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Full video: Governor holds latest COVID-19 briefing for New Hampshire (Sept. 17, 2020)

Full video: Governor holds latest COVID-19 briefing for New Hampshire (Sept. 17, 2020)
THE GOVERNOR IS UPDATING THE STATE GOVERNOR SUNUNU:’S CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE. WE WILL KICK THIS OFF WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH UPDATE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. WE ARE COMING UP ON 30 MILLION PEOPLE INFECTED WITH COVID-19 GLOBALLY, MORE THAN 6.6 MILLION WHICH ARE INFECTED IN THE UNITED STATES. NEW HAMPSHIRE, ALREADY FIVE NEW INFECTIONS. -- 35 NEW INFECTIONS. THERE ARE TWO NEW HOSPITALIZATIONS TO REPORT. 700 25 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED. THERE ARE NO NEW DEATHS, BUT WE ARE STILL AT A TOTAL OF 438 PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED RELATED TO COVID-19 DISEASE. WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 IN MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES. THE NUMBER OF NEW INFECTIONS WE HAVE BEEN REPORTING OUT DAILY HAS INCREASED THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS. PREVIOUSLY WE WERE REPORTING APPROXIMATELY 20 NEW INFECTIONS. THE LAST WEEK, WE HAVE BEEN REPORTING 35 PER DAY. THE INCREASE IS DUE TO OUR TESTING STRATEGIES FOR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND K-12 SCHOOLS. THE INCREASED TESTING WE ARE DOING STATEWIDE IS HAVING ITS INTENDED EFFECT, TO IDENTIFY MORE INFECTION. WE ARE NOT SEEING A NEW SURGE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. IN OTHER METRICS STATEWIDE, WE REMAIN STABLE. TEST POSITIVITY RATE REMAINS STABLE AND LOW. 1% OR LESS OF OUR TESTS ARE POSITIVE STATEWIDE, AND NUMBER OF NEW HOSPITALIZATIONS STATEWIDE IS LOW. AS SCHOOLS REOPEN AS WE ENTER INFLUENZA SEASON, I WANT TO STRESS NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO RELAX SOCIAL DISTANCING AND OTHER MITIGATION MEASURES WE PUT IN PLACE. WE KNOW HOW TO SPREAD -- HOW TO STOP THE SPREAD. THAT RELIES ON ARE MAINTAINING OUR VIGILANCE. THIS IS A VIRUS THAT LIKES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CROWDS AND CLOSE CONTACT BETWEEN PEOPLE IN CONFINED SPACES. WE RECOMMEND PEOPLE CONTINUE WITH RECOMMENDATIONS AND AVOID LARGE GATHERINGS, PRACTICE DISTANCING, USE CLOTH FACE MASKS, PRACTICE GOOD HAND HYGIENE, AND IF ANYBODY HAS NEW SYMPTOMS, IF MILD, IF THEY ARE CONSISTENT WITH COVID-19, GET TESTED. THOSE EARLY SYMPTOMS COULD BE THE FIRST SIGN OF COVID-19, AND TESTING IS ONE OF THE STRATEGIES WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY INFECTION EARLY AND PREVENT COVID-19 FROM SPREADING, AND THEN FROM SPREADING FROM COMMUNITIES TO INSTITUTIONS, LIKE SCHOOLS AND LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES. I WILL HANG THINGS OVER TO THE COMMISSIONER. THANKS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. TODAY FOR LONG-TE CARE UPDATE, WE CLOSE THE ROCKINGHAM COUNTY JAI ON SEPTEMBER 13. WE HAVE REMAINED OPEN WITH MOUNTAIN VIEW. SO HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO WRAP THAT UP IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. SO WE ARE KEEPING OUR HOPES UP THAT IS GOING TO BE SHORT-LIVED. LAST WEEK I ANNOUNCED THAT WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT NEW TESTING OPPORTUNITIES IN LONG-TERM CARE. WE ARE STILL EXPLORING THOSE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR TESTING AND FUNDING, SO WE WILL ANNOUNCE THAT AT A LATER DATED. IT IS NOT READY TODAY. WE WILL HAVE ONE NEXT WEDNESDAY, SO WE HOPE TO HAVE AN AGREEMENT IN THE NEXT WEEK THAT WORKS FOR BOTH PARTNERS AND FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE AND CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS IN LONG-TERM CARE. THAT IS ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. GOVERNOR SUNUNU: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS TO JUMP INTO AND WE CAN OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. WE HAVE A FEW SLIDES TODAY TO REVIEW KEY DATA POINTS. IN DISCUSSING LONG-TERM CARE TESTING TRENDS. WE WANT TO PROVIDE GOOD NEWS REGARDING TESTING CAPACITY SIMILAR TO WHAT DR. CHAN WAS MENTIONING. LAST WEEK WE SET AN ALL-TIME HIGH WITH THE OVERALL ROLLING AVERAGE OF PCR TESTS. WE HAVE BEEN TESTING AS MANY AS 3000 PEOPLE A DAY. NEW THIS WEEK WE ARE HAVING THE RESULTS WE ARE GETTING FROM THE ADDITIONAL TESTING IN DURHAM AND AT UNH AS PART OF THE EFFORTS THEY HAVE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE COLLE CROWD. THEIR EFFORTS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP BETWEEN 7000 AND 8000 TESTS PER DAY. IF YOU REMEMBER 200 TESTS A DAY, WE HAVE RAMPED IT UP TO 2500 TESTS, THEN 4000, AND WE ARE NOW SKY RUNNING TESTS. WHILE WE HAVE SEEN AN UPTICK IN THE RESULTS, WE ARE SEEING THOSE BEING MORE ASYMPTOMATIC INDIVIDUALS, YOUNG PEOPLE AS THEY ENTER SCHOOL OR THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, AND OUR OVERALL POSITIVITY RATE -- THERE IT IS, THE PERCENT POSITIVE, AS YOU HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE. IT REMAINS ESPECIALLY -- EXCEPTIONALLY LOW. THIS IS THE APRIL TIMEFRAME. WE GET INTO MAY, AND NUMBERS WERE EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH AS NEW ENGLAND WAS AT THE TIP OF THE SPEAR