGGRESSIVELY TESTING BOTH STAFF AND STUDENTS AND WE THINK THAT THIS IS HELP TO PREVENT SOME INTRODUCTION OF OR SPREAD IN THESE FACILITIE INSTITUTIONS AND YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR STATEWIDE PERCENT POSITIVE NUMBER OF CASES IS VERY LOW AND AT JUST UNDER 1% OF OUR TESTS ARE POSITIVE. SO WE’RE NOT SEEING ANY OUTBREAKS ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLIC SETTINGS AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS SLIDE SUCH AS RETAIL STORES AND SERVICES AND RESTAURANTS AND THEN MY FINAL SLIDE GREAT SO OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS AS PEOPLE HAVE BEGUN TO MOVE ABOUT MORE OUR CASE INVESTIGATIONS HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY COMPLEX THESE WHILE OUR CASE REMAIN LOW THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF CLOSE CONTACTS TO EACH CASE HAS INCREASED WHICH IS WHAT THIS CHART IS SHOWING SO CURRENTLY ABOUT FIVE CLOSE CONTACTS ARE IDENTIFIED FOR EVERY SINGLE CASE NOW, SOMETIMES IT MAY BE NONE AND SOMETIMES IT COULD BE 40 OR 50 PER CASE DEPENDING ON WHAT THEIR ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN. WE KNOW THOUGH THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE CLOSE CONTACTS ARE HOUSEHOLD CONTACTS ABOUT 56% AND WE’VE HAD RELATIVELY FEW CLOSE CONTACTS IDENTIFIED IN WORKPLACES. JUST 6% OF OUR CLOSE CONTACTS ARE IN WORKPLACES. SO THIS IS SUGGESTING THAT MANY OF OUR INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS SUCH AS THE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES, BUT OTHER WORKPLACES AS WELL HAVE IMPLEMENTED SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES TO PREVENT THAT CLOSE CONTACT. HOWEVER CLOSE CONTACT IS OCCURRING IN OTHER SETTINGS INCLUDING THROUGH SOCIAL INTERACTIONS WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND IN OTHER GROUP SETTINGS THAT ARE NOT WORK-RELATED, SO WE’RE CONCERNED THAT PEOPLE MAY BE LETTING THEIR THEIR GUARD DOWN WHEN THEY’RE OUT AND ABOUT FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE GOING TO OTHER TYPES OF SOCIAL GATHERINGS BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS CLOSE CONTACTS IN A NUMBER OF OUR INVESTIGATIONS. WE CAN’T REGULATE THE THE SETTINGS OF BACKYARD BARBECUES OR BIRTHDAY PARTIES OR OTHER TYPES OF SOCIAL GATHERINGS THAT PEOPLE COME TOGETHER. SO WE JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THESE PARTICULAR TYPES OF EVENTS. THAT OCCUR ARE POTENTIALLY HIGH-RISK FOR COVID-19 TRANSMISSION AND IT’S INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE’RE TAKING OUR OWN PERSON. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE THOSE MEASURES OF SOCIAL DISTANCING AT THESE TYPES OF EVENTS AND IF YOU CAN’T SOCIAL DISTANCE THEN BEING SURE TO WEAR A MASK. WE ALSO CONTINUE TO RECOMMEND THAT PEOPLE AVOID LARGE GATHERINGS AND THEN ALSO MAKING SURE THAT YOU STAY HOME IF YOU’RE ILL AND IF YOU ARE IDENTIFIED AS A CLOSE IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO QUARANTINE FOR THOSE 14 DAYS. SO, THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING YOUR YOUR PART TO PREVENT COVID-19 TRANSMISSION. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DR. DALY. IT’S FANTASTIC. I KNOW WE JUST GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM CONTACT TRACING TO THE IMPACT OF THESE COVID CASES SPECIFICALLY WITH THE OUTBREAKS, RIGHT? WHAT IS AN OUTBREAK CLUSTER SETTINGS THINGS OF THAT NATURE? AND AGAIN, WE HAVE OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE JUST DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB AND GREAT LEADERSHIP OVER WITH OUR CONTACT TRACING TEAM AND WE’LL JUST STAY RIGHT ON IT RIGHT AS THE NUMBERS MAY GO UP. THEY MAY GO DOWN. WE KIND OF DON’T LOSE OUR FOC AND WE GIVE IT 110% BECAUSE THAT’S I’M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT GREAT CONTACT TRACING THAT WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT IS TRULY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY OUR NUMBERS ARE SO LOW, WE’RE ABLE TO ISOLATE INDIVIDUALS VERY QUICKLY AND MAKE SURE THAT THE FOLKS THAT THEY’VE INTERACTED WITH CAN BECOME ISOLATED QUARANTINED AND OBVIOUSLY GET THE SUBSEQUENT TESTING. SO A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO MOVE ON WITH AND THEN WILL WE WILL HAPPILY OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS. SO FIRST, LET’S START OFF WITH SOME NEW CARES ACT ALLOCATION. SO THE CARES ACT FUNDS THAT WE WE STILL HAVE OF THOSE FUNDS AVAILABLE. WE’VE KEPT SOME AVAILABLE THROUGH THE FALL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE COVERING ANY GAPS THAT MIGHT APPEAR IN THE SYSTEM OR ADDITIONAL FUNDING NEEDS THAT MAY SPUR UP WHETHER IT’S PPE OR TESTING. BUT TODAY WE’RE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT OUR ONGOING EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT NO ONE FALLS THROUGH THE CRACKS SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE WHAT WE’RE CREATING THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROVIDER FUND. SO WHAT IS THIS? THIS IS A FOUR MILLION DOLLAR FUND SPECIFICALLY AIMED AT SCHOOLS THAT WILL HELP STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. IN TOTAL THE FUND CAN HELP UP TO ABOUT WE ESTIMATE AROUND 21 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS THAT SERVE OVER 750 STUDENTS WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES ACROSS THE STATE CURRENTLY THESE SCHOOLS AND INSTITUTIONS ARE JUST DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB EDUCATING STUDENTS. I’VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF VISITING QUITE A FEW OF THEM GETTING TO KNOW THE STUDENTS AND THE FACULTY VERY DEDICATED STAFF AND JUST WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT JUST STAY OPEN, BUT MAKE SURE THAT DOING THEIR THEIR JOB AND ALLOWING THESE INDIVIDUALS THESE STUDENTS TO GET ONTO A PATH OF A MORE INDEPENDENT LIFE. THE PROVIDERS ARE VERY UNIQUE AND THAT’S WHY THE SUBSET THAT WERE TRYING TO CLOSE THE GAP WITH IF YOU WILL IS FAIRLY SMALL ONE SUCH SCHOOL THAT I TALK ABOUT A LOT IS THE MONARCH SCHOOL OVER IN ROCHESTER A FANTASTIC FACILITY. AND YOU KNOW, I WANT TO GIVE THEM A LOT OF CREDIT THEY KIND OF CAME TO CAME TO US AND TALK VERY DIRECTLY ABOUT WHAT THEIR FINANCES WERE WHAT THE STRUCTURE WAS THE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THEY WERE HAVING WITH MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT THE FUNDING OF THESE INSTITUTIONS CAN BECOME VERY COMPLEX FROM A FEDERAL. AND LOCAL LEVEL AND THEY REALLY WORKED WITH US TO HELP US UNDERSTAND ALL THOSE DIFFERENT BARRIERS THAT THEY WERE FACING GIVEN THE COVID CRISIS AND AGAIN THE STATE REMAINS VERY FOCUSED ON ASSISTING THESE STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND ENSURING THE SCHOOLS AND PROVIDERS HAVE RESOURCES TO MEET THE NEEDS AND NOT JUST STAY OPEN BUT REALLY MEET THOSE VERY SPECIFIC AND INDIVIDUALIZED NEEDS AROUND THE PHYSICAL MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTAL BEHAVIORAL EMOTIONAL DISABILITIES THAT MIGHT EXIST AND WE JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY’RE DOING AND WE’RE CREATING THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO ESSENTIALLY APPLY INTO A FUND IN A VERY SIMPLE WAY AND GET SOME SOME PROVIDER RELIEF IF YOU WILL AS WE GO THROUGH THE COVID PANDEMIC TODAY. ALSO, WE’RE TALKING WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CHANGES WERE MAKING WITH RESTAURANTS. WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS. WE’VE I THINK TAKEN VERY SMART STEPS TO SLOWLY OPEN UP RESTAURANTS MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT DATA NOT CREATING A SITUATION WITH ADDITIONAL OUTBREAKS OR YOU KNOW CLUSTERS OF – IF YOU WILL IT’S A ARE THE HIGHER AREAS OF INCIDENT THAT WE SAW DOWN IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY AS THEY OPENED UP VERY QUICKLY. THEY DIDN’T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF THE GUIDANCE IN PLACE AND IT RESULTED IN SOME VERY VERY QUICK AND VERY DRASTIC OUTBREAKS IN SOME OF THE CITIES LIKE MIAMI ARE HOUSTON AND OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. SO WE KNEW WE HAD TO BE VERY CAREFUL TODAY. WE’RE MAKING ANOTHER STEP FORWARD CURRENTLY RESTAURANTS WITH CAN OPEN UP TO 100% OF INDOOR CAPACITY. BUT EVERYONE STILL HAS TO MAINTAIN THAT SIX FOOT BUFFER BETWEEN TABLES AND AGAIN, YOU CAN ONLY SIT WITH YOUR PARTY OR FAMILY MEMBERS AT YOUR TABLE. WE DON’T WANT FOLKS CONGREGATING AROUND OUR STANDING AT A BAR. THAT’S REALLY WHERE A LOT OF THE INCIDENTS WOULD HAPPEN, BUT