Health
Q&A: The biggest equity issues in the state amid the pandemic
People of color have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic in New Hampshire and throughout the country. But the collection of data related to race has lagged, obscuring our understanding of COVID’s impact on minority populations in the state. On Friday, the state’s equity dashboard showed that race data was unknown in 30 percent of […]
COVID-19 vaccines for kids 5 to 11 get final endorsement by CDC
WASHINGTON – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has signed off on giving Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to all kids ages 5 to 11, a final decision that means those children can begin receiving shots as soon as Wednesday. Vials of the pediatric version of the vaccine have already been shipped to states, so they […]
State’s vaccine van: Three months and 1,176 shots
The First Parish Church in Dover has hosted the state’s mobile vaccine van three times and, thanks to a big community advertising campaign, has gotten more people vaccinated than most sites, save for the University of New Hampshire. The count so far is 42 but will no doubt increase with the van’s return on Nov. […]
Q&A: Pediatrician talks worn-out workers, rejected funds, and vaccinating kids
With the first newly approved COVID-19 vaccines for children likely headed to New Hampshire this week, state officials are urging parents to make an appointment with their health care providers or visit one of nearly 150 pharmacy sites that have committed to vaccinating 5- to 11-year-olds. The news, delivered Thursday, came with a caveat: The […]
Marketing firm talks clicks and impressions, but is it finding success getting people vaccinated?
In mid-October, the Manchester marketing firm awarded nearly $1.3 million by the state to boost New Hampshire’s vaccination numbers sent the state a performance report of the newest social media campaign: Ads had 619,736 “impressions” and 1,231 “clicks” on Facebook and Instagram in the first week. It’s the same proof-of-success evidence the state Department of […]
State joins lawsuit over vaccine mandate for federal workers
Attorney General John Formella made it official Friday: New Hampshire has joined nine other states in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for federal workers and contractors. “The state has made clear that the available COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and that every eligible person in New Hampshire is […]
Remaining CARES Act money to go toward long-term care, food pantries, shelters
With a deadline approaching for spending the rest of the CARES Act money, Gov. Chris Sununu announced on Wednesday how the remaining funds will be pushed into programs with the goal of spending that money before the end of the year. $11.5 million will go toward addressing the COVID-19 impact on long-term care. Long-term care […]
$4.7 million for vaccination efforts approved by executive councilors
After rejecting $27 million in federal money for vaccine outreach at their last meeting, Republican executive councilors joined Democratic Councilor Cinde Warmington to approve a much smaller amount of $4.7 million Wednesday to help vaccinate 5- to 11-year-olds, who are expected to be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine as early as next month. That amount […]
Executive Council approves state’s plan to buy Hampstead Hospital with federal money
The Executive Council gave the state Department of Health and Human Services its final approval Wednesday to use $15.1 million in federal money to buy Hampstead Hospital to provide minors inpatient psychiatric care. Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette said the purchase, which includes nearly 100 acres, could be complete by the end of […]
FDA panel recommends OK for Pfizer’s vaccine for kids 5 to 11
WASHINGTON – A federal vaccine advisory panel on Tuesday recommended authorizing Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, a decision that means as soon as next week everyone in the U.S. over age 5 is expected to be eligible for a shot. The vote by the Food & Drug Administration panel, with 17 […]
Senate committee supports faster access to telehealth treatment for substance use disorder
One of the governor’s pandemic emergency orders allowed those with substance use disorder to get a prescription for medication-assisted treatment quickly via telehealth, without first waiting days or weeks to meet with a medical provider. It connected users with treatment the moment they decided to seek it, key advocates say, to success. When the emergency […]
Health care providers slam Executive Council for rejecting $27 million for vaccination efforts
Health care providers joined the chorus Monday condemning the Executive Council’s Republicans for rejecting $27 million in vaccine outreach. The providers pointed to a rise in cases among children and an understaffed health care network unprepared to deliver COVID-19 and flu vaccines, as well as booster shots, while also handling non-pandemic care like pregnancies and […]