FOR THE CRISIS, AND THROUGH THE SUMMER, WHILE OTHER STATES HAVE NOT HAS THE POSITIVE RESULTS WE HAVE HAD, WE HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB. THE PEOPLE IN THE STATE DESERVE A LOT OF CREDIT. THERE ARE STILL 35 INDIVIDUALS TODAY AND THAT REPRESENTS A SLIGHT UPTICK FROM THE 20 OR SO WE WERE AVERAGING TWO WEEKS AGO. WE ARE DOING SO MANY MORE TESTS, AND THAT IS A GOOD THING WHERE WE ARE IDENTIFYING THOSE INDIVIDUALS EARLY IN THE PROCESS. I HAVE SOME UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS. WE HAVE UPDATED FORECAST ON THE EFFORTS TO REOPEN THE NEW HAMPSHIRE ECONOMY IN A SAFE MANNER, AND WE PUT A LOT OF STRONG GUIDELINES IN PLACE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN IN A SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE MANNER, AND WE PROVIDED A GREAT BALANCE TO KEEP THE COVID NUMBERLESS L -- NUMBERS LOW, AND GET PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET BACK TO WORK. AS A RESULT OF THE MEASURES, THE UN-UP LIMIT RATE WENT FROM 8% IN JULY -- AND YOU CAN SEE I HERE, MARCH, AN ALL-TIME LOW OF 2.4%, A, AND THEN COVID HITS, AND WE SPIKED TO ONE OF THE HIGHEST UNPERMITTED RATES IN THE COUNTRY BECAUSE WE TOOK SMART AND AGGRESSIVE MEASURES AROUND THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER. AS WE HAVE OPEN THINGS UP, AND BEEN VERY SMART, VERY MEASURED ABOUT HOW WE DO IT, WE WENT FROM 8% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN JULY, TO A 6.5% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE JUST THE OTHER DAY. THEY ANNOUNCED OUR NATIONAL NUMBERS MONTH BEHIND. IF YOU LOOK AT OUR UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS TODAY, WE ARE UNDER 40,000 UNEMPLOYMEYED, ABOUT 5.1% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AS OF LAST WEEK WHEN YOU COMPARE THE NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED TOO ABOUT THE 780 THOUSAND PEOPLE THAT WE HAD WITHIN OUR WORKFORCE AT THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC. WE HAVE OUR PORTAL OPEN AND RUNNING, WHICH IS GREAT. FOLKS IN BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS CAN ACCESS OUR JOBS PORTAL AT NHJBS.NH.OGV, THAT HAS A COUPLE AVAILABLE THOUSANDS OF JOBS AVAILABLE TODAY. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPANIES POSTING LISTINGS. WE ARE TRYING TO CREATE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, TO ADD TO THE PROGRAMS INJECTING CAPITAL INTO THE ECONOMY AND INTO THESE BUSINESSES SO THEY CANNOT JUST SURVIVE, START TO GET BAC ON THE THERE TWO FEET AND BRING IN A LOT OF THAT WORKFORCE BACK IN AND GET SOME SENSE OF NORMALCY IN OUR ECONOMY, AND I THINK THEY HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB. THE OTHER ISSUE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS AROUND HEALTH CARE SYSTEM EARLY FUNDS. OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM REALLY FUN, WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST STATES TO CREATE THESE FUND PROGRAMS, EVEN BEFORE THE CARES ACT EXISTED. THE IDEA AROUND IT WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT HOSPITALS OR PROVIDERS WERE NOT CLOSING THEIR DOORS. THAT IS THE LAST THING YOU WANT DURING A HEALTH CARE PANDEMIC. TODAY WE ANNOUNCE A TOTAL OF 339 DOCTORS, DENTISTS, FAMILY PHYSICIANS, THEIR PATHS THAT ARE BEING -- THERAPISTS THAT ARE BEING AWARDED $14 MILLION, AND YOU ADD ANOTHER FIVE HOSPITALS, THAT ARE GETTING ABOUT $60 MILLION IN GET. WE ARE PUTTING A MILLION DOLLARS OUT TO THE LITTLETON HOSPITAL ASSOCIATE. ONE POINT NINE DOLLARS MILLION TO THE SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE SYSTEM. FIVE DOLLARS MILLION IS GOING TO THE ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL IN NASHVILLE AND THE CATHOLIC MEDICAL CENTER IN MANCHESTER. ALL THESE EFFORTS ARE TO PROVIDE SOME OF THE REVENUE SHORTFALLS THAT THESE FOLKS HAVE EXPERIENCED, ALLOWING THEM TO KEEP THEIR DOORS OPEN AND PROVIDING NOT JUST EMERGENCY SERVICES, BUT EVERYDAY SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITIES WITH HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF FAMILY DOCTORS AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS, EVEN DENTISTS, AND COMMUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE THERE WHEN WE NEED THEM. ALSO AT AS I REPORTED LATE SLACK LAST WEEK, FEMA ANNOUNCED IT WOULD NOT BE REINFORCED -- REIMBURSING PPE. MANY SCHOOLS HAVE INTENDED TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT. WE HAD INTENDED THAT. WE SHARE A LOT OF THE DISAPPOINTMENT IN THAT ANNOUNCEMENT AND THAT DECISION FEMA HAS MADE. THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS WE HAVE MADE MANY APPEALS TO THE CITIES AND TOWNS TO APPLY FOR FUNDING UNDER THE MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY PROGRAM FOR COVID-RELATED RELATED EXPENSES, INCLUDING UPGRADE SUPPLY PURCHASES FOR SCHOOLS AND PREP FOR SCHOOLS RETURNING TO CLASSES. WE ALLOCATED OVER $30 MILLION EARMARKED FOR LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES, AND ANOTHER $34 MILLION WAS ALLOCATED FOR SCHOOLS. RIGHT NOW ONLY 13 DOLLARS MILLION OF THE 34 BILLION HAS BEEN GIVEN OUT. THAT IS ABOUT $64 MILLION WE HAVE PUT OUT ACROSS THE STATE FOR CITIES, TOWNS, AND SCHOOLS, AND THERE IS A LOT OF CAPACITY THAT CAN BE DRAWN DOWN FROM. EVEN THOUGH FEMA HAS DECIDED NOT TO