5 More COVID-19 Deaths In New Hampshire: Data Update

CONCORD, NH — Another five people have died related to COVID-19, according to the state of New Hampshire.

The state said the fatalities included a woman and man from Belknap County, a woman from Hillsborough County, a man from Merrimack County, and a woman from Strafford County. Four of the deaths were connected to long-term care settings in the state while four were 80 years of age or older and one was 70 to 79 years of age.

There have been 938 deaths in the state connected to the virus.

Another 877 new positive test results were also discovered via 498 polymerase chain reaction tests and 379 antigen tests. The PCR positivity rate for the day was 4.9 percent while the seven-day all test rate was 6.9 percent. The new cases were found via specimens collected across eight days: 28 on Jan. 9; 77 on Jan. 11; 142 on Jan. 12; 82 cases on Jan. 13; and 82 cases on Jan. 14. Another 39 cases were taken from tests administered on Friday, 80 were from Sunday, and 334 were on Monday.

Slightly more females than males were in the new infections while 112 were children.

Of the new cases, 248 reside in Rockingham County, 248 live in Hillsborough outside of Nashua, 74 reside in Nashua, and 36 live in Merrimack County. State health officials are trying to identify where 1,097 accumulative cases live, according to the latest data dashboard information.

More than 1.26 million tests have been administered and nearly 42 percent of the population has been tested — about 570,000 via PCR test and close to 36,000 by antibody lab tests.

About 254 people are in the hospital receiving more extensive care.

The state has 40 cases connected to K-12 school settings including one active case at Bedford High School, Peter Woodbury School, and Memorial School in Bedford, one at William T. Barrow Elementary School and Salem High School in Salem, one at Nashua Children's Home and Second Nature Academy in Nashua, one at Portsmouth High School, one at Rundlett Middle School, one at Reeds Ferry School in Merrimack, and one at Souhegan High School in Amherst.

UNH at Durham has the only three cases connected to colleges and universities.

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Phase 1B Vaccination Plan Starts Jan. 26

Health officials will begin accepting appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations as the state moves into the Phase 1B stage of administering shots to residents.

Phase 1B includes: New Hampshire residents 65 and over; New Hampshire residents who are medically vulnerable at significant risk — including family caregivers for those under 16; New Hampshire residents with developmental disabilities that receive services in a congregate residential setting, as well as staff in those settings; corrections officers and staff; populations that experience health disparities.

Alteration of Phase 1B to include individuals 65 and older follows a recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ensure that populations proven to be most vulnerable — which compromise 95 percent of deaths in the state, are prioritized, the state said.

Appointments will start being accepted on Jan. 22 with vaccinations to begin Jan. 26.

"Overpromising and under-delivering has become a habit with pretty much everyone in Washington D.C.," Gov. Chris Sununu said, "which is why in New Hampshire we designed our vaccination system to be flexible and able to deliver for our citizens regardless of what they send us,” said Governor Chris Sununu."

Visit the state's vaccination site to make an appointment or call the 211 hotline if you can't access the state website.

Appointments, the state said, are booked weeks out but everyone in the Phase 1B category who wants an appointment will get one, officials said.

Solutions For COVID-19 Sleeplessness

A sleep medicine physician is offering tips to Granite Staters who may be encountering sleepless nights due to fears about the coronavirus.

Brooke Judd, MD, section chief of Sleep Medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, said a lot of people are stressed, feel anxiety, and also experience depression which leads to sleep disruption. But, she added, there are some simple, easy solutions to improve sleep quality.

Some include: Making your bedroom a sleep sanctuary — keep it quiet, dark, and at a comfortable temperature; avoid light emitted from screens before bed — especially LED screens which activate the part of the brain that keeps you awake; refrain from sleep-impacting substances in the evening — caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine; exercise during the day; try not to stress about sleep — it only makes it harder to fall and stay asleep; sleep medications are not recommended for chronic insomnia. If necessary, only use them once in a while.

Judd said sleep does not have an on-off switch in the brain. There are increases and decreases in various neurotransmitters or chemicals in the brain which make sleep or wakefulness more likely, she said. If the sleep disruption becomes severe, contact your primary healthcare provider.

"My best advice is don't get too frustrated about not sleeping — it only makes it worse," Judd said. "Nearly everyone experiences trouble sleeping at some point in their lives. There is generally an underlying problem causing the sleep disturbance. Try to understand and address the cause (stress, anxiety, pain, etc.), or contact a health care provider for assistance."

ALSO READ:

• Another 1,034 New Positive COVID-19 Infections In New Hampshire
• Coronavirus In New Hampshire — 25 More Deaths: 48-Hour Report
• NH Coronavirus Update: 11 More Deaths Related To COVID-19
• 12 More Coronavirus Deaths; 46 Institutional Outbreaks In NH
• Another 1,082 New Coronavirus Infections In NH: Update

Stop The Spread Of COVID-19

The COVID-19 virus is spread through respiratory droplets, usually through coughing and sneezing, and exposure to others who are sick or might be showing symptoms.

Health officials emphasize residents should follow these recommendations:

• Avoid any domestic and international travel, especially on public transportation such as buses, trains, and airplanes.
• Practice social distancing. Stay at least 6 feet from other people, including distancing while in waiting areas or lines.
• When you can't practice 6 feet of social distancing, wear a face covering.
• Anyone who is told to self-quarantine and stay at home due to exposure to a person with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 needs to not go out to public places.
• If you are 60 years or older or have chronic and underlying health conditions, you need to stay home and not go out.
• Avoid gatherings of 10 people or more.
• Employers should work from home as much as possible.
• There is increasing evidence that the virus can survive for hours or possibly days on surfaces. People should clean frequently touched surfaces, including door handles, grocery carts and grocery basket handles, etc.

Take the same precautions as you would if you were sick:

• Stay home and avoid public places.
• Wear a face covering.
• Cover mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing.
• Wash hands frequently.
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

More information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services about coronavirus can be found here on the department's website.
COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Schools, Employers, Employees and Businesses (Can your employer force you to get the vaccine? It depends).
COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Healthcare Providers and Public Health Partners

• Guidance to schools can be found here.
• Instructions for returning travelers to self-observe for symptoms of COVID-19 are available here.
• For more information on COVID-19 in NH, visit its site here.
• For the latest information from the CDC, visit its site here.
• To access the state's COVID-19 data dashboard, click on this link here.
• To access the state's COVID-19 Interactive Map Dashboard, click on this link here.

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