New Hampshire has changed the hours of its COVID-19 vaccination sites, some hospitals have adjusted their visiting policies, and the state has eliminated the ability of schools to provide remote learning for all students as the state appears get out of the winter wave.
Gov. Chris Sununu said so during the state of the state address he delivered in person for the first time in two years this week.
“We are moving forward as a state with the mindset that COVID can be here long enough.
a while – and we can manage,” the governor said.
The number of hospitalizations fell to 108 with 846 new cases bringing the number of active cases statewide to 3,073 on Friday, according to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. The number of fully vaccinated residents remained just below 60% at 56.8%.
Many of the precautions and mandates put in place during the surge are falling.
Although the state did not implement a statewide mask mandate during the winter surge, but allowed businesses and municipalities to require the use of masks. Portsmouth lifted its mandate during the week.
Exeter Hospital adjusted its visiting policy on Tuesday to allow patients to have visits again. Patients may receive one visitor at a time who is at least 18 years old.
The city of Boston ended its proof of vaccine requirement for businesses and restaurants on Friday effective immediately.
The New Hampshire State Board of Education and the Joint Legislature Committee on Administrative Rules ended the remote learning option due to the pandemic by approving rules on Friday allowing the distance learning only in case of bad weather
State Senator Tom Sherman at the January Booster Blitz in Concord
Are things moving too fast?
State Sen. Tom Sherman, D-24th, who has formed an exploratory committee for a gubernatorial bid, is happy with what he sees in terms of the numbers, but thinks everyone needs to stay “vigilant and intelligent” and aware of the new possible variants.
“This is wonderful news. We see positivity rates drop, we see hospitalizations drop, we see deaths drop. Hopefully those who survived the omicron and delta variants now have some degree of immunity, so we we’re probably getting closer to where we need to be on immunity,” Dr. Sherman told Seacoast Current.
The COVID-19 virus has proven to be unpredictable when it comes to lasting immunity, according to Sherman. He worries about how long the vaccine provides protection and how future variants of the virus will behave.
“When I think of who is protected, I think of people who have had the infection or who have had a vaccine or a booster in the last six months. And I think that’s pretty solid,” Sherman said.
The omicron variant has affected people in different ways, making some people very sick and others barely feeling its effects. It was much less severe than the Delta variant but much more contagious. But what protection against a future variant will be offered by existing immunities?
“The perfect storm would be a virus that is highly contagious, severe in the sense that when you get sick, you get really, really sick, and is sneaky enough to bypass immune defenses. All of that is possible with COVID-19,” Sherman said. . .
Sherman, who is based at Exeter Hospital, is confident in the decision to resume some visits.
“I trust the caution they are showing and if they are willing to admit visitors and let them in, that is wonderful for the patients. They would only do that if they were in a position where they felt really sure that it’s not going to put anyone at increased risk,” Sherman said.
Pupils at Dover Public School receive COVID-19 vaccine
Distance learning decision is ‘short-sighted’
Sherman is less pleased with the remote learning vote calling it “short-sighted” and likened it to a company’s ability to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for its employees.
“You are robbing schools of the ability to protect themselves and their students and teachers in the event of another outbreak,” Sherman said. “It shows that the Department of Education has not thought about this and is not allowing schools all the arrows in their quivers needed to tackle a resurgence of COVID.”
Sherman has a bit of common ground with Sununu in their shared belief that companies should be able to compel their employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. But they split over a bill signed by Sununu that prohibits government entities such as UNH from demanding it.
“I think we should let facilities, locations, municipalities, hospitals make their own decisions at this point based on what they see in their communities. That’s the New Hampshire way too,” said Sherman.
State Vaccination Center Fixed Hours Change
Beginning Monday, vaccination sites operated by ConvenientMD will be open Monday through Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Vaccination sites operated by On-Site Medical Services will be open Monday through Saturday from 12:00 p.m. h 00. pm
Rochester Vaccination Site
Monday to Saturday, 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Municipalities of Spaulding
306 North Main Street
Rochester, NH 03867
Stratham Vaccination Site
Monday to Sunday, 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
28 Portsmouth Avenue
Stratham, NH 03885
The other fixed locations and their revised times are:
Ashland Vaccination Site
Monday to Saturday, 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
13 West Street
Ashland, NH 03217
Berlin Vaccination Site
Monday to Saturday, 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
161, route de Milan E
Berlin, NH 03570
Claremont Vaccination Site
Monday to Saturday, 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
367 Washington Street
Claremont, NH 03743
Concord Vaccination Site
Monday to Sunday, 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
273 Loudon Road
Concord, NH 03301
Keene Vaccination Site
Monday to Sunday, 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
27 road key
Keene, NH 03431
Laconia Vaccination Site
Monday to Saturday, 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
17 Church Street
Laconia, NH 03246
Manchester Vaccination Site
Monday to Sunday, 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
840 Hookset Road
Manchester, NH 03104
Nashua Vaccination Site
Monday to Sunday, 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
34 Northwest Blvd.
Nashua, NH 03063
Salem Vaccination Site
Monday to Sunday, 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
315 South Broadway
Salem, NH 03079
Contact journalist Dan Alexander at [email protected] or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNH
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