PROVIDE SOME OF THAT SUPPORT ON THE SCHOOL LEVEL, THERE IS A LOAN A FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITY. WE ARE GOING TO BE THERE FOR THESE KIDS, FOR THE CITIES AND TOWNS, FOR COVID-RELATED EXPENSES. ONE MORE ITEM TO TOUCH UPON BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT, NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO COVID, BUT A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE THAT I A LOT OF US HAVE BEEN KEEPING AN EYE ON AND DRIVING FORWARD ON, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE NEW HAMPSHIRE COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT I CAN ABILITY, COMMUNITY, AND TRANSPARENCY. I ESTABLISHED THIS GROUP DURING AN ORDER IN JUNE SHORTLY AFTER THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD. THE CHARGE WAS DIFFICULT, NOT AN EASY ONE. TO COME UP WITH REGULATIONS ON HOW TO IMPROVE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND I GAVE THEM 30 DAYS. I SUBSEQUENTLY GAVE THEM ANOTHER 30 DAYS TO GET THE JOB DONE, AND THEY DID IT FROM HIS JOB. NEW HAMPSHIRE HAS SOME OF THE BEST LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE COUNTRY, BUT THERE IS ROOM TO IMPROVE, GROW, AND MAKE SURE PRACTICES ARE UP TO SPEED. I WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION. THEY DID A PHENOMENAL JOB. DOZENS OF PUBL HEARINGS, ALLOWING POSSIBLE -- PUBLIC TESTIMONY TO COME FORWARD, ALLOWING IDEAS TO COME ON THE TABLE, ENTERING THE -- AND TURNING THAT INTO A REPORT WITH REAL STEPS THAT THE STATE COULD TAKE. THEIR REPORT WAS RELEASED IN THREE PARTS. IT FOCUSED ON TRAINING, REPORTING, AND INVESTIGATION OF POLICE MISCONDUCT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS. I DETAILED A LOT OF THESE REFORMS THAT WE COULD TAKE. I SAT DOWN WITH THE GROUP FOR A COUPLE HOURS THIS WEEK. WE REVIEWED EACH RECOMMENDATION IN DETAIL. TODAY WE ARE HERE TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE ENDORSING EVERY SINGLE RECOMMENDATION FROM ALL THREE PARTS OF THE REPORT. TODAY WE RELEASE A ROADMAP OR PLAN FOR THESE REFORMS WHICH DETAILS THE AVENUES THROUGH WHICH EACH REFORM WILL BE IMPLEMENTED. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED WAYS WE CAN GET THESE REFORMIST ON. REFORMS CAN MAKE IMMEDIATE -- THERE ARE REFORMS WE CAN MAKE IMMEDIATELY THROUGH EXECUTIVE ORDER. SOME THINGS DO NOT REQUIRE LEGISLATION. THERE ARE NEW TRAINING PROTOCOLS UNTIL CERTAIN THINGS FALL INTO A RULES COMMITTEE DOWN TH ROAD, NOT THROUGH THE DIRECT LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. SECOND, REFORMS WE CAN IMMEDIATELY INITIATE THROUGH RULEMAKING, AND WE HAVE DIRECT RULEMAKING WE CAN TAKE WITHIN THE POLICE STANDARDS AND TRAINING COMMISSION. THIS IS SEPARATE FROM THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. THIRD, THERE ARE THOSE THAT GET TAKEN BY LOVE LEGISLATION ITSELF, LONG-TERM LAW CHANGES THAT HAVE TO BE IMPLEMENT IT AS PART OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THIS REPORT LOOKED AT. FINALLY THERE IS A VARIETY OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE STATE CANNOT ENFORCE DIRECTLY THAT PERTAIN TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND ENCOURAGING AND INCENTIVIZING SOME AGENCIES TO MAKE THOSE REFORMS ON A LOCALIZED LEVEL. ALL OF THEM I THINK WERE VERY APPROPRIATE, ACHIEVABLE IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, AND I WANT TO COMMEND THE GROUP FOR PUTTING FORTH THINGS AND IDEAS THAT WERE PRACTICAL AND THAT WERE NEW HAMPSHIRE SPECIFIC AND DRIVEN. THEY DID A GREAT JOB. I HAVE ASKED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO LEAD THE EFFORT AND CRAFT LEGISLATION. ONE THING WE DO NOT WANT TO DO IS WAIT FOR THE NEXT LEGISLATURE TO COME BACK TO START THE PROCESS. WE WANT TO START THAT TODAY. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WILL LEAD THAT EFFORT TO CRAFT LEGISLATION, GET INTO A DECENT QUIT, AND I WILL BE ASKING AS THE NEXT LEGISLATURE COMES IN, THE MAJORITY AND MINORITY LEADERS FROM BOTH PARTIES IN BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE TO BE THE LEAD COSPONSORS FOR THIS LEGISLATION. THERE SHOULD BE NOTHING POLITICAL ABOUT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS. THEY WERE AGREED TO AND DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND DONE IN A VERY BIPARTISAN WAY, AND THEREFORE, HAVING A BIPARTISAN PIECE OF LEGISLATION WHICH WILL BE ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE REFORMS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT THE STATE HAS SEEN, THE MOST APPROPRIATE REPROACH -- A PORTRAIT IT IS A BIT OF A HOT TOPIC. WE SEE THE ISSUE SPURNING UP IN DIFFERENT WAYS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE HAVE HANDLED IT WELL IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND HATS OFF TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THOSE WHO WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE VERSUS -- THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD. WE HAVE DONE IN A POSITIVE WAY, AND THAT HAS ALLOWED THIS REPORT TO COME FORWARD IN SUCH A TIMELY MANNER AND ALLOW US TO TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TODAY, NOT WAITING SIX MONTHS OR 180 DAYS OR UNTIL THE NEXT SESSION WAY DOWN THE ROAD. WE ARE TAKING ACTION TODAY ON RECOMMENDATIONS, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE LEGISLATURE COMES BACK IN AFTER THE ELECTION, THAT THEY CAN HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND GET THE STEM. IF THAT, WE CAN OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. >> IS THERE AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE THINGS YOU WILL BE DOING BY EXECUTIVE ORDER? GOVERNOR SUNUNU: WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK, I PLAN TO DO AN EXEC AWARD -- EXECUTIVE ORDER. 