Sununu says stay-at-home still not necessary here

New Hampshire Union Leader

Mar. 25--CONCORD -- Gov. Chris Sununu on Wednesday rejected a direct plea from an executive councilor for New Hampshire to join the growing number of states shutting down non-essential businesses.

During the Executive Council meeting, which was conducted remotely, Sununu said he will continue to evaluate the need for further restrictions, a day after Vermont Gov. Phil Scott issued a stay-at-home order.

Sununu said the disease's spread is more severe in Vermont.

As of Wednesday noon, Vermont had more COVID-19 cases (123) than New Hampshire has (108), even though it has half the Granite State's population.

Vermont has had eight deaths, compared to New Hampshire's one, most of them patients of a Burlington, Vt., nursing home and rehabilitation center.

"I need you to stay at home," Scott said during a news conference Wednesday. "Doing so will save lives. It's just that simple."

Vermont's stay-at-home-order took effect Wednesday at 5 p.m.

More than half the country's population resides in the 17 states that have issued stay-at-home orders.

Councilor Debora Pignatelli, D-Nashua, made the request that New Hampshire join them. She referenced a petition, which began circulating in the Southwestern region of the state, signed by 4,000 people supporting such a move.

"This situation can escalate extremely quickly; in New Hampshire we are sixth-highest with people over 60," Pignatelli said.

"I ask you to do that. It's not often that we are in a position to save lives, but I am certain if we take this action, this will save a lot of lives."

Sununu said the restrictions he issued earlier likely will be extended when they expire in early April.

"Knowing the surge is ahead, we know that it is likely we are going to have to extend that into the future. We are studying how to articulate that and we should have announce something fairly shortly," Sununu said.

"Right now the state is not in a position to mandatorily force people to stay in their homes."

Both Democratic candidates for governor, Councilor Andru Volinsky and Senate Majority Leader Dan Feltes, earlier called for the state to take this step.

Former Congressman Paul Hodes joined them Wednesday.

"For now, the single best thing we can do to stop this disease is to stay home," said Hodes, a candidate for the Senate seat Feltes holds.

"This disruption to our lives and our economy is a challenge, but is absolutely necessary to secure public health."

Tax filing delay likely

In other matters, Sununu said he is considering an order that would postpone the deadline to file state tax returns, including for residents with enough unearned income to pay New Hampshire's 5 percent tax on interest and dividends.

President Trump has pushed back the deadline to file federal income taxes from April 15 to July 15.

Sununu said he plans to meet soon with Revenue Commissioner Lindsey Stepp and Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald.

"I think we will be able to do something on that front," Sununu said.

Unemployment claims spiking

Employment Security Commissioner George Copadis reported that as of the end of last week, 41,304 had filed unemployment claims after Sununu signed an executive order expanding benefits to those affected by COVID-19.

By comparison, the previous weekly high for claims of 35,000 occurred during the last recession in 2009, he said.

Updated numbers of jobless claims will be available Thursday morning, Copadis said.

The agency's call-in center has fielded 13,000 calls so far. Copadis said he's working on creating a larger "distribution center" work space to create more social distancing for his staff.

During the week prior to last month's oubreak, the state received 500 new jobless claims.

Standards of care

HHS Commissioner Lori Shibinette said a team of medical ethicists, including experts at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, are helping the state develop "crisis standards of care" to prioritize which patients should receive what could be a finite supply of life-saving equipment, including ventilators.

Shibinette said the state has 1,000 machines that can be used as ventilators and is checking its warehouses to determine whether some out-of-commission units could be brought back into use.

The state has yet to receive any of the 45 ventilators it requested from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and has placed orders for those ventilators on the commercial market, she said.

In coming weeks, the Community Development Finance Authority will be creating a $1.5 million Public Resource Fund to assist communities with financial help.

Executive Director Katy Marty said the agency also plans to set aside $4.5 million in unspent Community Development Block Grant money to support local efforts to confront the pandemic.

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