WE KNOW THAT AS THINGS GET COLDER AS WE’VE OPENED UP OUTDOOR SEATING AND AS THINGS GET COLDER THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY UTILIZE THAT ADDITIONAL OUTDOOR SEATING IS GOING TO BECOME VERY LIMITED AND SO A LOT OF THESE RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SURVIVE WITH THE OPPORTUNITY OF OUTDOOR SEATING THAT’S GOING TO QUICKLY SO TODAY WE’RE MAKING ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THAT REALLY HAS THE PUBLIC BY IN OF ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED FROM PUBLIC HEALTH THE SUPPORT OF THE RESTAURANT OWNERS SO THAT EFFECTIVE ON OCTOBER 1ST WILL BE EASING THE 6-FOOT DISTANCING RULE FOR TABLE AND BOOST AT RESTAURANTS AS LONG AS THEY ENACT PROTECTIVE BARRIERS AND THIS CHANGE THIS CHANGE AGAIN WAS APPROVED BY THE TEAM OVER AT PUBLIC HEALTH AND AS EVIDENCE TODAY AT TODAY’S CONTACT CONTACT TRACING PRESENTATION. WE DO CAN CONTINUE TO SEE POSITIVE DATA IN RESTAURANTS. THEY ARE CURRENTLY NOT A SOURCE OF WIDESPREAD TRANSMISSION. WE’VE SEEN THIS MODEL BE ENACTED IN OTHER PLACES ACROSS THE NEW ENGLAND REGION AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY VERY SUCCESSFULLY. AND SO WE’RE VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS MODEL AND A VERY SAFE MANNER AND STILL ALLOW AGAIN THE STAFF TO BE SAFE THE EMPLOYEES TO BE SAFE AS WELL AS THOSE COMING TO VISIT THE RESTAURANTS KNOWING THAT AGAIN WE HAVING THESE BARRIERS CAN ALLOW THINGS TO BE A MAYBE A CLOSER A FEW MORE PEOPLE INDOORS, BUT STILL MAINTAIN THE SAFETY PROTOCOLS THAT WE LIKE TO SEE SO THAT WE ARE MITIGATING THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS ON ANOTHER NOTE REALLY QUICK THIS SUMMER PREVIOUS SUMMER PREVIOUS SUMMER SEEMS LIKE SUMMER WAS YEARS AGO, RIGHT? WE DID LAUNCH OUR DON’T GO VIRAL PSA CAMPAIGN. IT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN ACROSS THE STATE ENCOURAGING FOLKS TO WEAR MASKS. AND ENSURE PROPER HEALTH PRACTICES ACROSS THE STATE THE SUCCESS OF THE CAMPAIGN WAS ACTUALLY A FAR EXCEEDED OUR EXPECTATIONS WITH OVER 16 MILLION PEOPLE SEEING ARE INTERACTING WITH SOME PART OF THE CAMPAIGN ACROSS NEW HAMPSHIRE AND AS WE HEAD INTO THE FALL, WE’RE LAUNCHING. I GUESS YOU COULD CALL IT PHASE 2 OF THE DON’T GO VIRAL CAMPAIGN WHICH WILL START NEXT WEEK AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF NOVEMBER AND THIS LATEST PHASE WILL REALLY UTILIZE A LOT OF THE SAME DIGITAL MEDIA STRATEGY. THAT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE IN THE FIRST IS THIS PAST SUMMER BUT THIS FALL THE STATE IS GOING TO WE’RE REALLY GOING TO FOCUS THIS CAMPAIGN ON YOUNG ADULTS PARTICULARLY ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES. WE WHERE WE KNOW THERE’S JUST A LOT OF NATURAL CONGREGATING WHICH AGAIN WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE THE STUDENTS AND THE STAFF UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE RISKS OF THAT I THINK COMPARED TO MANY OF THE OTHER STATES THAT HAVE HAD ISSUES IN THEIR COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. WE’VE DONE VERY VERY WELL HERE. WE’VE HAD A COUPLE OF INSTANCES HERE AND THERE BUT NOTHING THAT CAN’T BE MANAGED WE’VE DONE WELL, AND WE JUST DON’T WANT TO TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED. WE KIND OF WANT TO DOWN ON THE PREVENTIVE MEASURES. THE MESSAGING AND THE IMPORTANCE THAT THE STUDENTS HOPEFULLY WILL GATHER FROM THIS THAT WHAT THEY DO CAN HAVE A DOMINO EFFECT IN A VERY NEGATIVE WAY SOMETIMES AND WE’VE SEEN IT PLAY OUT IN OTHER STATES. WE DON’T WANT TO SEE IT PLAY OUT HERE. SO WE’RE GOING TO BE USING SOME OF THE CARES ACT FUNDS TO CONTINUE THIS CAMPAIGN, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE FOLKS AT THE BUSINESS THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS. THEY’VE REALLY LED A LOT OF THESE MARKETING EFFORTS KIND OF OUR MARKETING ARM IN THE STATE IF YOU WILL THEY DID A GREAT JOB WITH THE FIRST PHASE OF THIS NOW WE’RE GOING TO ROLL IT OUT. FOR THE NEXT COUPLE, I GUESS THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON SOME OF THOSE YOUNG ADULTS, BUT REALLY EVERYONE MAKING SURE THAT WE DON’T GO VIRAL. WE KEEP OUR NUMBERS LOW EVEN THROUGH THESE THESE WHAT WILL BE TRICKY MONTHS. AND SPEAKING OF SPEAKING OF TRICKY AND TRICKS AS MANY FOLKS ARE AWARE HALLOWEEN IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER A FAVORITE HOLIDAY FOR A LOT OF US HERE IN IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND THE GREATER NEW ENGLAND AREA. SO THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE IS ISSUING A TRICK-OR-TREAT SAFETY TIP SHEET WE DO PUT OUT SOME TYPE OF TIP SHEET FOR FOLKS. JUST REMINDING THEM OF WAYS TO BE SAFE AROUND TRICK-OR-TREATING BUT OBVIOUSLY WITH THE COVID PANDEMIC THIS YEAR. WE’RE ADDING A JUST THAT ADDITIONAL EFFORT TO INCLUDE MAINTAINING SOCIAL DISTANCING ONE POSSIBLE USING FACE COVERINGS FREQUENT HAND-WASHING. THESE ARE OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT COMMON SENSE REMINDERS FOR FOLKS WHO CHOOSE TO GO OUT AND TRICK-OR-TREAT OR CHOOSE TO PROVIDE TREATS TO ALL THE KIDS THAT MIGHT B BE COMING TO THE DOOR. WE’VE MADE THE TIP. SHEET AVAILABLE TODAY. DO WE HAVE A WEBSITE THAT IT’S AVAILABLE AT AND NH DOT-GOV. THAT’S REALLY MY GO-TO WEB SITE FOR ALMOST EVERYTHING WHEN IT COMES TO COVID RIGHT @NH DOT-GOV YOU CAN GO AND GET THAT TIP SHEET WILL BE PROVIDING IT TO A LOT OF THE CITIES AND TOWNS. AND AGAIN, WELL A LOT OF THE CITIES AND TOWNS WILL HAPPEN. WE HAVE THEIR OWN LOCAL ORDINANCES WHETHER IT’S TIME CHANGES OR PROCEDURES AROUND HALLOWEEN AND IT’S OBVIOUSLY THEIR ABILITY TO DO SO GIVEN EVERY CITY AND TOWN IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. IT’S LONG BEEN AN ACTIVITY ORGANIZED AT THAT LOCAL LEVEL AND WELL. YOU GOING TO KEEP IT THAT WAY BUT AGAIN IT IS TRICK-OR-TREATING IS SOMETHING THAT IS 100% OPTIONAL FOR BOTH KIDS AND ADULTS AND IF FOLKS DON’T FEEL SAFE, THEY DON’T FEEL COMFORTABLE THEN THEY DEFINITELY SHOULD NOT PARTAKE IN EITHER TRICK-OR-TREATING OR PROVIDING CANDY. SO YOU NEED BOTH PARTIES TO REALLY HOPEFULLY UNDERSTAND THOSE PRECAUTIONS THAT WE’RE HOPING PEOPLE WILL ENACT AND AGAIN, WE KNOW THAT IF WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL WITH NASCAR WE CAN BE VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH BIKE WEEK. WE CAN BE VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH SOME OF THE EVENTS THE EVENTS THAT HAPPEN AROUND THE STATE. THERE’S NO REASON WITH A LITTLE EXTRA PRECAUTION, WE CAN’T ALL BE VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH HALLOWEEN. AND ONE FINAL THING I’D LIKE TO MENTION AND THEN WE’RE GOING TO OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS TOMORROW. I’LL BE JOINING WITH THE NFL HALL OF FAME THE GRANITE YMCA AND NAMI, NEW HAMPSHIRE TO HOST A STRONG YOUTH STRONG COMMUNITIES EVENT. THIS IS ACTUALLY VERY EXCITING. IT’S A FORUM OF YOUNG ADULTS TO DISCUSS MENTAL ILLNESS AND TEEN SUICIDE PREVENTION AGAIN, THE ISSUES AROUND MENTAL ILLNESS AND ESPECIALLY AROUND KIDS IS SOMETHING THAT WE’VE BEEN RIGHT ON TOP OF SINCE ONE THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC. WE PROVIDED FUNDS AND RESOURCES BUT HAVING A LOT OF THESE OTHER COMMUNITY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS COME TOGETHER KEEP THAT MESSAGING STRONG PROVIDING AVENUES AND RESOURCES FOR THESE KIDS IS REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDST OF THIS COVID PANDEMIC. THERE ARE STILL WITH REMOTE LEARNING. THERE ARE STILL ISSUES OF ISOLATION AND AND THAT CAN BE VERY TOUGH ON A LOT OF THESE KIDS. SO WE’RE VERY HAPPY TO BE PARTNERING WITH THE NFL HALL OF FAME THE PROGRAM PUT TOGETHER IS ALSO PUT TOGETHER WITH FORMER. FRITZ ANDRE TIBBETT AND A BUNCH OF OTHER STELLAR ATHLETES. IT’S REALLY KIND OF EXCITING AND SO YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT TOMORROW STARTING AT N HD O NH D OT. SORRY, THAT’S DOT MY BAD. NH DOT-GOV BACKSLASH COVID-19 UNDER THIS LITTLE BUTTON THAT SAYS MENTAL HEALTH THAT WE PUT UP THAT WE PUT UP THERE A FEW WEEKS AGO. SO NH DOT-GOV BACKSLASH COVID-19 UNDER THE MENTAL HEALTH STRENGTH MENTAL HEALTH STRESS AND ANXIETY TAB THAT WE CREATED WITH A LOT OF THE OTHER. IS THERE SO IT SHOULD BE GREAT AND PEOPLE PEOPLE SHOULD DEFINITELY CHECK IT OUT WITH THAT. I GUESS WE’LL OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS. I’M STILL SHOCKED THAT I SAID NH D OT GOV. SORRY, MY BAD. I GOT DOD, BUT WE’RE BUILDING ROADS AND BRIDGES TO ALL GOING WELL. YES, PAULA COM GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD MORNING. ARE PRESSURING THE STATE TO ALLOW THEM TO BE AN EXEMPTION UNDER THE TROUBLE OUTSIDE NEW ENGLAND AND WONDERED IF THERE WERE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR GROUPS THAT WERE TRYING TO GET AT SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE’RE LOOKING AT IS TO MAKING SURE THAT EDUCATION IS INCLUDE AS PART OF THAT ACCENTURE TABLE JUST LIKE WORK IS CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL AS PART OF ALLOWING THE QUARANTINE PROVISIONS TO THE 14-DAY TO NOT BE ENACTED A SCHOOL. IS JUST AS ESSENTIAL OBVIOUSLY FOR KIDS AND I KNOW THAT SOMETHING THAT THEY’RE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF MAKING THOSE CHANGES VERY SHORTLY. WOULD YOU LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY OF SAYING? OKAY. WELL, MAYBE OUTSIDE OF THESE STATES OR A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF PCR OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD ALLOW MORE TRAVEL OF KNOWING NEW HAMPSHIRE RESIDENTS TO WORK. SO I GUESS I PROBABLY DEFER TO PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE COMMISSION ABOUT SPECIFICS IN TERMS OF IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC REGIONS AGAIN. I’D LIKE FOLKS TO LOOK AT DATA. WE TRY TO MAKE EVERYTHING VERY DATA-DRIVEN NOT JUST ON GUT REACTION. SO WE’LL PROBABLY HAVE TO GO BACK AND REVISIT A LITTLE BIT TALK ABOUT THE DATA WHAT STATES AND WHAT PROVISIONS THAT THEY WOULD BE LOOKING AT AN ACTING BUT I’M OPEN TO ALL OF THAT. THERE’S SO MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR COUNTING ON THAT FEMA REIMBURSEMENT OF IT FOR THE PPE. I KNOW YOU’VE SAID FOR THE TOOLS AND NOT DRAWN DOWN THE FULL AMOUNT OF CARES ACT FUNDS HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED BUT IS MOVED. ZACH MONEY HERE FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE TO HAVE TO FILL IN THAT GAP IS VERY POSSIBLE. YEAH, SO THE QUESTION IS FEMA CAME OUT WITH AN ANNOUNCEMENT. I BELIEVE A CUT TWO WEEKS AGO NOW APPROXIMATELY SAYING THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO THE REIMBURSEMENT COVERAGE ON THE PPE SIDE FOR SCHOOLS WEEK SCHOOLS AGAIN, I’LL JUST REITERATE IT AGAIN. WE’RE NOT GOING TO WE’RE GOING TO MAKE SURE SCHOOLS. DON’T GO HAVE TO GO WITHOUT WE’LL BE THERE IN SOME WAY USING OUR CARES ACT FUNDS TO SUPPLEMENT. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY ON THE TABLE AND IF THERE’S CERTAIN DISTRICTS THAT NEED MORE PPE IT’S POSSIBLE WE COULD GET GET IT TO THEM THROUGH OUR STRATEGIC OUR OWN STRATEGIC STOCKPILE THAT COMMISSIONER SHIP IN IT, AND HER TEAM HAS DONE A GREAT JOB BUILDING UP WE COULD PROVIDE DIRECT FUNDING IF THEY’VE ALREADY MADE FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS ON THOSE PURCHASES THE OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE SOME OF THAT FUNDING THERE ARE VERY VERY FEW DISTRICTS. THERE’S A COUPLE BUT THERE’S VERY VERY FEW OUT OF THE ART SHOULD SAY A FEW SCHOOLS OUT OF THE 400 PLUS SCHOOLS WE HAVE IN THE STATE THAT ARE LOOKING TO MAKE THAT REQUEST NOW, BUT WE KNOW AGAIN THAT COULD COME IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER THAT’S WHY WE’RE GOING TO KEEP SOME OF THE CARES ACT MONEY IN OUR BACK POCKET A LITTLE BIT JUST FOR THESE EXACT TYPE OF SITUATIONS. BUT YES IF THEY CAN DRAW DOWN OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST OPTION IS TO DRY DOWN THERE THEIR EDUCATION FUNDS OUT OF THE CARES ACT II WOULD BE TO GO TO THE MUNICIPAL FUNDS OUT OF THE CARES ACT AND THE THIRD STEP COULD BE IF THOSE BOTH GET EXHAUSTED AND THEY STILL NEED SOMETHING THAT CAN ALWAYS COME TO THE STATE. THAT SUCH THAT ARE LOOKING FOR US TO ALLOW THEM TO DO DARTS OR POOL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN ONLY IN EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES. ARE WE LOOKING AT ALLOWING THAT RIGHT NOW? THOSE ARE JUST ACTIVITIES. UNFORTUNATELY WHERE FOLKS ARE THERE UP THERE STANDING TOGETHER THEY’RE IN KIND OF THAT CONGREGATE CLOSED FACE SETTING USUALLY WITHIN FEET AND THAT’S JUST IT’S A I THINK IT’S A SMALL SACRIFICE TO ASK. I KNOW IT’S A PAIN FOR SOME FOLKS. THEY LIKE TO HAVE THOSE TYPES OF OPTIONS IN THE RESTAURANTS AND STUFF, BUT WE ARE ASKING UNTIL WE GET THROUGH THE COVID CRISIS, WHICH I THINK THERE IS A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL HERE RIGHT NOW. WE’RE NOT IN A POSITION TO OPEN THAT UP EXCEPT IN A FEW CIRCUITS EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES. ONE OF THE EXAMPLES I WOULD GIVE IS THERE’S A COUPLE RESTAURANTS WHERE THEIR PRIMARY BUSINESS IS THOSE GAMES THINK OF LIKE BOWLING ALLEY FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT SO YOU KNOW BOWLING ALLEYS HAVE THEIR OWN GUIDANCE AND IF THERE ARE OTHER BUSINESSES WHERE THE GAMING ASPECT IS AS MUCH OF A BUSINESS OR MORE OF A BUSINESS THAN THE REST BOARD RESTAURANT ASPECT. WE’RE LOOK WE HAVE MADE SOME EXCEPTIONS IN THOSE VERY VERY RARE CASES, BUT, YOU KNOW TRADITIONAL THROWING DARTS AT THE BAR OR SOMETHING. THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT GOT A LOT OF FOLKS INTO TROUBLE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND WE’RE JUST ASKING FOLKS TO TO BE PATIENT AND WE WILL GET THERE, BUT WE STILL HAVE A COVID CRISIS ON OUR HANDS THIS TEAM HAS DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB KEEPING OUR NUMBERS LOW, BUT IT IS JUST THE ATTACK RATE OF THE VIRUS HAS NOT CHANGED THE ABILITY OF THE VIRUS TO SPREAD HAS NOT CHANGED. I THINK SOME OF OUR HABITS AND OUR PRACTICES HAVE AND THAT’S WHY OUR NUMBERS ARE LOW. SO THAT’S WHAT WE DON’T WANT TO GIVE UP ON RIGHT JUST BECAUSE WE’VE GOTTEN THAT THAT CURVED FLAT DOESN’T MEAN WE JUST GIVE UP ON ALL THE THE THE GOOD GOT US TO SUCH A POSITIVE. TO PLACE BECAUSE IT’S THOSE PRACTICES IF I MAY THAT HAVE ALLOWED THE ECONOMY TO OPEN UP ITS THOSE PRACTICES THAT GIVE CUSTOMERS A LOT OF CONFIDENCE TO GO TO A RESTAURANT OR TO GO TO ONE OF THOSE SETTINGS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THERE ARE CERTAIN STIPULATIONS IN PLACE AND THEY CAN DO IT IN A SAFE AND YOU KNOW HAPPY WAY WITH THEIR FAMILY. SO TO GIVE UP ON ALL THAT I THINK WOULD COULD SHATTER NOT JUST CREATE A PANDEMIC PROBLEM, BUT ALSO SHATTER CONSUMER CONFIDENCE WITH A LOT OF THOSE ESTABLISHMENTS. GREAT GREAT QUESTION. THANK YOU. SO ABSOLUTELY THOSE SPIKES THERE ARE DRIVEN BY THE FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND AS WELL AS WEEKEND AND SO THAT JUST REINFORCES THAT ON WEEKENDS AND ON HOLIDAYS PEOPLE TEND TO COME TOGETHER AND SO IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO THAT THAT THEY TRY NOT TO GATHER IN LARGE GROUPS THAT THEY MAINTAIN THEIR SOCIAL DISTANCING AND THEN RECOGNIZING THAT IF YOU DO CHOOSE TO HAVE THOSE TYPES OF GATHERINGS AND SOMEONE TO DOES TEST POSITIVE WHO’S ATTENDED THAT TIME PERIOD WHEN THEY MAY HAVE BEEN INFECTIOUS THEY COULD END UP BEI QUARANTINED TO THEM. SO THE DRAW SOMEONE SHOWS UP WHO HAS COVID A LOT OF TIMES. THEY DON’T KNOW IT AND BECAUSE WE LOOK AT THE TWO DAYS BEFORE SOMEONE IS SYMPTOMATIC OR TWO DAYS BEFORE THEY TEST POSITIVE AND SOME PEOPLE ARE ASYMPTOMATIC AND NEVER DEVELOP SYMPTOMS. I DON’T THINK PEOPLE ARE INTENTIONALLY GOING TO GATHERINGS AND SPREADING COVID. THEY THINK THAT THEY’RE FINE ARTS YOUR FAMILY MEMBER OR YOUR CLOSE FRIEND AND YOU THINK THAT THEY’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE COVID AND A LOT OF THESE GATHERINGS ARE SMALL FAMILY GATHERINGS FRIEND GATHERINGS JUST GENERAL SOCIAL GATHERINGS THAT WE ALL LIKE TO HAVE AND WANT TO GET BACK TO BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE ARE RESULTING IN TRANSMISSION LIKE I MISSED A CALL FROM A STATE AGENCY AND I WORRIED THAT OH, I MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT. WHAT DO YOU DO TO MAKE SURE THAT I AM NOT TRYING THAT THAT I’M CONTACTED SURE. WE HAVE A WELL. OILED MACHINE THAT’S FACILITATED BY TECHNOLOGY. AND SO IF YOU DO NOT ANSWER YOUR PHONE THE FIRST TIME WE CALL YOU YOU GO BACK INTO OUR QUEUE YOU GET UP TO FOUR CALLS THAT SAME DAY IF WE DON’T REACH YOU AND YOUR SOMEONE WITH COVID-19 ON THAT FIRST DAY WE ATTEMPT TO REACH YOU THE NEXT DAY AND THEN WE’LL ACTUALLY SEND SOMEONE FOR A HOME VISIT TO CHECK ON YOU MAKE SURE THAT WE DO IN FACT REACH YOU AND WE FOLLOW THE SAME PROCEDURE FOR CLOSE CONTACTS AS WELL. SO WE WILL CALL YOU MANY TIMES. WE ALSO WILL EVENTUALLY TEXT AND EMAIL PEOPLE IF WE CAN. THEY THAT THAT INFORMATION AND IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE NOTIFY EVERYONE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED. WE