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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
Individual developed symptoms after travel to Italy
Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has announced a fourth person in New Hampshire who is being tested for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The illness caused by the new coronavirus was first identified in Wuhan City, Hubei Province China, and has since spread to at least 50 other countries, including the U.S. The person recently returned from travel to Italy and notified their healthcare provider after developing fever and respiratory symptoms within 14 days of travel. They are currently isolated and being monitored by public health clinicians and do not currently pose a threat to the public’s health. Preliminary COVID-19 test results are expected possibly as early as tomorrow. There have not been any cases of COVID-19 yet identified in New Hampshire.
“We have heard concerns from communities about returning travelers from countries outside of China that are currently experiencing widespread transmission of COVID-19, such as Italy” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan. “Any returning travelers from countries that currently have a CDC travel advisory due to sustained or widespread COVID-19 transmission should monitor their health closely for development of fever or respiratory symptoms. If such symptoms develop within 14 days of travel to an affected country, the individual should seek health advice by phone from their healthcare provider and limit their contact with others. There is not currently a recommendation that individuals who have traveled to countries other than China should self-quarantine, but given the rapidly changing epidemic, these recommendations could change as the CDC adapts their response and traveler monitoring procedures. We are aware that some schools have students who traveled to Italy over February break and have instructed their students to stay home for 14 days from travel to affected regions. We will support schools in taking steps to protect their communities during this very dynamic and challenging situation, and we have released interim guidance to help school communities to address questions and concerns.”
Guidance to schools can be found here: https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdcs/documents/2019-coronavirus-schools-02292020.pdf
Instructions for returning travelers to self-observe for symptoms of COVID-19 are available here: https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdcs/documents/2019-coronavirus-self-observation-guidelines.pdf
DHHS has additionally worked to develop COVID-19 testing capabilities in the New Hampshire Public Health Laboratories (PHL) and has expedited the implementation process to ensure the State has the capacity to perform the test. Previously, all testing for COVID-19 was conducted by the CDC. We anticipate our PHL having testing capacity for COVID-19 by Monday March 2nd. The CDC is still conducting confirmatory tests on any presumptive positive test results to confirm states’ findings.
“We have asked all healthcare providers to screen patients presenting to healthcare facilities with fever or respiratory symptoms to determine whether those patients’ have traveled to countries identified with sustained community transmission of COVID-19 so that we can rapidly identify, isolate, and test patients with suspect COVID-19,” continued Dr. Chan. “As we implement the COVID-19 test at our Public Health Laboratories this week, and given the global expansion of the COVID-19 epidemic, we expect more testing to take place in the coming weeks as we work to identify infections and prevent spread in our communities.”
The U.S. expects to detect more introductions of COVID-19 through travel, as well as more person-to-person spread and community transmission of this virus. The CDC and New Hampshire are conducting aggressive containment efforts, including ongoing use of isolation and quarantine measures to decrease introductions and spread of the virus.
Because COVID-19, and all respiratory illnesses, are most commonly spread through respiratory droplets, residents should take the same precautions as those recommended to prevent the spread of influenza:
- Stay home and avoid public places when sick (i.e. social distancing)
- Cover mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing
- Wash hands frequently
- Avoid being within 6 feet (close contact) of a person who is sick
- Avoid sharing drinks, smoking/vaping devices, or other utensils or objects that may transmit saliva
- Disinfect frequently touched surfaces
There is sustained and widespread transmission of COVID-19 in several countries. The CDC has currently issued travel advisories for the following countries, but given the rapidly changing situation, these advisories are frequently changing:
- Level 3 Travel Warning (avoid all nonessential travel due to widespread community transmission): China, Iran, Italy and South Korea
- Level 2 Travel Alert (practice enhanced precautions due to sustained community transmission): Japan
- Level 1 Travel Watch (practice usual precautions but limited community spread has been reported): Hong Kong
For more information on COVID-19, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html. For the latest information from the CDC, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
Concord, NH – No New Hampshire residents have tested positive for COVID 19. The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services is taking steps to prepare for potential community spread of the new coronavirus disease known as COVID-19 in New Hampshire. There are also steps New Hampshire residents can take now to protect themselves.