15 TO 20 WE CAN DO BY EXECUTIVE ORDER. A LOT OF THEM HAVE TO DO POLICE STANDARDS AND TRAINING PROTOCOLS THEY HAVE IN PLACE, MODERNIZING THEM, EVERYTHING FROM THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CERTIFICATION PROCESSES WE CAN LOOK AT THOSE STEPS ARE NOT REQUIRED BY LAW. AND THOSE ARE DEVELOPED WITH THE COMMISSION. MY EXECUTIVE ORDER WILL GIVE THEM THE BACKING TO MAKE SOME OF THOSE CHANGES. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT THINGS WE CAN DO. >> WILL THAT INCLUDE BODY CAMS FOR STATE TROOPERS? GOVERNOR SUNUNU: THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN CONTRACT WITH RIGHT AWAY. WE WILL LOOK AT WHERE THE FUNDING CAN COME FROM, AND WHEN WE IDENTIFY THE POT, WE WILL GO FORWARD. AT LEAST AT THE STATE LEVEL. I CANNOT SAY THAT FOR THE LOCALITIES. THIS EIGHT POLICE SHOULD STEP UP AND BE THE FIRST TO SET THAT EXAMPLE FOR THE COMMITTEES. >> HOW MUCH ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ADDITIONAL MONEY TO ADDRESS THESE THINGS, AND WHERE CAN WE RESOURCE THE MONEY? GOVERNOR SUNUNU: SOME OF THE ACCREDITATION PROCESSES, REQUIRING NEW SYSTEM, NEW PROTOCOLS, SO LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN BE TRAINED -- TO GET THE TRAINING TO RECEIVE THE ACCREDITATION. SOME OF THOSE COULD BE A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. IN SOME CASES THE SYSTEMS COULD BE A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS. NONE OF IT IS UNACHIEVABLE. WE ARE LOOKING AT A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT HELPED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MIGHT PROVIDE IN TERMS OF STIMULUS, BECAUSE THAT WOULD PROVIDE ONE OPPORTUNITY. WHERE ARE REVENUES COMING IN? WE SEEK REVENUES COMING IN BETTER THAN WE INTO SPADED. IT COULD BE OPPORTUNITY THEREFORE THE BUDGET. WE COULD GO FOR LONG-TERM DOLLARS OUT OF THE BUDGET PROCESS. SOME OF IT MIGHT TAKE ITS TIME TO IMPLEMENT. AND IF YOU READ THROUGH THE REGULATIONS, YOU GOT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THAT PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON THE RECOMMENDATION. THERE IS A COUPLE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES. YOU DO NOT HAVE A TON OF MONEY NOW OUTSIDE OF COVID, AND WE HAVE COVID AND CARES ACT MONEY. SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE NOT INSURMOUNTABLE. WE WILL WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY THAT THE GENERAL FUNDS MIGHT B AVAILABLE. TRY TO MOVE THE DOLLARS AROUND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY COMMIT TO A LOT OF THE CONTRACTS THAT CAN GO FORWARD. >> A NUMBER OF MEMBERS -- THERE WAS DEBATE ABOUT WHERE WE SHOULD BE GOING FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. GOVERNOR SUNUNU: THERE ARE THREE OR FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT DEAL WITH SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. A LOT OF WHICH WE CAN HANDL WITH A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GET MORE TRAINING. MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS SOME MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR WHO IS DEEMED A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER. CANNOT WE JUST PULLING IN A PART-TIME OFFICER THAT WANTS TO DONATE EXTRA TIME. THAT MIGHT BE FINE, BUT THEY HAVE TO GO TO THE TRAINING PROTOCOLS, UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES THAT MAY COME UP. THERE COULD BE ISSUES OF MENTAL HEALTH, SECURITY. A VARIETY OF THINGS. HOW TO TALK TO KIDS, HOW TO DEAL WITH KIDS. IT IS NOT JUST PUTTING A POLICE OFFICER IN A SCHOOL. IT IS NOT THAT SIMPLE ANYMORE. TO GIVE YOURSELF A BASE LEVEL A STANDARDS AND STANDARD OF CARE, AND HELP THE SCHOOLS ACHIEVE THOSE STANDARDS AND ALLOW OFFICERS BE PART OF THAT SOLUTION THAT A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS ARE LOOKING FOR. >> AND RESOURCES FROM A 911 CALL FOR A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE TO A MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE INSTEAD OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE -- DID YOU GUYS ADDRESS THAT? SHOULD NEW HAMPSHIRE HAVE INSTEAD OF CALLING FOR A POLICE RESPONSE, YOU WOULD CALL FOR MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE? GOVERNOR SUNUNU: IT IS NOT A DIVERGING OF RESOURCES AS MUCH AS FINDING AREAS WHERE SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES MAY BE NECESSARY. DIVERGENT WOULD BE TAKING MONEY OUT OF ONE AND PUTTING INTO ANOTHER. WE WANT FOLKS KNOW IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY, THEY CAN ALWAYS CALL 91 ONE, BUT HAVING THE RESOURCES IF IT IS A MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCY, SOMETHING THAT IS NOT STRICTLY AROUND THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL, THE FIZZY -- THE PHYSICAL SAFETY, IF OTHER FOLKS CAN RESPOND IN CONJUNCTION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, THAT WAS A DIRECT RECOMMENDATION, MAKING RESOURCES WERE AVAILABLE TO A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL COULD JOIN THOSE TEAMS WHEN THEY RESPOND TO THOSE CALLS. >> THANK YOU, GOVERNOR. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE RE-OPENINGS. THERE HAS BEEN A STUDY OF YOUNG PEOPLE GETTING STICK -- SICK, HAPPENING OUTSIDE OF SCHOOLS AND NOT INSIDE THE SCHOOLS. BUT POTENTIALLY WHILE YOU ARE CATCHING THOSE CASES, THEY ARE PUTTING SOME KIDS AT RISK. PARENT SEEM TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT IT. ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WHERE WE ARE IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF MOST SCHOOLS BEING OPEN? GOVERNOR SUNUNU: I THINK IT IS GONE WELL. WE HAVE HEARD CONCERNS FROM SCHOOLS -- EIGHT OR NINE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE THAT CHOSE NOT TO OPEN. WE HAVE HEARD A VARIETY OF CALLS IN OUR OFFICE FROM PARENTS IN THOSE DISTRICTS THAT SEE A LOT OF SUCCESS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE, WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET MY KIDS BACK IN THE CLASSROOM? I DO NOT WANT TO SAY PRESSURE, BUT THAT HAS ALLOWED SOME DISTRICTS THAT HAD CHOSEN TO GO FULLY REMOTE THAT IT CAN BE DONE SUCCESSFULLY, THAT THE PLAN WE PUT IN PLACE CAN MANAGE, AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF DISTRICT IN THE STATE ARE DOING THAT. WE HAVE DETECTED A FEW MORE INDIVIDUALS ON THE SPECTRUM THAT ARE TESTING POSITIVE. IT DOES NOT MEAN THEY ARE SICK, BUT TESTING POSITIVE. MOST OF THOSE CASES HAVE HAPPENED -- WE DO NOT SEE THAT WITHIN THE CLASSROOM YET. THAT COULD COME, AND WHERE WE HAVE ISSUES THERE, A COUPLE CASES SCHOOLS MAY HAVE CLOSED FOR A DAY OR TWO TO TAKE PROTOCOLS AND PROVISIONS AND LOOK TO OPEN UP, WHICH IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. THIS CAN ALL BE MANAGED. THAT IS WHAT FOLKS ARE SEEING ACROSS THE STATES. I THINK DISTRICT ARE DOING A GOOD JOB. WE ARE WATCHING AROUND NEW ENGLAND. MOST NEW ENGLAND STATES HAVE TAKING A SIMILAR PATH AS NEW HEAVIER. THEY ARE SEEING THE SUCCESSES THAT IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE COVID -- THE NUMBER OF KIDS TESTING POSITIVE FOR COVID IS GOING TO BE ZERO. NO ONE HAS PLANNED FOR THAT. THAT WOULD BE UNREALISTIC. CAN BE MANAGED TO BE THE PROACTIVE THAT WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO NOT SPREAD THE VIRUS. >> THERE SEEMS TO BE A DELAY IN THE REPORTING OF THE DATA ON THE SCHOOL DAT DASHBOARD. A DISTRICT WAS INFORMED ABOUT ITS FIRST CASE YESTERDAY. THE DASHBOARD SAID THAT THE CASE WAS REPORTED TO THE STATE ON SEPTEMBER 12. THAT INFORMATION WAS NOT THERE ON SEPTEMBER 15. WHAT IS THE TIME DELAY BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 12 WHEN THE STATE KNOWS, THE DISTRICT KNOWS, AND SEPTEMBER 15, W KNOW ONSET OF HER 1 -- WE KNOW ON SEPTEMBER 16? GOVERNOR SUNUNU: I WILL DEFER TO THE COMMISSIONER. >> THANK YOU. WE CAN DEFINITELY SEE A TWO OR THREE DAY DELAY FROM WHEN THE SCHOOL FINDS OUT TO WHEN WE POST ON THE DASHBOARD MOSTLY BECAUSE WE LOOK FOR A CASE INVESTIGATION. WE NEED TO GO THROUGH THAT CASE INVESTIGATION TO ENSURE THAT THAT PERSON SHOULD BE COUNTED ON THE DASHBOARD, AND I WILL GIVE YOU EXAMPLES. IF A STUDENT ON THEIR TEST REQUISITION SAYS I BELONG TO CONCORD HIGH SCHOOL, AND INSTEAD OF JUST PUTTING THAT CHECKMARK IN THE CONCORD HIGH SCHOOL BOX, YES, THEY HAVE ONE CASE, YOU DO OUR INVESTIGATION AND FIND THEY HAVE BEEN REMOTE. WE DO NOT COUNT STUDENTS THAT ARE REMOTE IN THE SCHOOL DASHBOARD, RIGHT? TO GO BEYOND THAT, THEY WERE REMOTE, BUT ATTENDED FOOTBALL PRACTICE WITH THE REST OF CONCORD HIGH SCHOOL. THEN WE DO COUNT THEM IF THEY ATTENDED A SCHOOL FUNCTION. IT TAKES SOME TIME TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE PERSON, AND TOUCH WITH A COACH, TEACHER, THE SCHOOL NURSE, STUDENT, PARENTS, AND BY THE TIME WE GET OUR INVESTIGATION DONE, YES, THAT PERSON FITS IN THAT CATEGORY OF A POSITIVE CASE FOR CONCORD HIGH SCHOOL. I AM NOT SAYING IT IS CONCORD HIGH SCHOOL. I AM JUST USING IT AS AN EXAMPLE. OR THEY DO NOT. >> [INDISCERNIBLE] RIGHTS. REGARDLESS OF THE SCHOOL, THAT CASE INVESTIGATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER THAT PERSON IS BEING ATTRIBUTED TO THAT SCHOOL OR NOT. THAT IS WHY YOU ARE GOING TO SEE A COUPLE DAYS TO GET US OUR INVESTIGATION. HOW MUCH MORE CONTACT TRACING IS GOING ON NOW VERSUS A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN FEWER KIDS WERE IN SCHOOL? >> A FEW WEEKS AGO OUR NUMBERS WERE MUCH LOWER. OUR CONTACT TRACING HAS GONE UP, BUT WE HAVE MORE PARTNERS NOW. THAT IS THE OTHER THING THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER, THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT CONTACT TRACING O J UNH CAMPUS, WE HAVE A TEAM THERE WHO ARE DOING CONTACT TRACING, SO OUR PARTNERS ARE VERY MUCH ASSISTING WITH THA, NO DIFFERENT THAN WHEN WE WERE DOING LONG-TERM CARE, WHEN WE HAD A LONG-TERM CARE CASE. THE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY WAS HELPING US AND PARTNERING WITH US TO DO CONTACT TRACING AROUND THOSE CASES. ABSOLUTELY INCREASED. I CANNOT GIVE YOU AN EXACT NUMBER. BUT WE RELY ON OUR PARTNERS A LOT TO HELP US WITH THAT, JUST TO HELP IDENTIFY. >> SPEAKING TO THE LONG-TERM CARE ADMINISTRATORS, THIS WEEK, WHAT THEY LIKED ABOUT WHAT NEW HAMPSHIRE HAS BEEN ABLE TO HELP WITH AND WHAT THEY HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH, AND ONE THING WAS MENTIONED TO ME THAT THEY REALLY LOVE THE -- TESTING AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO KEEP THAT, AND THEY HAVE A PETITION GOING TO TRY TO GET YOU -- IS THAT SORT OF PART OF WHY YOU ARE HEDGING ON THE DISCUSSION ON HOW WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS KIND OF TESTING GOING FORWARD? >> I AM NOT HEDGING. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS I’M CONSIDERING ALL THE INPUT I AM TAKING, AND NOT JUST INPUT FROM THEM. WE HAVE GOT NEW INFORMATION ABOUT T -- THAT ARE COMING AND WHERE THEY ARE BEING DIRECTED, UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE HAVE FOR FEDERAL FUNDING AND STATE FUNDING, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROGRAM IS REALLY INDIVIDUAL. WHAT THAT FACILITY AND THAT COMMUNITY REALLY NEEDS TO KEEP THEIR RESIDENTS AND STAFF SAFE. WHAT WE WILL END UP WITH IS PROBABLY A HYBRID SO THAT WE ARE STILL GOING TO SUPPORT -- AND THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN INDICATION AND A CONVERSATION ABOUT US NOT SUPPORTING A TESTING PROGRAM. WE WANT TO SUPPORT THEM, AND WHEN WE CHOOSE TO MOVE TO A SELF-DIRECTED TESTING PROGRAM, AND WE WILL DO THAT EVENTUALLY OVER THE NEXT FOUR OR SIX WEEKS. MOST STATES DID THAT OVER THE SUMMER. WE DID NOT. WHEN WE DO THAT, WE WILL NOT SET A DATA SAYING AS OF NOVEMBER 1, YOU ARE ON YOUR END. THAT IS NOT HOW WE WORK. WE WANT TO SAY, OK, YOU WANT TO CONTRACT WITH? LET’S HELPING WITH THAT. LET’S MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH SUPPLIES, ENSURE YOU HAVE THE SCHEDULE THAT WORKS FOR YOU,, AND YOUR TURNAROUND IS TAKING LONGER THAN YOU EXPECTED US -- LET US HELP YOU, WE WILL DO TESTING FOR THAT WEEK FOR YOU UNTIL YOU GET SET UP. THIS IS A JOINT PARTNERSHIP TO GIVE THEM THE FLEXIBILITY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR BECAUSE WE HAVE ALSO HEARD FROM THE FACILITIES THAT SAY LET US DO IT OURSELVES.WE WANT TO TEST ON WEDNESDAYS AND ON WEEKENDS, BUT STILL MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE OFFERING THE ASSISTANCE THAT WE HAVE BEEN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS PANDEMIC TO THE FACILITIES SO THEY GET THEIR NEEDS MET. >> ON THE 10-YOUR MENTAL HEALTH PLAN UPDATED, IT TALKED ABOUT THE SUCCESS STORIES, EXPANDING BEDS, HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES. WE KNOW HOW THE COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN WORKING. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT -- THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF INSTABILITY BEFORE COVID. I HEAR IT ON THE SCANNER EVERY NIGHT. CAN YOU TELL WHERE THE HEALTH APARTMENT GOES FROM HERE -- SURE. WHAT WE WANT TO SEE IS MORE ROBUST AND, PRESENT PROGRAMS IN TH COMMUNITY.. FROM VERY EARLY ON AT NEW HAMPSHIRE HOSPITAL, I HEARD WE NEED MORE IN-PATIENT BEDS, AND I TALKED ABOUT THE ACT DOOR VERSUS THE FRONT DOOR. MOST OF YOU HAVE HEARD BE SAY THAT THE PEOPLE WAITING TO LEAVE NEW HAMPSHIRE HOSPITAL AND IN ANY ACUTE CARE SETTING FOR AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL FOR THE COMMUNITY WAS WHAT WAS BOTTLENECKING THE SYSTEM. THAT REMAINS THE CASE TODAY. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD IN OUR BUDGET -- AND WE HAD PLANNED ON STANDING UP MANY COMMUNITY-BASED TRANSITIONAL HOUSING BEDS -- THAT WAS PART OF OUR 10-YEAR MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM, A PART OF PROGRESS. IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID, OUR PARTNERS WERE HAVING A HARD TIME TRYING TO STAND UP NEW PROGRAMS IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, SO WE CREATED PATH, THE PSYCHIATRIC ADULT TRANSITION PROGRAMS, AND THE HOSPITAL TEAM PULLED TOGETHER AND SAID HOW CAN WE DO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING ON STATE GROUNDS? THE CREDIT GOES TO THE NEW HAMPSHIRE HOSPITAL TEAM, THE CEO NOW PUT TOGETHER A TEAM THAT CREATED A 16-BED PROGRAM, AND WE STOOD UP A PROGRAM IN EIGHT TO 10 WEEKS. IT OPENED ON MONDAY. HE HAS 16 NEW HAMPSHIRE HOSPITAL TRANSITIONSING TO EMPTY 16 BEDS IN THE HOSPITAL THE COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS, WHETHER MOBILE CRISIS -- AND THERE ARE MOBILE CRISIS TEAMS THAT DOES A COMPANY LAW ENFORCEMENT ON MENTAL HEALTH CALLS. INCREASING MOBILE CRISIS, HAVING CRISIS APARTMENTS, HAVING A ROBUST COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM THAT HAS THE WHOLE CONTINUUM OF CARE, EVERYTHING FROM THE INTAKE APPOINTMENT TO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING OR COMMUNITY RESIDENCE THAT HAVE FUNCTIONAL SPORTS IS WHERE WE WERE CONTINUING FOCUSING OUR EFFORTS. GOVERNOR SUNUNU: THANK YOU. >> WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU ON THIS -- DR. CHAN SAYS THIS IS NOT A SECOND SURGE. WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? IF A SECON SURGE WOULD START, WHAT WOULD BE THE LEADING INDICATORS OF THAT BEYOND THE PERCENT POSITIVE? GOVERNOR SUNUNU: I WILL GIVE THE 30,000-FOOT VERSION. COUPLE INDICATORS WE LOOK AT. LET’S LOOK OUT OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE DATA. WE ARE LOOKING AT OTHER STATE DATA AROUND NEW ENGLAND, HOT