TAKE THAT OBLIGATION REALLY SERIOUSL USING ALL THIS DA LOOKS LIKE YOU’VE ALREADY YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK WE’VE DONE A GREAT JOB IN TERMS RESTRICTIONS. I DON’T KNOW. HOW MANY MORE RESTRICTIONS WERE LOOKING TO FLEX NOW? BECAUSE AGAIN THE ECONOMY IS MOVING FORWARD PEOPLE ARE GETTING HIRED ONE THING. WE DIDN’T TALK ABOUT TODAY WAS OUR LATEST UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBER. WE’RE NOW WELL BELOW 5% UNEMPLOYMENT. WE HAVE I THINK 36,000 PEOPLE ARE THAT ARE CURRENTLY FILING FOR UNEMPLOYMENT THAT USED TO BE CLOSE TO A HUNDRED TWENTY THOUSAND. SO I THINK WE’VE TAKEN THE RIGHT STEPS, BUT WE ALWAYS USE DATA TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. WE’RE ALWAYS LOOKING THE KIND OF THE REOPEN N NEW HAMPSHIRE GROUP THE REOPEN WORK GROUP THAT WE’VE PUT TOGETHER. HE’S DONE A GREAT JOB. PATRICIA. TILLY FROM PUBLIC HEALTH IS PART OF THAT AND I THINK HAS A GREAT VOICE IN TERMS OF THE DATA AND THE SCIENCE BEHIND THAT WE HAVE LEGISLATORS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE. SO THEY’VE REALLY DONE A FANTASTIC JOB AND EVERY WEEK THEY BRING ME SOME SOME SLIGHT DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATION SOME OF WHICH WE TAKE SOME OF WHICH WE DON’T THE ONE THAT CAME UP THIS WEEK WAS HEY, CAN WE PLAY DARTS AGAIN? AND WE SAID, NO NOT RIGHT NOW. IT’S A I THINK THAT’S A SMALL SACRIFICE TO MAKE I DON’T THINK IT FUNDAMENTALLY IMPACTS THE BUSINESS AND AND STILL IT WE JUST DON’T WANT TO ALLOW YOU GET TO RELAX WITH THINGS SO THAT WE’RE CREATING THOSE THOSE CLUSTERS OF ILLNESS IF YOU WILL ON RETAIL AT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT. I KNOW THERE’S BEEN A REQUEST TO OPEN UP RETAIL FROM FIFTY TO A HUNDRED PERCENT AND THAT’S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE’RE LOOKING TO DO. I DON’T KNOW IF THEY TOOK THAT UP TODAY AS PART OF THE DID THEY TAKE THAT UP AND WE OKAY. SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE’RE GOING THERE. I MEAN IT AGAIN, IT’S THE GROUP TOOK IT UP. I KNOW THAT THEY WERE IT LOOKS LIKE THAT THEY DID DISCUSS IT TODAY. I’LL SEE KIND OF HOW THE RECOMMENDATION MIGHT HAVE COME BACK. BUT AGAIN, YEAH, THERE’S A BUSINESSES CAN GO UP TO A HUNDRED PERCENT IF THEY WANT TO BUT THEY COULD ALSO MAINTAINING. CENTRAL SO THEY ALWAYS HAVE THE OPTION TO KEEPING IT 50 IF THEY WANT BECAUSE SOME WHITE 50% SO THANK YOU PAULA. WE ARE REPORTING THE DATA IN THE NEWS TO THE GOVERNMENT. IT WORKS BOTH WAYS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. WE LOVE IT AND WE MEDIA WORKS. SO YEAH, SO I A COUPLE ISSUES THERE THAT COME UP IT LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION BACK UP TO OUR OFFICE AND I’LL REVIEW THAT AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT THE STIPULATIONS ARE. LOOKS LIKE. THERE ARE SOME RETAILERS THAT ARE PROBABLY VERY HAPPY STAYING AT 50% I THINK THAT’S PART OF THE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE THING, YOU KNOW, IF YOU REMEMBER A FEW MONTHS AGO WE TALKED ABOUT FOR EXAMPLE SMALL GENERAL STORE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IF YOU YOU COULD BE AT 50 60 70 PERCENT CAPACITY AND YOUR SHOULDER TO SHOULDER SOMETIMES IN THOSE IN THOSE SMALLER LOCATIONS DEPENDING ON HOW THEY SET UP THEIR PRODUCTS IN THE STORE AND AGAIN A LOT OF CONSUMERS WILL SEE THAT AND NOT WANT TO GO IN SO MAINTAINING A SMALLER CAPACITY CAN ALLOW THOSE STORES. I THINK TO GIVE THAT CONSUMER THAT CUSTOMER CONFIDENCE THAT THEY CAN GO IN BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN SIX FEET AMONGST INDIVIDUALS, BUT SOME STORES THAT ARE BIGGER THAT ARE WIDER A LOT OF THE LARGER DEPARTMENT STORE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE THERE’S TONS OF SPACE IN THERE OBVIOUSLY SOME FLEXIBILITY TO OPEN UP THERE IS ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY. SO NO. THANK YOU PAUL. WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON THE PHONE. YES GOVERNOR. WE DID. OUR FIRST QUESTION COMES FROM HOLLY REMER WITH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MOLLY. GO AHEAD AND ASK A QUESTION. HI, HOLLY. REMOTE LEARNING CENTERS, AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THERE’S ANY UPDATE ON HOW THAT’S GOING. HOW WIDESPREAD THAT IS. HOW MANY ARE GOING AND THE SECOND QUESTION IS I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING YOUR THOUGHTS HAVE BEEN COMMENTS EARLIER THIS WEEK IN WHICH HE WAS REFUSING TO COMMIT TO A OF POWER. SURE. SO THE FIRST QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH THE REMOTE LEARNING PODS OR REMOTE LEARNING GROUPS THAT ARE REGISTERING AT THE STATE LEVEL. I HAVE TO BE HONEST. I DON’T KNOW. I DON’T HAVE A NUMBER OF HOW MANY HAVE REGISTERED BUT WE WILL ABSOLUTELY GET THAT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THIS PRESS CONFERENCE AND BE SURE TO GET THAT OUT TO THE ENTIRE PRESS. IT’S A VERY GOOD QUESTION. I THINK WE STARTED THAT PROCESS ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO OR SO. SO WE’LL SEE HOW MANY HAVE AND WE TRY TO GET THE WORD OUT. SO HOPEFULLY PEOPLE ARE UTILIZING IT AND AND KIND OF SIGNING UP AND AGAIN JUST REGISTER. SELLS THE SECOND QUESTION YOU HAD PERTAIN TO THE PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS ABOUT A SMOOTH TRANSITION OF POWER. SHOULD HE LOSE THE ELECTION? I WOULD JUST SAY VERY INAPPROPRIATE COMMENT. OBVIOUSLY. THERE’S A WINNER OF AN ELECTION AND A LOSER OF AN ELECTION AND WHOEVER LOOK, YOU KNOW, IF A CURRENT INCUMBENT WHETHER YOU’RE THE PRESIDENT OR ON THE PLANNING BOARD THERE HAS TO BE A SMOOTH TRANSITION OF POWER. I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT AND THAT’S THE EXPECTATION UP AND DOWN THE BALLOT. GOVERNOR OUR NEXT QUESTI POSITIVE CASES OF COVID OCD WITH ANY RALLIES OR MOTORCYCLE WEEK OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE? THEY WERE ALL HELD I THINK WITH THE RIGHT STIPULATIONS THE RIGHT GUIDANCE. THEY WANT ARE VERY SUCCESSFULLY. AND AGAIN, WE’RE VERY PROUD ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. I THINK BEING A MODEL OF DOING IT, RIGHT. GOVERNOR OUR NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM MICHAEL BRANHAM AT THE NEW HAMPSHIRE JOURNAL MICHAEL. GO AHEAD WITH YOUR QUESTION. YEAH, LET’S DO ONE AT A TIME IF YOU DON’ MIND. THANK YOU, MICHAEL. SO I’M NOT SURE THAT I CAN PROBABLY COMMENT ON THE ON. SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT YOU KNOW PEOPLE THAT NEED HOSPITALIZATION ARE HOSPITALIZED AND THAT THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT. THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT MAY JUST NEED WHAT WE CALL SUPPORTIVE CARE. FOR EXAMPLE, SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN TO BE GIVEN WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A VIRUS THAT INFECTS THE RESPIRATORY PASSAGES AND EVEN THE LUNGS AND SO PEOPLE WITH PNEUMONIA HAS WHETHER THAT’S A BACTERIAL PNEUMONIA OR A VIRAL PNEUMONIA THAT CAN BE CAUSED BY COVID-19. SOME PEOPLE NEED SUPPORTIVE CARE INCLUDING OXYGEN BUT MAY NOT REQUIRE INTENSIVE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT LEVEL CARE FOR EXAMPLE, MECHANICAL VENTILATION ARTIFICIAL BREATHING AND THAT SORT OF THING. SO RIGHT NOW JUST TO REITERATE STATEWIDE WE HAVE ABOUT 16 OR 17 INDIVIDUALS CURRENTLY HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID-19 THROUGHOUT THE STATE THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OF AN INCREASE. FROM PAST WEEKS WHERE WE’VE HAD 10 OR FEWER WE HAVE REPORTED FOR NEW PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID-19 TODAY OR IN THE LAST DAY OR SO. I DON’T HAVE ANY INFORMATION. HOWEVER ON WHETHER THOSE NEW HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE OWED WHAT WE WOULD CALL GENERAL MEDICAL HOSPITALIZATIONS VERSUS INTENSIVE CARE UNIT HOSPITALIZATIONS THAT DATA IS NOT ALWAYS COMPLETE AND OUR DATA SET WE HAVE ASKED HOSPITALS TO REPORT TO US WHEN SOMEBODY IS NEWLY, HUH LIES WITH COVID-19 BUT TO KNOW WHETHER THEY ARE HOSPITALIZED TO THE GENERAL HOSPITAL WARD VERSUS THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT OR POTENTIALLY MOVE BETWEEN UNITS REQUIRES FOLLOWING SOMEBODY THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THEIR HOSPITALIZATION, AND WE DON’T ALWAYS HAVE THE EXACT INFORMATION ON WHERE SOMEBODY IS HOSPITALIZED. THANKS. SO THE 37 POSITIVE CASES TODAY, THERE ARE NO POSITIVES FROM UNH BUT IN PREVIOUS DAY’S ARE POSITIVE CASES HAVE INCLUDED POSITIVES DONE BY UNH TESTING. SO WE COVERED THIS EXTENSIVELY LAST WEEK AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE. THAT THE WAY OUR DASHBOARD IS SET UP. IT’S IT’S A DIRECT FEED FROM OUR LABS AND OUR ELECTRONIC REPORTING SYSTEM INTO OUR DASHBOARD AND UH BECAUSE THERE ARE NEW TESTING PROGRAM. THEY DON’T HAVE THAT CONNECTION YET. SO THE THE POSITIVES FROM UNH ARE REFLECTED IN OUR DATA THE NEGATIVES FROM UH ARE NOT SO YES, YOU’RE RIGHT THAT ARE PERCENT POSITIVE IS MUCH LOWER THAN WHAT IT APPEARS ON THE – BOARD WHICH IS A POSITIVE FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE FOR SURE. WE’VE BEEN WORKING WITH UH FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. WE EXPECT THEM TO BE ABLE TO ELECTRONICALLY REPORT ARE NEGATIVE. THEY’RE NEGATIVE TESTS INTO OUR WITHIN TWO WEEKS. IS FRANKLY COMPLETELY WRONG. IT WAS COMPLETELY INACCURATE. I SYLHETI THAT THEY FIRST THE FACILITY THAT THEY REFERENCED IN THERE DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE AND I DON’T THINK ANY OF THE ARTICLE ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT HAS COME IN FOR BOTH HOSPITALS HEALTH CARE CENTERS AND LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY THE FACILITY THAT WAS ACTUALLY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT ARTICLE HAS BEEN MORE I BELIEVE HAS BEEN MADE WHOLE THAT’S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THERE’S NO ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING AND GRANTS GOING IN THERE BECAUSE THEIR LOSSES HAVE BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR PARTLY FROM THE STATE AND VERY MUCH. SO FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, I’M NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON THAT INDIVIDUAL. THE LONG-TERM CARE ASSOCIATION FRANKLY. THERE’S WE DON’T DEAL WITH HIM WE DEAL DIRECTLY WITH THE LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES THEMSELVES. AND AGAIN IF YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE HAS PUT IN TO WHETHER IT’S A HOSPITAL A PHYSICIAN A DENTIST IS UNPRECEDENTED HERE IN THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. WE’VE DONE THREE ROUNDS OF FUNDING FOR PHYSICIANS AND MEDICAL FACILITIES. DONE TWO ROUNDS OF FUNDING. LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES. WE’VE DONE MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF FUNDING FOR HOSPITALS AND WE’VE DONE IT ALL IN ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AND WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO AGAIN ACCOUNT FOR SO MANY OF THESE LOSSES. IF NOT DOES IT MEAN WE’VE MADE THEM A HUNDRED PERCENT WHOLE BUT A LOT OF THE FACILITIES HAVE BEEN MADE WHOLE A LOT OF THE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S SUPPORT DIDN’T EVEN APPLY IN TO FOR OUR GRANTS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO QUALIFY BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE THE LOSSES TO QUALIFY IT. SO AGAIN, THAT ARTICLE I WAS INCREDIBLY DISAPPOINTED WITH IT BECAUSE I GOT TO TELL YOU OUR GOAL FOR TEAM HAS KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK WHEN IT COMES TO PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES MEDICAL FACILITIES HOSPITALS DENTISTS. EVERYONE ACROSS THE BOARD. A LOT OF THE STATE’S COULDN’T DO STUFF LIKE THIS WE COULD AND WE DID IT ONCE WE DID IT LIKE FIVE OR SIX TIMES WHEN YOU ADD ALL THE DIFFERENT ROUNDS OF FUNDING FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS ARE SO OBVIOUSLY I TAKE SOME EXCEPTION THERE AND IF ANYTHING BECAUSE I CAN BE A LITTLE DEFENSIVE OF OUR BECAUSE OUR TEAM IS PHENOMENAL HERE IN THE STATE. IT REALLY IS AND I SAW THAT ARTICLE IS A BIT OF A KNOCK ON THE TEAM NOT EVEN A QUESTION TO OUR OFFICE OR A QUESTION TO GO FOR A VALIDATION OF ANY OF THE DATA. THEY DIDN’T ASK THE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY AND LET ME TELL YOU THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY IS A REALLY REALLY GOOD STORY AND IT’S SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE SHOULD BE PROUD OF TO THE SECOND HALF OF YOUR QUESTION IN TERMS OF WHAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT MIGHT HAVE COME IF THE SENATE HAD ACTUALLY PASSED THAT FIV BILLION DOLLAR BILL. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SUPPORTS FOR SCHOOLS AND MUNICIPALITIES IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS. IT SHOCKED ME WHEN THE DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE SAID NO, THEY VOTED AGAINST THAT I THINK THEY VOTED IF I REMEMBER SORT OF THE CODE SHOWS WHAT WE VOTED AGAINST FIVE HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS IN AID BECAUSE IT WASN’T ENOUGH. WELL LAST TIME I CHECKED FIVE HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS IS MORE THAN ZERO AND THAT’S WHAT THE THE US SENATE HAS DELIVERED TO THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE INTO THIS COUNTRY IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. SO YOU GOT TO GET SOMETHING DONE. EVEN IF IT’S IN PHASES RIGHT, EVEN IF IT’S THE PASSED ONE BILL WANT SOMETHING ELSE TO COME BACK TO? AGAIN, TRY IT AGAIN. RIGHT GO AFTER THE SECOND OR THIRD PHASE. I THINK WE’VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS DOING THAT HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, ALL-OR-NOTHING. THAT’S WHY THINGS DON’T GET DONE OUT OF WASHINGTON DC. AND YES, I’VE BEEN VERY CRITICAL OF CONGRESS BECAUSE I DON’T THINK THEY’VE ACTUALLY PASTOR DONE ANYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH THE COVID CRISIS IN MONTHS, RIGHT MARCH. APRIL WAS THE LAST TIME THEY PASSED ANYTHING. I’M KIND OF LOOKING AT THE PRESS. I LITERALLY CAN’T THINK OF ANYTHI THINK OF ANYTHING THAT THEY HAVE PASSED SINCE THE CRUX OF THE CRISIS BEGAN AND AMERICA’S VERY UPSET WITH THAT. I’M UPSET WITH THAT. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE UPSET WITH THAT BECAUSE THEY MADE A LOT OF PROMISES AND HAVING DELIVERED OUT. HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS. THEY GOT ABOUT A WEEK LEFT, RIGHT? THEY GOT ABOUT A WEEK LEFT TO GET SOMETHING DONE BEFORE THEY GO BACK FOR THEIR RECESS IN MY HOPE IS THAT THEY DO IT MY HOPE IS THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THEY GOT TO COME TOGETHER WORK ACROSS THE AISLE GET SOMETHING WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. I’M STILL ADVOCATING VERY STRONGLY FOR FLEXIBILITY. I SPOKE WITH THE VICE PRESIDENT EARLIER THIS WEEK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT OPPORTUNITIES WE MAY HAVE WITH ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY OUT OF THE CARES ACT IN TERMS OF THE DOLLARS WE HAVE LEFT ASSUMING CONGRESS DOESN’T DO ANYTHING. I HOPE THEY DO BUT IF THEY DON’T WHAT ARE THE FLEXIBILITIES COULD WE HAVE? UNFORTUNATELY, THE LAW HAS BEEN WRITTEN SUCH THAT THE DATE OF DECEMBER 31ST IS WRITTEN IN LAW AND CAN ONLY BE CHANGED BY CONGRESS THE FLEX MOST OF THE FLEXIBILITIES WE WOULD HAVE WITH CARES ACT TO SPEND IT ON NON CARES ACT ITEMS IF WE WERE TO SO CHOOSE IS SET IN LAW AND CAN ONLY BE CHANGED BY CONGRESS. SO THERE’S A TON. SHE VERY LITTLE FLEXIBILITY THE MORE WE LOOKED INTO IT THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS 2 / 2 TO PROVIDING US MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH OUR CARES ACT FUNDS. SO WE’RE GOING TO KEEP ADVOCATING AND I’M STILL GOING TO BE THE ETERNAL OPTIMIST AS I TRY TO BE AS MUCH AS WE HAVEN’T GOTTEN ANYTHING DONE OUT OF WASHINGTON IN ABOUT FOUR FIVE MONTHS. THEY’RE STILL A WEEK LEFT AND SOMETIMES THEY COME THROUGH RIGHT AT THE END. THEY DO SOMETIMES AND SO, YOU KNOW, I’M STILL VERY HOPEFUL AND WE’RE GOING TO KEEP ADVOCATING FOR FOR SOMETHING TO COME TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS BOTH COVID AND NON-CORRELATED IS THAT AGAIN HAVE BEEN IN THERE ARE A LOT OF INDIRECT ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY COVID THAT STILL DON’T QUALIFY AND AND TWO PAIRS ACT FUN. GOVERNOR OUR NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM HARRISON THORPE. HE IS WITH THE ROCHESTER VOICE HARRISON, PLEASE GO AHEAD WITH YOUR QUESTION. THANK YOU. I SPOKE TO SAID HE CAN BARELY MAKE A LIVING BECAUSE BETWEEN TAKING MESSAGES FOR APPOINTMENTS AND A PERSON DOESN’T SHOW UP AS A FINE MOTHER FATHER TO GO TO HAVE YOU STOP BY HAIRCUT 15 20 TIMES DURING THE CU THE ANSWER THE PHONE. IT’S ALL MAKES FOR IT. AND IN ROCHESTER THAT 2 DURING THE HAIRCU AGAIN, ALWAYS WILLING TO LOOK AT WHAT OPTIONS MIGHT BE AVAILABLE WHETHER IT’S A BARBAROUS ON BARBER SALON AND BARBERSHOP OR A HAIR SALON SO LONG WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE AND IF AGAIN IF THAT CAN BE DONE