“The COVID-19 outbreak was first identified in China, and it has since spread to multiple other countries, which has appropriately caused concern about the potential impact on our New Hampshire communities. We have not yet identified any cases of COVID-19 in our State, and we have been working closely with our healthcare partners to be able to rapidly identify any individuals suspected of having COVID-19 in order to prevent further spread of this new virus,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan. “Given what we have seen in other countries, it is certainly possible that we could see community spread at some point in the U.S. and New Hampshire. Therefore, we continue to work with hospitals, emergency responders, community organizations, local health departments and public health partners to ensure they are prepared and have the resources they need to respond if and when the virus is present in New Hampshire.”
To date, NH DHHS key activities have included:
- Activating our Incident Management Team to coordinate our public health response with emergency services, homeland security officials, and other public health partners
- Identifying and investigating people with suspect COVID-19 and their close contacts
- Implementing illness monitoring and quarantine for travelers returning from mainland China
- Preparing and shipping specimens to CDC for testing while simultaneously working with CDC to implement the testing locally here in the NH Public Health Laboratories
- Providing technical guidance and information to healthcare and public health partners through health alerts, written guidance, and webinars
- Informing the public on prevention measures through media interviews and social media posts
- Planning for future potential for community transmission in the United States including addressing needs for medical surge, community mitigation, and providing housing, transportation, and wrap-around services (e.g. food) for people under isolation or quarantine due to illness or exposure
- Maintaining situational awareness for 2019 Novel Coronavirus across the globe and providing updates to stakeholders
- Maintaining daily communications with federal partners including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, and other national organizations
- Maintaining regular communications with other state agencies, local health departments, and other partners
- Informing the public on respiratory disease prevention measures through media interviews and social media posts
“This is a rapidly changing situation and we are working closely with our federal, State and local partners to collectively address the challenges of COVID-19,” Dr. Chan continued. “We are closely monitoring the outbreak and remain committed to working with concerned residents, communities and health care providers, so we can be prepared to respond and protect the health and the well-being of our communities.”
To protect themselves against this new coronavirus and the many different respiratory viruses that we know circulate this time of year in New Hampshire, NH DHHS continues to recommend that all residents take the following precautions
Stay home and avoid public places when sick (i.e. social distancing)
- Cover mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing
- Wash hands frequently
- Avoid being within 6 feet (close contact) of a person who is sick
- Avoid sharing drinks, smoking/vaping devices, or other utensils or objects that may transmit saliva
- Disinfect frequently touched surfaces
For more information on COVID-19, including webinars, health alerts, and fact sheets, please visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/.
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- Written by Kat Roedell
- Category: Articles
Although the store had been open and running since December 16th, 2019 on Friday, January 26, the Applegreen company opened its doors to the public in a grand opening event for their flagship store located at 491 Calef Hwy, Barrington NH. Applegreen is an Irish corporation, with over one hundred convenience stores/gas stations in the United States. Inside this branded store you'll find a Burger King, an Applegreen convenience store and a Mobile gas station with 5 islands (totaling 10 pumps), and two fast diesel pumps in the back.
This is the flagship store in which the Applegreen brand is being launched in the United States. This means that the Burger King isn't franchised out. Applegreen owns the franchise inside the store. This means that the convenience store isn't leased out. Applegreen owns it and manages it. It means the gas station is owned by Applegreen as well. When you're going to the store located at491 Calef Hwy, Barrington NH you're supporting the Applegreen Corporation - which stands for integrity, community and giving back.
