Public schools now shut down for three weeks; N.H. sees 13th COVID-19 case
Paula Tracy, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD - Calling it "a rapidly evolving" situation with 13 cases of COVID-19 now in the state, Gov. Chris Sununu announced all public schools are closed and moving to distance learning for the next three weeks. "For a lot of people, especially our kids, this can be a scary time," Sununu said at a news conference at the Incident Planning and Operations Center in Concord. "There's a lot of uncertainty with what's going on. Our job is to ensure that the people of New Hampshire are safe, comfortable and informed." Sununu stressed watching out for children. He asked that people be resilient and not panic. "Our kids will remember how their homes felt a lot more than they'll remember the actual impacts of the virus," Sununu said. Anyone with questions and concerns can call 2-1-1. The first week, Sununu said, teachers will still be expected at school to work on plans to implement distance-based learning. New Hampshire received a waiver from the USDA on Saturday that allows broad support for how to provide for food services to students. School bus drivers and others can deliver food to students who rely otherwise on schools depending on the district's plans. On Saturday, Senate President Donna Soucy and Speaker of the House Steve Shurtleff announced the Legislature has suspended all legislative activities for at least one week, March 16 - 20. The State House will be closed to legislative members, legislative staff, and visitors but remain open for governmental operations until further notice. Dr. Benjamin Chan, state epidemiologist, said the new COVID-19 cases, up from seven on Saturday, are in Nashua in Hillsborough County, and in Rockingham and Grafton counties. The order does not apply to private schools. Commissioner Edelblut has been in contact with them, and most are following the same course, but the governor's order does not apply to them. Paula Tracy is a senior writer for InDepthNH.org
|