SAFELY AND WE CAN DO SOMETHING WITH FLEXING THE GUIDANCE AND WITH PUBLIC HEALTH HAPPY TO DO THAT AND HAPPY TO LOOK AT IT. IT HAS TO BE IT HAS TO WORK. WE UNDERSTAND EVERYONE HAS TO MAKE SACRIFICES. I GOT TO BE HONEST, I TO ASK THE GOVERNOR TO CHANGE, YOU KNOW, THE SAFETY REGULATIONS BECAUSE THEY’RE HAVING TROUBLE MANAGING THE PHONE CALLS. THAT’S I DON’T KNOW IF THAT’S REASONABLE. FRANKLY. THERE’S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY OR PHONES OR AN ANSWERING MACHINE OR WHATEVER. IT MIGHT BE TO HELP MANAGE THE CALLS THAT COULD COME IN AND THE REQUEST TO MAKE THOSE APPOINTMENTS A LOT OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF SHOPS IN STATE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE. THAT I KNOW MORE I KNOW WE’VE DONE TWO OR THREE ROUNDS OF FLEXIBILITY FOR BARBER SHOPS AND SALONS SINCE THE INITIAL GUIDANCE CAME OUT FIRST THING. I KNOW THEY WANTED TO USE BLOW DRYERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE AND WE WAITED A FEW WEEKS AND I THINK WE GOT THAT DONE THEN I THINK WE ALL STARTED TO ALLOW THEM TO SEE MULTIPLE PEOPLE AT ONCE. WE GOT THAT FACE DONE. SO WE’RE ALWAYS WILLING AND WE’VE MADE I THINK SOME PRETTY BIG STEPS WITH THAT INDUSTRY TO BE SURE. I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S THE GOVERNOR’S PLACE TO MANDATE HOW THEY HANDLE THEIR PHONE CALLS, BUT BUT AGAIN, WE’LL KIND OF IF THEY WANT TO BRING SOMETHING OR THE INDUSTRY WANTS TO TALK TO THE REOPENED COMMISSION AND THE GUIDANCE COMMISSION THAT WE SET UP WHICH AGAIN HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB. IT HAS TO BE DONE IN THE REALM OF HEALTH AND SAFETY FIRST. IT REALLY DOES AND WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE THOSE STEPS ALWAYS WILLING TO TAKE MORE BUT HEALTH AND SAFETY DOES HAVE TO COME FIRST. GOVERNOR OUR FINAL PHONE QUESTION COMES FROM RICK JURGENS AT THE VALLEY NEW’S RICK, PLEASE GO AHEAD WITH YOUR QUESTION. INDIVIDUAL NURSING HOME LEVEL ESPECIALLY AROUND THE ECONOMICS OF IT AS I UNDERSTAND IT THE STATE PLANS TO REIMBURSE $100 A TEST. SO I’M GONNA SEE HOW LONG FOR YOU TO SAY THAT THEY’RE PAYING $175 A AND THEY DON’T FEEL LIKE THEY HAV MEANWHILE, THE THE CONTRACT THAT THE STATE HAS CURRENTLY FOR THE PROGRAM IF THE DARTMOUTH-HITCHCOCK IS PRICED AT $65 A TEST. SO IT SEEMS THAT IN TERMS OF COST. THE PROGRAM IS MOVING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. SO MY QUESTION IS EXPLAIN TO ME WHY THAT’S NOT MOVING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION AND SECONDLY, ARE THERE ANY CONCERNS THAT ENDING WAS HAD NO OR NO OR CHANGING THE SENTINEL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM? WE ACTUALLY ARE CONTRACTED WITH SEVERAL LABS DARTMOUTH BEING THE ONE THAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT FOR $65. WE ALSO HAVE CONTRACTS WITH NORDICS WHICH IS DOING PART OF OUR SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMS AND QUEST AND OUR AVERAGE NOT JUST THE DARTMOUTH PROGRAM BUT OUR IS ABOUT $100 A TEST IS ABOUT WHAT WE’RE PAYING WHICH IS WHY WE PICKED THAT THAT NUMBER FOR REIMBURSEMENT IS BECAUSE THAT’S THE AVERAGE RIGHT NOW. I THINK THAT MOST FACILITIES CAN GO OUT AND NEGOTIATE WITH THOSE COMMERCIAL LABS FOR ABOUT THAT AMOUNT SO, I DON’T THINK IT’S COST PROHIBITIVE AND I THINK THAT PART OF THE REASON FOR WANTING TO MOVE TO A SELF-DIRECTED TESTING PROGRAM SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM IS BECAUSE WE ARE RIGHT NOW ON WE ONLY HAVE ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES IN HILLSBORO ROCKINGHAM COUNTY ON A SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM. WE HAVE THE WHOLE BALANCE OF THE STATE AND OVER A HUNDRED ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES IN THE REST OF THE STATE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ON TO OUR SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM. SO IT WASN’T JUST A COST DECISION TO MOVE THEM MORE TOWARDS THE SELF DIRECTED SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM. IT WAS TRYING TO TO TO ADD DIFFERENT POPULATIONS INTO THE ONCE PROGRAM AS IT AS FOR IT BEING PREMATURELY AS I’VE SAID THE REST OF THE COUNTRY WENT TO SELF DIRECTED EITHER RATE FROM THE VERY START IN THE STATE NEVER RAN A SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM OR THEY MOVED TO THAT BACK IN JULY AND HONESTLY JUST WITH A VERY BASIC SEARCH. I’M HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING ANY STATE THAT’S RUNNING THE SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM FOR THEIRS FOR THEIR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES AT ALL. WE’VE BEEN PEOPLE HAVE REACHED OUT TO US AND ASKED US HOW WE ARE IT OUR SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMS. PHENOMENAL WE’VE HAD GREAT SUCCESS WITH IT. I THINK THAT IS THEY ARE THAT SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OR AT LEAST PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REDUCTION IN THE OUTBREAKS THAT WE’VE HAD IN LONG-TERM CARE FOR SURE. BUT AS WE LOOK AT THE DATA IT INFORMS OUR DECISIONS AND WE’VE TALKED ABOUT THIS THE GOVERNOR’S TALKED ABOUT IT SEVERAL TIMES. WE LOOK AT THE DATA AND AND I’LL GIVE YOU A FOR EXAMPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM TEST PERCENT OF RESIDENTS IN THE THE VAST MAJORITY IF NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR EARLY POSITIVE TEST RESULTS COME OUT OF STAFF AND HARDLY ANY HAVE COME OUT OF RESIDENTS. SO WE ARE UNNECESSARILY PUTTING THE RESIDENCE THROUGH THAT PROCESS WHEN WE’RE NOT GETTING THE RESULTS FROM THE FROM THOSE TESTING FROM THAT TESTING. SO REALLY MOVING TO THE FACILITIES ARE GOING TO BE TESTING EVERY SINGLE WEEK RANDOM RANDOM SAMPLES AND THEN A HUNDRED PERCENT ALL PCR. WE’RE LETTING THEM USE THEIR THEY’RE ANTIGEN MACHINES THAT THEY WERE PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THEY CERTAINLY USE CAT THEY CAN USE THOSE TO SUPPLEMENT THEY CAN USE THOSE FOR ANY SYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE FACILITY. I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS. THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TESTING AT A AT A LEVEL THAT IS SUFFICIENT TO KEEP OUR RESIDENTS SAFE IN THE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES. THAT’S GREAT. AND I THINK THEN THE I THINK AM I WRONG? I THINK THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYS WE THAT YOUR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY SHOULD HAVE SENTINEL TESTING ABOUT ONCE A MONTH AND THAT ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. IT’S ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. BUT I THINK IN ACTUALITY WE DO MULTIPLE TIMES THAT RATE OF TESTING ONCE EVERY 10 DAYS WERE TESTING. I MEAN, I GOT TO TELL YOU WHEN IT COMES TO TESTING OTHER STATES ARE ASKING IS HOW WE’RE DOING IT WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING PPE OTHER STATES ARE ASKING US HOW WE’RE GONNA DO IT. WE’RE COMES TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORTING OUR PROVIDERS AS ONE AT ONE OF THE THE QUESTIONS EARLIER LONG-TERM CARE DOCTORS MAY. RELIEF FUNDS THE CONTACT TRACING WHAT BETH DAILY AND HER TEAM HAS DONE WITH CONTACT TRACING WE GOT WE’RE ROCKING IT AND THE PEOPLE THE STATE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE’RE DOING. IT’S IT’S PRETTY AWESOME. WHEN ALL THESE OTHER STATES CALL THE YOU TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE MAGIC FORMULA IS, AND WE’RE HAPPY TO SHARE RIGHT. WE’RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO SHARE. YOU KNOW, HOW WE’RE DOING IT AND AND HOPEFULLY THOSE OTHER STATES CAN REPLICATE SOME OF OUR SUCCESSES. SORRY. THEY’RE ABLE TO DO PRIOR TO ELECTION DAY WITH THESE APPS TO MAKE MORE NOTATION SO THAT THE JOB WILL BE EASIER ON NOVEMBER 3RD. OBVIOUSLY, WE’RE GOI TO HAVE ABOUT THE REQUEST FROM SOME OF THE TOWN CLERK’S ABOUT ALLOWING A COUPLE ADDITIONAL STEPS IN TERMS OF HANDLING ABSENTEE BALLOTS ONE OF THE THINGS TO GIVE IF EVERYONE CAN BEAR WITH ME ONE OF THE TAKE A STEP BACK KNOWING THAT WE WERE GOING TO GET A LOT A LOT OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS DURING THE PRIMARY WHICH WENT OFF VERY VERY WELL. I THINK AS EVERYONE CAN UNDERSTAND WE ALLOWED THEM TO OPEN THE OUTER ENVELOPE A LITTLE EARLIER AND I THINK WE EVEN ALLOW THEM TO DO IT A LITTLE EARLIER IN TERMS OF THE TIME FRAME WITHOUT ACTUALLY OPENING THE BALLOT ITSELF TO YOUR POINT. IT’S A VERY GOOD POINT KEVIN THAT WILL LIKELY GET TWO OR THREE TIMES THE NUMBER OF ABSENTEES IN THE GENERAL ELECTION AS WE GOT IN THE PRIMARY