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Scott: Country needs unity it found after 9/11 amid virus

By Kathy Mccormack, Holly Ramer And Lisa Rathke
Associated Press
Here are the latest developments regarding the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic throughout New England:

New Hampshire

No cases of the coronavirus have been linked to President Donald Trump’s rally in New Hampshire two weeks ago, the state health commissioner said Thursday, and only one person who attended Motorcycle Week in Laconia has since tested positive.

About 1,400 people attended the president’s rally in an airport hangar in Londonderry on Aug. 28. Many were not wearing masks, despite Gov. Chris Sununu’s order making them mandatory for gatherings of more than 100 people.

Sununu, like Trump a Republican, was asked a few days later “what did it make you feel” to see people ignoring the mandate, and responded that he felt frustrated, just as he does when he sees someone grocery shopping without a mask.

“I don’t want to single out one event makes me feel better or worse than another,” he said Sept. 1.

On Thursday, Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette said officials aren’t aware of any attendees testing positive after the rally.

The annual Motorcycle Week, one of the nation’s largest such gatherings, was held in Laconia Aug. 22 to 30, and Shibinette said she knows of one attendee who has tested positive.

In contrast, health officials across 12 states have found more than 300 people with infections who attended the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota in August.

Nursing home restrictions: Nursing homes in Sullivan County can now accept more indoor visitors and expand group activities, but those in Grafton County will return to more restrictions, health officials said Thursday.

The state health department has taken a phased approach to allowing visitors back into nursing homes, many of which have experienced virus outbreaks.

Sullivan County has been cleared to join Belknap and Coos counties in allowing indoor visitors, but facilities in Grafton County have been bumped back to a more restrictive phase, with outdoor visits allowed due to an increase in community transmission of the virus, Shibinette said.

The state is monitoring two outbreaks at care homes.

Mayor infected: Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess says he has tested positive for the coronavirus.

Donchess was tested last week, and then again over the weekend, he told the Board of Aldermen on Wednesday. Donchess was one of three people at City Hall who tested positive in cases connected to a single group activity, Nashua officials said.

Donchess said he hasn’t been feeling extremely sick.

“I think the lesson here is that no matter how careful you are, we need to continue to exercise a lot of caution,” Donchess told the board. He took part in outdoor dining only, he said, and group gatherings only at a great distance.

Voting lawsuit: President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign and the Republican National Committee can intervene in a lawsuit by the American Federation of Teachers challenging New Hampshire’s voting procedures during the coronavirus pandemic, a judge ruled.

New Hampshire Public Radio reported a hearing on the case is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 24.

Focusing on the November election, the union sued to force New Hampshire to extend its deadline for accepting absentee ballots by mail; to cover absentee ballot postage costs; to allow wider use of absentee ballot dropboxes; and to permit third-party groups to return absentee ballots on voters’ behalf. Similar lawsuits have been filed in other states.

The teachers union says the changes are necessary to ensure as many people as possible can safely participate.

State officials are opposed to changing the rules now, saying it would create more problems.

The numbers: As of Thursday, 7,573 people had tested positive for the virus in New Hampshire, an increase of 56 from the previous day. One new death was announced, for a total of 434. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Hampshire increased over the past two weeks, going from 18 new cases per day on Aug. 26 to 28 new cases per day on Sept. 9.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia or death.

Vermont

Republican Gov. Phil Scott on Friday extended Vermont’s coronavirus-related state of emergency to Oct. 15 and, on the 19th anniversary of 9/11, said the unity, determination and resolve the country found following the terrorists attack is needed now amid the pandemic.

“Because our country desperately needs to find that unity again,” he said during his regular virus briefing. “We need to harness the same care and compassion that allowed us to move forward then in order to get us through the deadly emergency we face today.”

The state’s ability to continually move forward and not have to take steps back amid the pandemic has been incredible, particularly when considering what’s happening in other parts of the country, Scott said.

“Vermonters should be proud. You’ve stepped up, put on a mask, been smart about keeping your distance and limited the number of people you connect with,” he said, adding that Vermonters also found ways to work and vacation from home. “And importantly, you’ve pulled in the same direction to protect our neighbors and show how much you care about each other,” he said.

Colleges restart: More than 40,000 students are at Vermont college campuses this fall and no student is currently still in quarantine or isolation after arriving, said former Norwich University President Richard Schneider, who chairs a state task force that developed the college guidance.

Some students were found to be infected, and they were identified, and state did “unbelievable” contract tracing, he said. As of Sept. 10, more than 42,100 tests have been administered to college students in Vermont, resulting in 38 positive tests, the state said.