SPOTS, BOSTON OR NEW YORK. THEY MIGHT BE THE LEAD AND DECATUR BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DENSER POPS UP ELATION -- DENSER POPULATION. THE PERCENT POSITIVE WOULD BE A VERY AGGRESSIVE INDICATOR TO US. IF YOU -- WE TALKED ABOUT IT LAST WEEK -- IF YOU GET UP TO 5% RANGE, NOT JUST THE NUMBER OF TESTS OR POSITIVES, BUT THE RATIO IS DRIVING, IF WE START SEEING SURGES NOT JUST STATEWIDE BUT LOCALLY. YOU COULD HAVE A SURGE NOT JUST STATE WHEN I’D -- STATEWIDE, OR WITHIN A SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND MANCHESTER. THIS IS ONE THING WE HAVE LEARNED THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WATCHING HOW THE VIRUS SPREADS, WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SOUTHERN TIER BECAUSE WE ARE MORE DENSE AND CONNECT THE BOSTON IS DIFFERENT AND WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN THE NORTHERN OR WESTERN PART OF THE STATE. IT’S IS NOT MEAN WE HAVE A STATEWIDE SURGE. THERE COULD BE LOCAL POCKETS. AND THEN HOSPITALIZATION. IF WE SEE A MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE SPIKE IN THE NUMBERS OF HOSPITALIZATIONS, WHICH WE HAVE NOT AT ALL. WE USED TO HAVE WELL OVER HUNDRED PEOPLE IN THE HUSTLE AT ANY ONE TIME. HOW MANY DO WE HAVE TODAY? LESS THAN 10 TODAY. EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE SEEN A SMALL UPTICK IN THE TOTAL NUMBERS, WE ARE NOT SEEING SURGES WITHIN THOSE SETTINGS WHERE THAT WOULD CAUSE A LITTLE MORE FOCUS ON THE MANAGEMENT OF THE MORE SEVERE SYMPTOMS. FOR US, FOR ME AT LEAST IN TERMS OF THOSE CRISIS POINTS YOU’RE LOOKING AT, YOU’RE TRYING TO PREDICT, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE ARE TRY TO STAY AHEAD. I WILL AT THE SMART GUY -- CORRECT ME. DR. CHAN: THE GOVERNOR OUTLINED THE METRICS WE ARE LOOKING AT TO TRACK AND MONITOR THE LEVEL OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION. THE TERM SURGE IS DESCRIPTIVE, TO DESCRIBE WHAT WE ARE SEEING AND IS A LITTLE SUBJECTIVE. IF I HAD TO TRY AND PUT AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DEFINITION ON IT, WE WOULD GO BACK TO THE RATE OF CHANGE OR THE ACCELERATION OF WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF NEW INFECTIONS, AND NUMBER OF NEW HOSPITALIZATIONS, TESTING DATA THAT THE GOVERNOR TALKED ABOUT. WHAT WE SAW EARLY ON AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND IN OTHER STATES AND WITH THE SECOND WAVE AND OTHER STATES ARE THE COUNTRY WAS LOOKING AT THE RATE OF ACCELERATION AND THE EXPONENTIAL GROWTH OF INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES ON A DAY BY DAY BASIS. PART OF THAT CAN BE LOOKED AT AND DEFINED BY DOUBLING TIMES, HOW MANY DAYS DOES IT TAKE FOR THE CASE COUNT THE DOUBLE, AND IN THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, MANY STATES WERE SEEN DOUBLING TIMES O THREE UP TO 10 DAYS, AND AS WE BROUGHT UP TO MAKE UNDER CONTROL, THOSE DOUBLING TIMES WERE PROLONGED TO FOUR WEEKS, SIX WEEKS. SO SURGE IS A DESCRIPTIVE TERM CANNOT LOOKING AT THE RATE OF CHANGE AND THE NUMBER OF INFECTIONS, HOW QUICKLY THE NUMBER OF CASES ARE GOING UP. THERE IS NOT A STRICT NUMBER TO THAT, AND IT IS A SUBJECTIVE DETERMINATION. WHAT WE EXPECT TO SEE ARE THE NUMBERS TO GO UP AND DOWN AND UP AND DOWN. WE RARELY WITH ANY KIND OF DATA WE ARE TRACKING OF INFECTIONS SEE A COMPLETE FLATLINE. THE NUMBERS WILL GO UP, GO DOWN. WE ARE DOING INVESTIGATIONS ON EACH CASE. WE ARE MAKING DETERMINATIONS ON WHY WE ARE SEEING INCREASES. HE BELIEVE SOME OF THE INCREASES WE ARE SEEING TO A LARGE PART IS BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED TESTING WE ARE SEEING. WE ARE SEEING THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WITH COVID-19 GO UP IN THE YOUNGER AGE GROUPS, AND THAT IS DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE TESTING STRATEGIES THAT ARE OUT THERE AT COLLEGE -- COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, AND THE LOWER THRESH RATE OF COVID TESTING. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT UNH, SINCE THE END OF JULY, WE HAVE TESTED ABOUT 15,000 STAFF AND STUDENTS, AND OF THOSE 15,000 PEOPLE, THEY HAVE DONE MORE THAN 86,000 TESTS. THAT EQUATES TO FIVE OR SIX TESTS PER PERSON THE LAST SEVEN WEEKS. THERE IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF TESTING GOING ON, AND WE BELIEVE THAT IS CONTRIBUTING AND CONNECTED TO THE INCREASES WE ARE SEEING. ONCE A LOT OF THAT TESTING IS CONDUCTED AND GETS UNDERWAY AND SMOOTHS OUT, WE HOPE THE NUMBERS WILL PLATEAU AND GO BACK DOWN. WE ARE WATCHING THE NUMBERS VERY CLOSELY. >> WE COULD ACCLIMATE OURSELVES TO THE 30 TO 35 PER DAY BASED ON THE NEW TESTING REGIME, AND THAT IS THE NEW NORMAL? DR. CHAN: POTENTIALLY GOING FORWARD. A LOT OF THE TESTING IN COLLEGES THE LAST FEW WEEKS WAS AN AGGRESSIVE PUSH UP FRONT TO PREVENT EARLY INTRODUCTION OF TESTING. THEY ARE TESTING STUDENTS BEFORE THEY ARRIVED, WHEN THEY ARRIVE, I WEEK AFTER THEY ARRIVED. A LOT OF TESTING IS BEING CONDUCTED. THAT AMOUNT OF TESTING IS PROBABLY GOING TO TAPER OFF AND GO DOWN OVER TIME AS THE NEWLY OR INFECTED STUDENTS OR STAFF ARE IDENTIFIED AND SPREAD IS PREVENTED. AS TESTING DROPS AND THERE IS CONTROL AND PREVENTION OF SPREAD OF COVID-19, WE HOPE THAT IS THE ANTICIPATION THAT THE NUMBERS GO BACK DOWN, BUT THIS PANDEMIC HAS THROWN US