11:20 a.m.
Tuesday, March 24, 2020 11:18 am

A national study released today shows New Hampshire is ranked fourth among states most proactive and aggressive in battling the coronavirus.

"To identify which states are taking the largest actions to combat coronavirus, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 46 key metrics," WalletHub said in a statement. "The data set ranges from tested cases of COVID-19 per capita to school closures, ICU beds, and shelter-in-place policies."

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said the survey shows the Granite State is among those leading the way.
"Today's study recognizes we are taking unprecedented and proactive steps," said the governor. "Testing is ramping up. And we are working around the clock to slow and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 here in New Hampshire."

The ranking places New Hampshire among states like California, Rhode Island, Mayland, and New Jersey in terms of measures taken. Referencing New Hampshire's efforts, analyst Jill Gonzalez said, "New Hampshire is the fourth most aggressive state in limiting Coronavirus exposure. It has administered one of the largest number of tests and has a very low share of confirmed cases -- just above 3 percent. In addition, the state has restricted travel, closed schools, restaurants and bars, and has imposed a freeze on evictions, foreclosures and utility bill collections, in an effort to protect the population from getting infected."

Aggressiveness Against the Coronavirus in New Hampshire (1=Best, 25=Avg.):

• 11^th - State and Local Public Health Laboratories per Capita
• 8^th - Tested Cases of COVID-19 per Capita
• 5^th - Population Density
• 6^th - Share of Workers with Access to Paid Sick Leave
• 10^th - Total Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Funding Per Capita

To view the full report and your state or the District's rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/most-aggressive-states-against-coronavirus/72307/