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Scott again urges people not to gather

By Kathy Mccormack, Holly Ramer and Wilson Ring
Associated Press
Here are the latest developments regarding the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic throughout New England:

New Hampshire

Holding New Hampshire House sessions remotely would not violate a constitutional provision about what constitutes a quorum, the state Supreme Court said Tuesday.

The House has been meeting at the University of New Hampshire to allow for greater social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic, but Democrats voted in September to ask the court to weigh in on the possibility of remote sessions.

Opponents argued that doing so would violate other provisions of the state constitution, particularly one guaranteeing public access to government. The court, however, limited its answer to the narrow question regarding quorum requirements.

“As long as the requisite number of representatives is ‘present,’ either in person or virtually, meaning that the requisite number is ‘at hand’ and ‘not absent,’” the provision is satisfied, the court wrote.

House Speaker Steve Shurtleff, D-Concord, called the opinion a “victory for common sense and safety.” But he won’t be speaker for long.

Republicans regained control of both the House and Senate in this month’s elections, making the prospect of remote sessions less likely. House Republican leader Dick Hinch, a candidate for House Speaker, told WMUR-TV on Monday he wants to get back to as much in-person work as possible, when it is safe.

Nursing home funding: Nursing homes in northern New England are being unfairly penalized when it comes to federal funding during the pandemic, members of New Hampshire’s congressional delegation said Tuesday.

In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, the delegation took issue with the formula used to distribute $333 million to more than 10,000 nursing homes late last month. The nationwide average payment per facility was nearly $25,000, while New Hampshire facilities got about $4,900 each, the third-lowest in the country behind Maine and Vermont.

According to the delegation, the formula rewarded facilities that kept infection and mortality rates among residents lower than the communities they serve. That penalizes states that have low per capita infection rates, the delegation said.

“The fact that there is a lower level of COVID-19 spread in the community in New Hampshire does not mean that Granite State nursing facilities do not need support,” wrote U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan and U.S. Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas. “On the contrary, the fact that 82 percent of the COVID-19 deaths in the state come from nursing home residents shows that New Hampshire facilities need more help than ever.”

The delegation is urging Azar to incorporate other measures into the formula going forward.

Community exposure: Potential community exposure related to confirmed cases of COVID-19 has been identified at Chasers Poker Room and Casino in Salem, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday.

Potential exposure happened from Nov. 4-7 and Nov. 9-12. While the state is notifying close contacts, the department said there may be others who were exposed, should monitor for symptoms, and get tested.

Meanwhile, an outbreak at a church in Wolfeboro has been connected to 25 people, the department said. Individuals at the Calvary Wolfeboro Church may have been exposed at the 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. services on Sunday, Nov. 1.

Berlin ordinance: The City Council in Berlin is the latest to pass an ordinance requiring face masks in public.

“We need to make an effort,” Mayor Paul Grenier said Monday. “To sit back and not do anything, to me, that’s not an option.”

The ordinance, which takes effect immediately, lasts for 60 days and would be revisited every 30 days for possible updates. It doesn’t apply to children under 5.

Meanwhile, the select board in Franconia is considering an ordinance. The police chief planned to meet with Cannon Mountain management to determine if police would enforce violations at the Cannon Mountain ski area.

The numbers: More than 15,000 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in New Hampshire since the start of the pandemic, including 279 new cases announced Tuesday. Two new deaths were announced, bringing the total to 502.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Hampshire has risen over the past two weeks from 131 new cases per day on Nov. 2 to 332 new cases per day on Nov. 16.

Vermont

A clearly frustrated Vermont Gov. Phil Scott on Tuesday again urged people across the state not to hold small social gatherings that have been shown to be the largest source of new virus cases in the state.

Speaking at his regular news conference while the state is trying to knock down the largest surge in cases since the pandemic began, Scott said that while the hours for indoor dining have been restricted, restaurants have not been shown to be a source of the new cases, nor have gymnasiums, schools or out-of-state visitors to Vermont.

But between Oct. 1 and last Friday when a series of new restrictions were announced, including the closure of bars, 71% of the new virus outbreaks had been linked to parties and social gatherings, at homes and in bars and clubs. The rules designed to minimize the spread of the virus in restaurants and other locations have been working.

He said he understood why people would become frustrated with the rules and many had become complacent after months when Vermont had some of the lowest rates of virus infection in the country.

“In the environment we’re, in we’ve got to prioritize need over want. In my view in-person education, protecting our healthcare system and keeping people working as long as we can do it safely, are things we need,” Scott said. “Parties and cookouts, hanging out with people you don’t know just to socialize may be fun, but they are wants, not needs, and they put a lot of people at risk.”

Scott also aimed his frustration at people who resist calls for mask wearing, social distancing and other measures designed to minimize the risk of spreading the virus, by claiming they are standing up for what they see as their rights and the patriotic thing to do.

“Patriots also stand up and fight when our nation’s health and security is threatened,” Scott said. “And right now are country and way of life is being attacked by this virus, not the protections we’ve put in place.”

Despite his frustration and the rapid spread of the virus, Scott said he remained reluctant to impose penalties for people who don’t follow the rules.

“It’s always an option,” Scott said. “I still believe in Vermonters willingness to put this behind us and so that we can get to whatever the normal was over the last three or four months as we await a vaccine.”

The numbers: On Tuesday, the Vermont Health Department reported just under 100 new cases of the virus, bringing the statewide total since the pandemic began to just over 3,100.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Vermont has risen over the past two weeks from 19.43 new cases per day on Nov. 2 to 84.71 new cases per day on Nov. 16.

The number of deaths remains at 59.

Business assistance: The state of Vermont is allocating $75 million to help businesses and lodging establishments hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Legislature’s Joint Fiscal Committee also has approved nearly $6.5 million to help Vermonters who need help paying their rent.

The grants will provide relief to food and accommodations businesses that lost revenues between March and September, with a cap of up to $300,000.

The Joint Fiscal Committee, made up of leaders from the House and Senate’s finance panels, has the authority to approve or reject proposals from Scott’s administration for allocating money from federal COVID-19 relief funds that must be spent by the end of the year.

“We don’t have enough money to make everyone whole,” said state Sen. Ann Cummings, a Democrat. “So we’re trying the best we can to find a way to keep everybody afloat.”

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