By Holly Ramer and Lisa Rathke
Associated Press
Here are the latest developments regarding the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic throughout New England:
New Hampshire
Anyone who went to five restaurants in Portsmouth, Concord and Peterborough on certain days this month should get tested for the coronavirus, state health officials said Friday.
The Department of Health and Human Services said at least four people who have tested positive visited Daniel Street Tavern in Portsmouth while potentially infectious, and anyone who was in the bar area on Oct. 9, 14 or 15 should get tested. At least one person has tested positive who visited the Goat Bar and Grill in Portsmouth on Oct. 15.
In Concord, at least five people who have tested positive visited the Draft Sports Bar and Grill on Oct. 9 and 11, and Oct. 14-18. And at the Barley House Restaurant and Tavern, potential exposure via two people may have occurred Oct. 12, 13, 14 and 16.
Exposure also may have occurred Oct. 13 at the Bantam Grill in Peterborough, where at least one person has tested positive.
Health officials have been notifying close contacts of those who have tested positive.
UNH calendar: The University of New Hampshire is extending its winter break for a week but eliminating spring break in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Like many schools, UNH is sending students home for Thanksgiving and then conducting classes and final exams remotely in December. Classes will resume on campus Feb. 1, a week later than originally scheduled, UNH President James Dean said last week.
Given the extra-long break, officials have decided to cancel spring break, but some shorter breaks are planned, he said. Some campus buildings also will be closed in December and January to save money on heating, but arrangements will be made for those who need to work on campus.
Dean said 201 staff members and 44 faculty members have accepted early retirement offers made as the university seeks to recover financially from the pandemic. Lost revenue, plus the cost of testing, cleaning and protective equipment have added up to tens of millions of dollars.
The numbers: As of Friday, 10,112 people had tested positive for the virus in New Hampshire, an increase of 120 from the previous day. One new death was announced, bringing the total to 471.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Hampshire has increased over the past two weeks from 80 new cases per day on Oct. 8 to 81 new cases per day on Oct. 22.
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
A coronavirus outbreak connected to recreational hockey and broomball at an indoor ice rink in Montpelier has grown to 43 cases, including cases at seven schools in various counties, seven workplaces, two colleges and two hospitals, Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine said Friday.
The cases linked to the Central Vermont Memorial Civic Center are not within a single community, and people who played those sports live in multiple counties across the state, he said during the governor’s twice-weekly virus briefing. The number of close contacts to the people infected now likely exceeds 240, Levine said.
“We’ve been kind of referring to it as an outbreak that has tentacles in many areas and that’s because of the place of origin of those who were congregating together to engage in these sports in one place in the state,” Levine said. “It’s the kind of outbreak you don’t want to see.”
Vermont reported 28 new coronavirus cases on Friday, its second-highest number of cases since early June, with Levine saying half of the newest cases are associated with three outbreaks, including the one linked to the ice rink.
“This is an important reminder of why we can’t become complacent,” Republican Gov. Phil Scott said. “We need all Vermonters to think about what you’re doing each and every day and take the steps needed to keep safe. Wear your mask, keep 6 feet apart, avoid crowds and follow the travel guidance. These are simple steps that will help us live our lives while still managing the virus.”
In a second outbreak, at least seven positive virus cases have been linked to a wedding held in Cambridge on Oct. 10 attended by 77 people, the Health Department said. A number of out-of-state cases are also related to the event held at Boyden Farm.
“Appropriate precautions were implemented at the facility, including socially distanced seating at the ceremony and during dinner,” said department spokesperson Bennett Truman.
In addition, St. Michael’s College in Colchester announced Thursday that it was going to all remote classes after six positive cases were detected in the latest round of surveillance testing. All the cases were asymptomatic.
Vaccine preparations: Vermont has submitted its interim plan to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for distribution of an approved COVID-19 vaccine once it becomes available, officials said.
A team has been working on a plan since July, but there are still some unanswered questions from the federal government, Scott said.
“We’ll be ready for the vaccine before the vaccine is ready for us,” Levine said.
The state doesn’t expect to get enough supplies to vaccinate everyone at first, and allocations will likely be based on a state’s population size and infection rates, he said.
“Health care workers who provide direct patient care, first responders plus residents and staff of long-term care facilities are likely be among the first to be vaccinated,” he said. ”To start when small amounts of vaccine come into the state, possibly before the end of this year, we plan to reach those priority groups through a mix of vaccine clinics that have proven to work in the past.”
Later the state plans to expand access to the vaccine to the greater population when more supplies become available. Most vaccines now being developed require two doses, Levine said.
Hazard pay: A second round of hazard pay is available for frontline workers who worked last spring during the beginning of the pandemic.
The program has been expanded from mostly health care workers to more industries, including grocery store, pharmacy and essential child care workers who provided essential services between March 13 through May 15 and were at an elevated risk of COVID-19 exposure, said Vermont Commissioner of Financial Regulation Michael Pieciak. Workers also must have worked at least 68 hours during that time and only employers may apply. Former employees are also eligible.
A total of $22.5 million is available and is expected to go quickly on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications will start being accepted on Wednesday, Pieciak said.
The first round distributed approximately $28 million to people in healthcare and human service industries.
Prison lockdown: A Vermont correctional officer has tested positive for the coronavirus virus and as a result the Northeast Correctional Complex in St. Johnsbury is on full lockdown.
The Corrections Department reported Thursday that the officer was last in the facility on Oct. 12.
Contact tracing is underway, and testing of all inmates and staff will begin Monday.
wMaine
Officials with a Maine county said Friday a coronavirus outbreak that sickened more than 80 people at a jail is over.
The outbreak occurred at York County Jail in Alfred and was connected to a larger outbreak centered on a northern Maine wedding and reception. An employee of the jail attended the wedding, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention has said.
The outbreak linked to the Aug. 7 wedding event sickened a total of 178 people and killed eight. The case total includes the cases from the Alfred jail.
The County Commissioners of York County said in a statement Friday that no inmates at the Alfred jail are currently receiving treatment and all staff have returned to work. An inquiry by an outside examiner continues, the commissioners said.
The county has stepped up efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus since the outbreak, County Manager Gregory Zinser said.
“Since the initial outbreak, we have intensified our commitment to follow best practices as we continue to work closely with the CDC and Maine’s Department of Corrections to ensure appropriate prevention and mitigation plans are in place,” Zinser said. “This includes the distribution and use of recommended PPE, proper social distancing and regular testing.”
A Maine CDC spokesperson confirmed the jail facility met the criteria to close an outbreak investigation on Oct. 12. The Maine CDC has said its investigation into the wedding is also closed.
Church outbreak: An outbreak of the virus centered around a church in Waldo County has continued to grow, and the state is urging more caution at local schools.
An outbreak that focuses on Brooks Pentecostal Church in Brooks has grown from 49 to 57 cases, the Maine CDC said Friday. The outbreak stems from a fellowship event held at the church, the agency has said.
The Maine Department of Education said Friday the state has reclassified Waldo County schools from “green” to “yellow” on its three-colored safety scale. Yellow is an intermediate category that designates moderate risk. All other counties in Maine are green.
The education department said schools should consider additional precautions, such as limiting the number of people in school buildings at the same time and suspending extracurricular activities.
The numbers: The state’s total number of reported cases of coronavirus has increased by 31, the Maine CDC said Friday.
That brings the total reported coronavirus cases in Maine to 6,095, while the number of deaths remained at 146, officials said.
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.
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