Coronavirus makes NH a state of emergency

Mar. 14--Gov. Chris Sununu on Friday declared a state of emergency in New Hampshire to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, as ConVal Regional School District announced it would close its schools and switch to remote instruction until further notice.

In a news conference Friday, Sununu outlined measures meant to contain the virus.

As of 11:59 p.m. Sunday, most visits to nursing homes, assisted living facilities and "other similar facilities providing residential care to elderly or infirm patients" will be prohibited to reduce the risk of transmission to vulnerable populations, Sununu said.

The exceptions are for medically necessary personnel, patients receiving end-of-life care and visitors necessary to provide for a patient's psychosocial needs.

The governor also suspended nonessential out-of-state travel by state and municipal employees and school-sponsored out-of-state trips.

Health care providers now also have the authority to "test individuals as they see fit," Sununu said, and the state may waive licensing and certification requirements if needed to bring in the necessary workforce.

Dr. Benjamin Chan, the state epidemiologist, said New Hampshire has the capacity to test at least a couple hundred people at the moment, and more test kits should be arriving.

The declaration also gives Sununu the authority to redirect any state employee to tasks necessary for fighting the virus.

Sununu emphasized that over 90 percent of tests for the virus in New Hampshire have been negative.

"At this time there remains a very low public risk to New Hampshire when it comes to COVID-19," he said. "We know that there's no evidence that suggests that there's any widespread community transmission."

However, he said the state must be prepared in case that evolves quickly.

"Today's action will help the state deploy resources in combating the outbreak," he said.

Sununu did not order schools to close. But the state board of education on Thursday passed an emergency rule that gives districts more latitude to conduct instruction remotely, and the N.H. Department of Education has been rolling out guidance for schools that do choose to close. The governor said those actions give local officials flexibility.

Hours after Friday's news conference, ConVal announced it was canceling school and after-school activities until further notice, with remote instruction to begin Wednesday. The district said in a letter to families that its goal is to return to school April 6, but cautioned it could be longer.

"After careful review of CDC guidelines, phone consultations with local health officials and other area superintendents, as well as a special meeting with the ConVal School Board this evening, we have come to the critical decision to temporarily suspend in-school instruction and transition to remote learning for all ConVal students," Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders wrote in the letter.

Parents will receive more information Monday about their kids' transition to remote learning. ConVal covers Antrim, Bennington, Dublin, Francestown, Greenfield, Hancock, Peterborough, Sharon and Temple.

The board of N.H. School Administrative Unit 29, which includes Keene and six nearby districts, is scheduled to meet Saturday to discuss issues related to coronavirus.

As of Friday night, six of the 121 people tested in New Hampshire were presumptive or confirmed positives for the virus, while at least 94 were negative, according to the state. All of the positive test results have come from Grafton and Rockingham counties.

Sununu's announcement came on the same day that President Donald Trump declared a national emergency, making billions of dollars in disaster relief available to states and territories.

Meanwhile, many New Hampshire towns and school districts were preparing for their annual meetings this weekend. Sununu said local officials have the authority to postpone them if they deem it necessary, but stressed that the meetings are relatively low risk.

He urged town meeting attendees to take the same preventative measures they would anywhere else, including staying a safe distance from others.

Although Nelson's Town Moderator Lew Derby opted to postpone Saturday's meeting until May 16, a slew of town and district meetings in the region were still on.

"We believe that the Covid19 circumstances are only going to get worse and that a postponement will [jeopardize] our ability to keep town operations functioning," Hancock's moderator, Ric Haskins, wrote in a message posted to the town website.

But chairs will be spaced out and ballot clerks will wash their hands after counting paper ballots. Residents who wish to speak on an issue, but feel nervous about attending, were given the option of sending Haskins written comments for him to read aloud.

A notice posted to Jaffrey's website Friday morning said residents lining up to speak on articles should stand a safe distance apart, and the mic will be disinfected between each speaker.

Chesterfield said it would provide a "separate seating area for residents who may be at higher risk."

And in Walpole, "we used a cleaning solution that hospitals use, and it contains a bleach. ...We cleaned all the tables and all the chairs in our meeting room," said selectboard member Peggy Pschirrer. "We were as thorough as we could be."

Still, she urged anyone with symptoms to sit this year's session out.

"If you are concerned, please stay home."

Residents with questions about the coronavirus can call the state's hotline at 2-1-1.

Paul Cuno-Booth can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1409, or pbooth@keenesentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @PCunoBoothKS

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