Health
Sununu joins businesses to blast employer vaccine mandate
As New Hampshire joins a multi-state lawsuit against a Biden administration employee vaccine mandate, some state business leaders are arguing the mandate will cause them to lose employees. At a press conference Monday, a group of business representatives argued the new mandate – which directs businesses with employees of 100 or more to require vaccines […]
Lawmakers once again aim to establish adult dental benefit under Medicaid program
Julie Hilliard faces two significant challenges every time her son Cameron, 30, needs basic dental care. His intense fear of medical procedures, triggered by his severe intellectual disability, autism, and epilepsy, requires restraints, anesthesia, and treatment in an operating room, even for a cleaning. But before Hilliard can book that appointment, she must find a […]
State joins lawsuit challenging private employer mandate
It’s official. Attorney General John Formella announced Friday that New Hampshire has joined 10 other states and several private businesses, religious schools, and organizations in a lawsuit challenging the new federal vaccine mandate on large private employers. Formella indicated he’d do so late last month, when he joined a similar lawsuit challenging the vaccine mandate […]
Ahead of public hearing next week, committee on medical interventions gets to work
If there’s any doubt COVID-19 and vaccines will dominate much of the next legislative session, consider the nearly 25 pandemic-related proposals on their way to becoming bills. They range from mask mandates and an audit of COVID preparedness in long-term care homes to unemployment benefits for workers fired for violating a vaccine mandate. But first, […]
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 […]