The outside of the store featured a DJ for the day, free coffee, goodies and snacks, and gasoline at 1.99 per gallon. Inside the store, they had an End 68 hours of hunger raffle. The goal was to raise at least $2,000 that day to go to the Barrington chapter of End 68 hours of hunger. The local store was well represented, and there were people from the corporate branch as well – to facilitate the day, and to assure that everyone was well trained and responsive.
The building is well designed, fits within the community, and is set back from route 125, with plenty of space for access and parking. Burger King is located at the far left of the building, and there is a drive-through – located at the back and side of the building. Inside, the store is well put together. It is pleasant to be in. There is tile on the floor and plenty of space between the aisles. The stands aren't too high so you can see clearly around the store. There is a nice variety of convenience items, not just your run of the mill chips, but several different varieties in both large and snack portion bags. There's a great coffee island with an on-demand coffee machine as well as pre-made pots of coffee, plenty of options for the coffee diva and the cup of joe on the run folks too. Everything is done with excellence. There's three refrigerator units of beers and a wine-rack as well. Bags of ice are conveniently located in the freezer section inside of the store. You can find pretty much anything you could use at 10 o'clock at night.
At the open house, there were several people from corporate there. Their message was clear, Applegreen is in the community to stay and plans on looking for ways to give back. In Ireland, the Applegreen company has given over four million dollars to local charities and truly believes in investing in the local community. Currently, they are looking for any local teams that need sponsorship in the area, that they would like to pay for t-shirts and signage and do the promotion that they can do for a local team.
There are changes coming to Barrington, but if they're all done with excellence then they're going to help our community grow. This new business is already brought 30 more jobs into our town. Barrington is a bedroom community with no public transportation this is a positive change. With only a few major employers in town, it's beneficial to get some mid-sized ones in.
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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
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Rouillard was among 5 WSU student artists accepted to be featured in the prestigious exhibition, competition
WORCESTER, MA – Worcester State University’s Visual and Performing Arts Department has announced that ‘19 WSU graduate Megan Rouillard, a native of Barrington, NH, has been selected for participation in the 11th annual Boston Printmakers Student Print Exhibition, a prestigious exhibition and competition featuring some of New England’s most creative student artists.
Rouillard, who majored in Biology at WSU, was one of 5 students in WSU Studio Art Professor Amaryllis Siniossoglou’s printmaking class who represented WSU in the recent show. Rouillard is presently a Ph.D. candidate at UConn Health, she said.
“My piece was inspired by the native wildlife of New Hampshire being impacted by climate change,” Rouillard said.
“WSU’s Visual and Performing Arts Department congratulates Megan, her fellow WSU students and all of the New England artists whose works of art were featured in the 11th annual Boston Printmakers Student Print Exhibition,” said Siniossoglou. “Each of our students’ pieces reflects their hard work, creativity, and vision. We’re honored to be part of the Boston Printmakers tradition again this year as it continues to recognize inspiring, rising artists.”
Rouillard’s piece was one of 132 prints by artists representing 17 colleges and universities. The Boston Printmakers is an international association of artists founded 72 years ago by a group of printmaking students and teachers to educate the public about fine art printmaking and provide opportunities to exhibit original prints. According to The Boston Printmakers, for many students, it is their first time showing their prints in a professional setting. For more information on the organization, please visit www.bostonprintmakers.org.
About the Worcester State Visual and Performing Arts Department
The Worcester State Visual and Performing Arts Department offers an interdisciplinary, student-centered, artistic education that prepares students for professional lives in the arts. Its educational spaces encompass the Fuller Theater, practice rooms for music, and art studios at the University’s Sagamore Studios. VPA students gain in-depth knowledge of their preferred art form -- art, music, or theatre – plus an understanding of what the arts have in common, and how they are performed and exhibited in the real world. Learn more at www.worcester.edu/VPA or connect with VPA on social media: Facebook/VPAatWorcesterState, Twitter and Instagram @WSUVPA. Follow our blog, The Artful Lancer, at WSUVPA.wordpress.com or subscribe to our YouTube channel, search WSU VPA.
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