AND WE HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE. IT C BUT THE VOLUME IS JUST GOING TO BE GREATER SO YOU CAN HAVE A LOT MORE BALLOTS COMING IN. YOU STILL HAVE ONE DAY TO GET THE COUNT IN SO I’M VERY OPEN TO THE IDEA OF PROVIDING SOME OF THAT FLEXIBILITY. I KNOW WE’VE BEEN TALKING TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT’S BEING REQUESTED WHAT SOME OF THE PROS AND CONS OF THAT MIGHT BE I’LL ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, I REALLY TRY TO DEFER TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE WE HAVE OR AGAIN ONE OF THE BEST SECRETARY OF STATES IN THE COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES TO INTEGRITY AROUND ELECTIONS AND SO WILL DEFER TO THEIR OFFICE, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM TO SEE IF THERE ARE SOME FLEXIBILITIES WE CAN PROVIDE WHILE IN THE INTEGRITY OF THE ELECTION AND ENSURING THAT THE RESULTS CAN BE ACHIEVED AT NIGHT. PAOLO SORRY SKI AREAS ONLINE AT HOME. YOU’RE GOING TO GET TO PUT YOUR SKI BOOTS ON IN YOUR CAR YOU’RE GOING TO ACTUALLY EAT YOUR LUNCH IN YOUR CAR. THE IDEA IS FROM THE LAUNCHES AT AS THE GUIDANCE IS COMING OUT AND TO TRY TO MAINTAIN OUTDOOR FACILITIES. THE FACT THAT YOUR FAMILY OWNS THE SKI AREA IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, WOULD YOU NEED TO DISTANCE YOURSELF FROM THAT OR DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU CAN COMFORTABLY DON’T WEIGH IN ON LOOK? I’M GONNA WEIGH IN ON ALL THE GUIDANCE ACROSS THE STATE. I’LL SAY THAT I BELIEVE THIS THIS GUIDANCE WAS PUT TOGETHER WITH THE SKI, NEW HAMPSHIRE AND ACTUALLY A COUPLE FOLKS WITHIN THAT INDUSTRY THAT I THINK TOOK THE LEAD TO YOUR POINT. YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY’RE BUYING TICKETS ONLINE WHICH AGAIN, I THINK YOU MOST YOU CAN DO NOW SOME SOME PLACES MIGHT HAVE CERTAIN STIPULATIONS FOR SEASON PASS HOLDERS OR THOSE WHO USE TICKETS MIDWEEK TO WEEKEND. BUT AGAIN THAT’S GOING TO BE ON THE SKI RESORTS. I THINK WHAT THEY’RE PUTTING FORWARD IS REALLY HOW TO MANAGE THOSE INDOOR FACILITIES. THEY’LL THE LODGES ESPECIALLY KNOWING HOW CROWDED A LARGE CAN BE THE TURNOVER THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SEE HOW YOU HANDLE FOOD. AND IT’S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY ARE CREATING THEY DO WANT TO SEE SOME ACTIVITY IN THE LARGEST. THEY YOU REALLY HAVE TO IN SOME WAY. YOU CAN HAVE A FREEZING COLD DAY. YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW FOLKS TO AT LEAST COME IN IF THEIR KIDS ARE GETTING FROSTBITE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF STIPULATION, BUT PROBABLY WITH A LIMITED CAPACITY, SO I HAVEN’T LOOKED AT THE GUIDANCE THAT THEY’VE PUT FORWARD. I’LL REVIEW IT WITH DR. DAN LIKE WE DO WITH EVERYTHING AND AGAIN, I LIKE MOST OF THE GUYS DOCUMENTS IS BEING PUT TOGETHER BY THE LEADERS OF THAT INDUSTRY. OUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND WE’LL JUST MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER THEY’RE LOOKING TO DO. IT CAN BE DONE AND A HEALTH AND SAFE WAY. IT DOESN’T NECESSARILY. I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ARE YOU DON’T MISS A HAVE TO EAT YOUR LUNCH AND YOU CAR. YEAH NOT REQUIRED. TREE, NOT AT WATERVILLE VALLEY, BUT SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS IN THIS TREE THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING TO EXPAND THEIR OUTDOOR SEATING WITH HEATERS HEATING LAMPS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE JUST TO EXPAND THAT OUTDOOR SEATING CAPACITY AND EXPERIENCE. SO, I THINK THE THE LODGES THEMSELVES IN THE SKI AREAS THEMSELVES ARE TRYING TO BE INNOVATIVE AND HOW TO MANAGE IT KNOWING THAT THERE WILL BE A LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT CAN PROBABLY USE THOSE SERVICES IN IF THERE IS GOING TO BE FOOD SERVICE MAKE IT GRAB-AND-GO THINGS OF THAT NATURE, SO I HAVE NOT SEEN THE GUIDANCE DOCUMENT THOUGH, BUT LIKE ANYONE I’M ALWAYS GOING TO KIND OF TAKE A LOOK. I REALLY DON’ DON’T HAVE ANY ASSOCIATION WITH WATERVILLE VALLEY. GOOD MORNING AMERICA TOO MUCH FRICTION PERSPECTIVE ON THIS AND I THINK IT’S THE PERSPECTIVE THAT EVERYONE IN AMERICA HAS WHATEVER IT IS. THE RULES HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED. IT HAS TO BE CONSTITUTIONAL AND MOST IMPORTANTLY IT TO BE CIVIL THAT. RELEASE SO CRITICAL WASHINGTON HAS NOT DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OF THAT. SO AS MY UNDERSTAND THE PRESIDENT WILL MAKE A NOMINATION AND THEN THE SENATE REALLY HAS TO FIND A WAY TO COME TOGETHER NOT MAKE THIS COMPLETELY PARTISAN. I MEAN, HERE’S THE ULTIMATE HYPOCRISY RIGHT FOR YEARS AGO. YOU HAD ALL THE REPUBLICANS SAYING THAT WE SHOULD WAIT AND ALL THE DEMOCRATS SAYING YOU GOT TO GO FORWARD WITH THE NOMINATION AND FOUR YEARS LATER BECAUSE THE POLITICS ARE DIFFERENT. EVERYONE HAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT OPINION. THE AMERICAN PUBLIC SEES RIGHT THROUGH THAT AND I’M PRETTY STRESSFUL. AS PART OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC THAT’S FRUSTRATING RIGHT? YOU KNOW, THERE ARE RULES. THERE’S A PROCESS BUT GET TOGETHER FIND A WAY TO GET IT DONE AND GET IT DONE THE RIGHT WAY AND WHOEVER THIS NOMINATION IS, I MEAN IF THE NOMINEE IS NOT QUALIFIED OR SHOULDN’T BE APPROVED THEN DON’T VOTE FOR THAT PERSON, BUT DO IT ON QUALIFICATIONS NOT ON POLITICS DO IT ON THE MERITS OF THAT INDIVIDUAL AND NOT JUST BECAUSE YOUR POLITICAL PARTY THINKS IS IT’LL BE BETTER. I GOT TO TELL YOU THE TALKING ABOUT PACKING THE COURTS NEXT YEAR IF THIS INDIVIDUAL GETS THROUGH AND ALL OF THAT. I DON’T THINK ANYONE IN AMERICA WANTS TO SEE THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU DON’T IT DOESN’T WORK OUT POLITICALLY FOR YOU DOESN’T MEAN YOU GO AND CHANGE ALL THE RULES AROUND THE PROCESS. AND SO I THAT IN ITSELF IS CREATING A BIGGER DIVIDE IN A BIGGER POLARIZATION. I THINK OVER THE NEXT SIX WEEKS WASHINGTON HAS AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY NOT TO BLOW IT AND IF THEY WERE TO COME TOGETHER, I THINK PEOPLE IN AMERICA WOULD STAND UP AND CHEER AND HAVE A LOT MORE CONFIDENCE IN THE SYSTEM AND A LOT MORE FAITH THAT I GUESS THAT AT LEAST AT A NATIONAL LEVEL. THAT FOLKS REALLY ARE LISTENING TO WHAT THEY WHAT THEY WANT. I WANT WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IN AMERICA WANTS CIVILITY AND EVERYONE COMING TOGETHER FINDING COMMON GROUND. YOU CAN’T GET EVERYTHING YOU WANT IF THE BILL DOESN’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN IT. IT DOESN’T MEAN YOU NECESSARILY KILL THE BILL IT MEANS MAYBE YOU COME BACK AND TRY AGAIN. YOU GOT TO FIND A MIDDLE GROUND. I THINK WE DO A GREAT JOB OF IT HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. I REALLY DO. I KNOW THAT THE PROCESS HERE WITH OUR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL I SAID LONG AGO IT GOT VERY POLITICIZED IN I DON’T NEED I DON’T THINK ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE THAT FIGHT. IT WOULD JUST GET UGLIER AND UGLIER. UGLIER AND I’VE HAD INDIVIDUALS COME TO ME AND SAY GOVERNOR. I KNOW YOU CONSIDERING ME FOR A NOMINATION TO BE A JUDGE. PLEASE. DON’T PUT MY NAME FORWARD. I DON’T WANT TO BE PART OF THAT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL PROCESS BECAUSE OF THE POLITICS THAT THEY WERE THEY WERE PLAYING AND AND I DON’T WANT POLITICS TO BE PUT IN I’VE NEVER ASKED A JUDGE WHAT THEIR POLITICAL BACKGROUND IS. I JUST DON’T DO THAT. I DON’T BELIEVE IN LITMUS TEST LIKE THAT. I DON’T THINK IT SHOULD BE SINGLE ISSUE LITMUS TESTS OR BECAUSE YOU’RE REPUBLICAN OR BECAUSE YOU’RE A DEMOCRAT. WE NOMINATE YOUR DON’T HAV REPUBLICANS HAVE NOMINATED DEMOCRATS. I KNOW. PEOPLE BEST FOR THE JOB. IT’S I THINK AGAIN WE KIND OF SAID A GOLD EXAMPLE HERE. I HOPE WASHINGTON TAKES OUT THE PLEDGE OF ON PAGE OUT OF OUR PLAYBOOK I SUPPOSE. OKAY, SO WE’RE ALL SET ON THE PHONE ANYTHING ELSE HERE. WELL GREAT. WELL, THANKS EVERYONE FOR JOINING US TODAY. I’M SORRY WENT JUST A LITTLE BIT LONG A LOT OF GOOD AND EXCITING STUFF. WE WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK. STAY SAFE. I SHOULD BE GREAT WEATHER. SO THERE’S STILL ANOTHER GREAT WEEKEND TO BE SURE BEFORE EVEN THE LEAST TERN I THINK A LOT WILL HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS UP IN THE NORTH COUNTRY OUT AND ABOUT SO WE DO THIS JUST BE SAFE WHERE YOUR MASKED MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING AND IF WE DO THAT OUR NUMBERS ARE GOING TO STAY LOW OUR ECONOMY WILL STAY FLEXIBLE. AND I THINK WE CAN BRING OUT KEEP BRINGIN