The low positivity rate is because of measures put in place by the restart team for the colleges and universities that made sure students “were tested either before they came here or quarantined before they came here or once they got here were tested,” the governor said.

Colleges and universities have reduced the size of classes, had everyone sign a health contract and there are no large gatherings, parents’ weekends or homecomings, which will hurt the economy somewhat, Schneider said.

Mainly, the students are being “unbelievably compliant and actually much better than I had ever hoped for. Everyone is committed to keeping our colleges safe and our communities safe,” he said.

“The real challenge now for all of us is phase two, to keep them uninfected,” Schneider said.

The numbers: Vermont reported eight new cases of the coronavirus for a total of 1,668 since the pandemic began. One person was hospitalized with COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. The total number of deaths has remained at 58 for over a month.

Child care slots: Vermont now has 24 child care hub programs that will serve about 73 different site locations for children during remote learning days at their schools, according to Vermont Human Services Secretary Mike Smith.

During this first week of school, active hubs had the capacity for 6,450 slots and, as of Monday, 3,484 of those slots were filled, he said. Applications were in process for 14 potential additional hubs. The state is seeking other sites in locations where it’s been been unsuccessful in finding them, in Randolph, Manchester and surrounding towns, Grand Isle County and in towns around St. Albans, including Swanton, he said.

“Ultimately, we think we’ll be up to 9,000 slots,” he said.

“If schools go back to five-days a week in-person learning we’re probably going to reduce this,” he said.

Maine

A federal appeals court will make a ruling about whether rules designed to prevent spread of the new coronavirus in Maine are unconstitutional.

The restrictions applied by Democratic Gov. Janet Mills have been the subject of three federal lawsuits, and federal judges in Maine have ruled in favor of the governor each time. Plaintiffs have appealed to the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston, the Portland Press Herald reported.

The lawsuits concern restrictions on gatherings, mandatory 14-day quarantine periods for visitors and restrictions on operating a business.

Maine officials have defended the state’s rules as necessary to prevent the spread of the virus, which has taken less of a toll on Maine than it has on many states.

Some of the rules have changed since the original lawsuits were filed. For example, visitors from other states can now avoid the 14-day quarantine period if they produce negative test results.

Oral arguments began in two of the cases on Wednesday.

The numbers: The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday that the number of people who have tested positive for the coronavirus in the state increased by 32.

The number of people who have tested positive in Maine stands at 4,792 while the number of patients who have died in Maine is 134, the Maine CDC reported.

The seven-day average for new cases per day was about 24, which was 5 less than it was a week ago.

The COVID-19 illness results in mild or moderate symptoms in most people, but severe symptoms are more likely in the elderly or those with existing health problems.

High school football: Maine high schools won’t offer football or volleyball this fall, but will proceed with other sports, the Maine Principals’ Association announced on Thursday.

The principals’ association made the announcement in conjunction with state officials. The coronavirus pandemic shut down high school sports in the state in April.

The principals’ association cautioned Thursday that its guidance could be changed or suspended because of the evolving nature of the pandemic.

“While these guidelines provide a strong foundation for how to safely play fall sports in Maine, we recognize that ultimately the final decision on sports will be made by local school districts based on their capacity for implementing the health and safety guidelines as applied to school sports – a decision and process that we wholeheartedly respect,” said Mike Burnham, executive director of the Maine Principals’ Association, in a statement.

Maine is among dozens of states modifying sports plans this fall due to the pandemic. Some schools in the state have already announced they are canceling fall sports completely.

It’s important to remember that not all sports carry the same level of risk, said Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention director Nirav Shah. For example, it’s possible to host sports such as golf and cross country in ways that observe social distancing, he said.

“The safety of any particular activity depends on the nature of the activity and the circumstances in which it’s being done,” he said.

Ferry grant: A ferry system that serves communities in southern Maine is set to receive nearly $2 million in federal funding to keep operating amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration is providing the funding to Casco Bay Island Transit District. The money is intended to keep the district’s “ferries, facility and equipment in service and in good working condition” during the pandemic, Republican Sen. Susan Collins said in a statement.

The Casco Bay district was also previously awarded $2.6 million in federal CARES Act funding. Collins said the funding “will help ensure that Casco Bay Lines continues to provide safe and reliable ferry services to passengers during this ongoing economic and public health crisis.”

The ferry service has been around for nearly 40 years and provides service to six islands in Casco Bay. It typically transports more than a million passengers a year.

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