NH COVID-19 pandemic information, graphs, case data

Officials number of coronavirus cases

Updated: 4:23 PM EDT Sep 28, 2020

More than 8,200 Granite Staters have tested positive for coronavirus disease COVID-19, which was first detected last year in Wuhan City, China. The outbreak was labeled a pandemic by the World Health Organization in mid-March.>> Download the FREE WMUR app | *Full press conference in the video above was held Sept. 24, 2020* New Hampshire data:Number of overall COVID-19 cases: 8,208Number of deaths attributed to COVID-19: 439Number of patients who have recovered: 7,430Number of active cases: 339Number of people who have been hospitalized: 737Number of current hospitalizations: 16Number of pending COVID-19 tests: at least 1,520Number of total COVID-19 tests: 269,367Number of total antibody tests: 31,046Number of people being monitored: 2,650 (approximate number) Number of MIS-C cases: 1Average number of COVID-19 tests each day over last seven days (includes UNH data): 7,520Average number tests for antibodies each day over last seven days: 44** Town-by-town COVID-19 case data: Interactive map | Text-only list **>> Latest worldwide coronavirus data | Interactive map from Johns Hopkins University | CDC guidelines on coronavirusKEY DATESOn Sept. 24, the governor said that all restaurants can move tables closer than 6 feet as long as there is a protective divider in place between tables. On Aug. 21, the governor announced that all New Hampshire restaurants could open at 100% capacity, though they still must following distancing and mask guidelines.On Aug. 11, the governor announced that masks would be required at all scheduled gatherings of 100 or more people. On July 14, officials announced the plan to reopen schools in the fall. On June 15, the stay-at-home order expired and was replaced by a safer-at-home advisory. A key difference is that the requirement that all groups must be fewer than 10 people is no longer in place. On May 22, officials announced the state’s first case of MIS-C in a child. On March 23, officials announced the state’s first death of a patient diagnosed with COVID-19. On March 13, the governor first declared a state of emergency, which ensures resources will be ready so the state is able to respond quickly, as needed. This has been renewed and is currently active. It needs to be renewed every three weeks while an emergency is ongoing in order to remain active.KEY LOCAL INFORMATION>> Latest coronavirus coverage from WMURSafety tips for Halloween from DHHS List of cities, towns with mask rules in placeInformation about coronavirus testingUnemployment information Guidelines about wearing cloth masks in public >> DHHS information: Coronavirus in New Hampshire | Volunteering opportunities | How to donate 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** Town-by-town COVID-19 case data: Interactive map | Text-only list **DHHS WARNS OF POTENTIAL COMMUNITY EXPOSURESOn Aug. 26, health officials warned that Granite Staters who attended the motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, might have been exposed to COVID-19. At least 100 cases are connected to the event. Health officials also have issued notices about two potential community exposures in New Hampshire — one in Raymond and one in Windham.Tuckaway Tavern in Raymond (DHHS issued notice July 31)Crossing LIFE Church (DHHS issued notice Aug. 7)ACTIVE OUTBREAKS AT FACILITIES IN STATEThe following facilities have seen confirmed cases in residents and/or staff in recent days or weeks, according to officials: Mountain View Community Nursing Home in Ossipee SYMPTOMSOfficials said symptoms might appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure.Symptoms include:Fever or chillsCoughDifficulty breathing or shortness of breathFatigueMuscle or body achesNew loss of taste or smellSore throatCongestion or runny noseNausea or vomitingDiarrhea According to the CDC, emergency warning signs for COVID-19 include:Difficulty breathing or shortness of breathPersistent pain or pressure in the chestNew confusionInability to wake or stay awakeBluish lips or face PROTECTING YOURSELFThe best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus, officials said.Here are ways to protect yourself:Frequent hand-washing with soap and water (or hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol) for at least 20 secondsAvoid close contact through social distancing (at least 6 feet from someone)Stay homePREVENTING THE SPREADThere are steps that can be taken to avoid spreading coronavirus:Covering coughs and sneezes and then washing hands afterwardStay home and avoid public places when sickAvoid being within 6 feet of a person when sickDisinfect frequently touched surfacesAvoid sharing drinks, smoking/vaping devices or other utensils or objects that may transmit saliva Wear cloth face coverings when near other people in public CURRENT TESTING PROCEDURES>> More information about testing << Testing is available for active COVID-19 infections and for antibodies, which would indicate evidence of past infection.All Granite Staters, whether they have symptoms or not, are now allowed to get tested and are being encouraged to do so. Visit this link to learn more. UNEMPLOYMENTTens of thousands of Granite Staters have filed for unemployment, and hundreds of millions of dollars have been paid out. Here’s what you need to know about how to file and if you’re eligible. REMOTE LEARNINGOnline instruction became the new normal for schools across the state this past school year. Many districts have some form of remote learning this fall, as well. Here are important resources if your children are learning from home. RECENT COVERAGE** See the latest headlines at this link. **You are also encouraged to subscribe to the daily coronavirus newsletter to get the latest updates in your inbox.NATIONAL UPDATESMore than 7.1 million people in the country have been infected with the virus and more than 204,000 people have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.Almost half the U.S. is reporting increased numbers of new COVID-19 cases as health experts warn of a potential coronavirus surge in the fall and winter.Shaming people who get sick or don’t follow the rules in a public health crisis has been a thing since well before coronavirus, researchers say. But the warp speed and reach of social media in the pandemic era gives the practice an aggressive new dimension.

MANCHESTER, N.H. —

More than 8,200 Granite Staters have tested positive for coronavirus disease COVID-19, which was first detected last year in Wuhan City, China. The outbreak was labeled a pandemic by the World Health Organization in mid-March.

>> Download the FREE WMUR app | *Full press conference in the video above was held Sept. 24, 2020*

New Hampshire data:

• Number of overall COVID-19 cases: 8,208
• Number of deaths attributed to COVID-19: 439
• Number of patients who have recovered: 7,430
• Number of active cases: 339
• Number of people who have been hospitalized: 737
• Number of current hospitalizations: 16
• Number of pending COVID-19 tests: at least 1,520
• Number of total COVID-19 tests: 269,367
• Number of total antibody tests: 31,046
• Number of people being monitored: 2,650 (approximate number)
• Number of MIS-C cases: 1
• Average number of COVID-19 tests each day over last seven days (includes UNH data): 7,520
• Average number tests for antibodies each day over last seven days: 44

** Town-by-town COVID-19 case data: Interactive map | Text-only list **

>> Latest worldwide coronavirus data | Interactive map from Johns Hopkins University | CDC guidelines on coronavirus

KEY DATES

• On Sept. 24, the governor said that all restaurants can move tables closer than 6 feet as long as there is a protective divider in place between tables.
• On Aug. 21, the governor announced that all New Hampshire restaurants could open at 100% capacity, though they still must following distancing and mask guidelines.
• On Aug. 11, the governor announced that masks would be required at all scheduled gatherings of 100 or more people.
• On July 14, officials announced the plan to reopen schools in the fall.
• On June 15, the stay-at-home order expired and was replaced by a safer-at-home advisory. A key difference is that the requirement that all groups must be fewer than 10 people is no longer in place.
• On May 22, officials announced the state’s first case of MIS-C in a child.
• On March 23, officials announced the state’s first death of a patient diagnosed with COVID-19.
• On March 13, the governor first declared a state of emergency, which ensures resources will be ready so the state is able to respond quickly, as needed. This has been renewed and is currently active. It needs to be renewed every three weeks while an emergency is ongoing in order to remain active.

KEY LOCAL INFORMATION

>> Latest coronavirus coverage from WMUR

>> DHHS information: Coronavirus in New Hampshire | Volunteering opportunities | How to donate PPEs

** Town-by-town COVID-19 case data: Interactive map | Text-only list **

DHHS WARNS OF POTENTIAL COMMUNITY EXPOSURES

On Aug. 26, health officials warned that Granite Staters who attended the motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, might have been exposed to COVID-19. At least 100 cases are connected to the event.

Health officials also have issued notices about two potential community exposures in New Hampshire — one in Raymond and one in Windham.

ACTIVE OUTBREAKS AT FACILITIES IN STATE

The following facilities have seen confirmed cases in residents and/or staff in recent days or weeks, according to officials:

• Mountain View Community Nursing Home in Ossipee

SYMPTOMS

Officials said symptoms might appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure.

Symptoms include:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

According to the CDC, emergency warning signs for COVID-19 include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Bluish lips or face

PROTECTING YOURSELF

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus, officials said.

Here are ways to protect yourself:

• Frequent hand-washing with soap and water (or hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol) for at least 20 seconds
• Avoid close contact through social distancing (at least 6 feet from someone)
• Stay home

PREVENTING THE SPREAD

There are steps that can be taken to avoid spreading coronavirus:

• Covering coughs and sneezes and then washing hands afterward
• Stay home and avoid public places when sick
• Avoid being within 6 feet of a person when sick
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces
• Avoid sharing drinks, smoking/vaping devices or other utensils or objects that may transmit saliva
• Wear cloth face coverings when near other people in public

CURRENT TESTING PROCEDURES

>> More information about testing <<

Testing is available for active COVID-19 infections and for antibodies, which would indicate evidence of past infection.

All Granite Staters, whether they have symptoms or not, are now allowed to get tested and are being encouraged to do so. Visit this link to learn more.

UNEMPLOYMENT

Tens of thousands of Granite Staters have filed for unemployment, and hundreds of millions of dollars have been paid out.

Here’s what you need to know about how to file and if you’re eligible.

REMOTE LEARNING

Online instruction became the new normal for schools across the state this past school year. Many districts have some form of remote learning this fall, as well.

Here are important resources if your children are learning from home.

RECENT COVERAGE

** See the latest headlines at this link. **

You are also encouraged to subscribe to the daily coronavirus newsletter to get the latest updates in your inbox.

NATIONAL UPDATES

More than 7.1 million people in the country have been infected with the virus and more than 204,000 people have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Almost half the U.S. is reporting increased numbers of new COVID-19 cases as health experts warn of a potential coronavirus surge in the fall and winter.

Shaming people who get sick or don’t follow the rules in a public health crisis has been a thing since well before coronavirus, researchers say. But the warp speed and reach of social media in the pandemic era gives the practice an aggressive new dimension.