CURVEBALLS BALLS AT EVERY TURN, SO WE ARE WATCHING IT CLOSELY. WE DO NOT SEE THE INCREASING CASES NOW REPRESENTS AN INCREASED ACCELERATION OF THE PANDEMIC. >> CAN YOU CARE FIGHT THE DATA POINT OF THE 86,000 -- DR. CHAN: I AM SORRY. THE TOTAL PCR TESTING -- OF THE 86,000 AT UNH, THOSE ARE ROLLED IN THERE AS WELL? >> THOSE ARE WHAT UNH REPORTS ON THEIR WEBSITE. THE LAST TIME I LOOK AT THEIR DASHBOARD WAS FROM THE END OF JULY THROUGH PRESENT DAY. IF YOU’RE LOOKING AT A NUMBER NUMBER FROM EARLIER -- >> THOSE ARE ROLLED INTO YOURS? DR. CHAN: IN TERMS OF OUR TESTING NUMBERS? WE ARE WORKING WITH UNH AND OTHER COLLEGES TO GET AUTOMATIC REPORTING OF THE DATA. I WOULD HAVE TO CLARIFY EXACTLY WHAT OUR NUMBERS INCLUDE AND DO NOT INCLUDE. CERTAINLY ANY POSITIVE TEST GETS REPORTED TO US. WE INVESTIGATE. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH UNH BECAUSE THEY HAVE BROUGHT ON SO MUCH TESTING TO GET AUTOMATIC ELECTRONIC LABORATORY REPORTING TO PUBLIC HEALTH. THAT IS SOMETHING I BELIEVE IS STILL IN PROCESS AND BEING IRONED OUT. NOT ALL OF THE TESTING THAT IS DONE BY UNH MAY BE CAPTURED IN WHAT IS REPORTED NOW ON THE DATA -- FOUR, BUT THAT PLAN IS TO BRING THAT IN IN THE NEAR FUTURE. >> SO WE ARE CLEAR, SO ALL THE POSITIVE TESTS FROM UNH ARE IN POSITIVES. THEIR TESTS MAY NOT BE. IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE NOT -- DR. CHAN: IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF TESTS, YES, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. GOVERNOR SUNUNU: GO BACK TO THE SLIDES SO FOLKS CAN SEE IT HERE. ONE BACK. THERE WE GO. WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THAT VERY AGGRESSIVE TESTING PROTOCOL THAT UNH IS IMPLEMENTING. FOR THE SAKE OF THIS SLIDE WE PUT SOME OF THIS IN MANUALLY, BUT DR. CHAN SAID A LOT OF THAT STUFF HAS NOT YET BEEN INTEGRATED BECAUSE IT IS MARRYING TWO SYSTEMS. WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS SOMETHING MORE LIKE THIS ON OUR DATA DASHBOARD GOING FORWARD. ALL THE POSITIVES HAVE BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR ON OUR DASHBOARD, WITHOUT ADAPT. >> AND THE 1% AVERAGE RATE, SO WE ARE NOT -- WE MAY BE WAY BELOW THAT. GOVERNOR SUNUNU: GO TO THE NEXT LIGHT. SO THERE WERE A COUPLE DAYS WHERE THEY WERE 1.5% LAST WEEK. AND ACTUALLY A LOT OF THOSE NEGATIVE TESTS WERE NOT BEING COUNTED. THE REAL NUMBER IS HERE. IT WILL BE UPDATED ON THE DASHBOARD. IT IS GETTING THEIR SYSTEM TO INTEGRATE WITH OURS. WE ARE A COUPLE DAYS AWAY FROM THAT. >> WE KNOW THIS TAKES TIME. EVERYBODY IS WATCHING, AND WORRYING. DR. CHAN: UNDERSTOOD. IS THERE ANY PLACE WE WOULD KNOW OR DOESN’T MATTER HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE A SYMPTOM THAT IT? DR. CHAN: THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO TEST POSITIVE WHO ARE A SYMPTOM ATTIC, AND THAT MEANS NO SYMPTOMS. THERE IS VARYING AGREES OF A SYSTEMATIC. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE ASYMPTOMATIC AT THE TIME OF THE TEST, AND THE TEST IS CONDUCTED AT THE TIME RIGHT BEFORE THE DEVELOPED SYSTEMS, SO WE CALL THOSE PEOPLE PRE-SYMPTOMATIC. AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE A SYMPTOM ATTIC BECAUSE THAT IS WHY YOU TESTS. WE REPORT ALL THE POSITIVES ON OUR DATA DASHBOARD WE DO NOT DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THOSE THAT ARE POSITIVE AND ASYMPTOMATIC OR PRE-SYMPTOMATIC OR SOME TO MEDIC AT THE TIME OF THE TEST. WE HAVE DATA POINTS ON THAT AT A NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVEL. THE CENTERS FOR TWO DEGREES CONTROL AS ESTIMATED AROUND 40% OF PEOPLE WHO TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 WILL BE ASYMPTOMATIC. WE HAVE LOCAL SCHOOL DAY THAT UP , FOR EXAMPLE WITH LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES. WE FOLLOWED THE TESTING IN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES CLOSELY, SO WE HAVE SIMILAR ESTIMATES FROM THO PROGRAMS WHICH ALIGNS WITH WHAT THE CDC HAS REPORTED THAT APPROXIMATELY 40% OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS, LIKE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES HAVE BEEN ASYMPTOMATIC. THAT IS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT MAKES IT SO DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, IS THE POSSIBILITY FOR ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTION WITHOUT SYMPTOMS THAT PEOPLE CAN STILL SPREAD THE VIRUS TO OTHER PEOPLE EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT HAVING SYMPTOMS. THAT IS PART OF THE REASON THAT WE LOOK AT THESE LAYERED SOME PROTECTION WITH BUSINESS SCHOOL OPERATIONS, THAT WE DO NOT RELY JUST ON IDENTIFYING PEOPLE WHO ARE SYMPTOMATIC, BUT WE NEED TO BE INCORPORATING SOCIAL DISTANCING, FA MASK USE, A GOOD HAND HYGIENE, AND WE LOOK TO IMPLEMENT ALL THE SLAYERS A PROTECTION A BARRIERS TO PREVENTING COVID-19 FROM SPREADING. >> JUST SEWED -- AND I -- GOVERNOR SUNUNU: I AM SO EXCITED TO SEE. >> THE CDC ANNOUNCED AN OUTBREAK AT THE NAVAL SHIPYARD. 18 CASES ARE NEW HAMPSHIRE RESIDENTS. HIS THAT SOMETHING YOU ARE AWARE OF? GOVERNOR SUNUNU: WE WERE MADE AWARE. WE HAVE GREAT COMMUNICATION WITH OUR FELLOW STATES AND FELLOW PARTNERS. IT HAS NOT CREATED ANY COMPLEXITY IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO DO CONTACT TRACING OR UNDERSTANDING THE NEW HAMPSHIRE RESIDENTS THAT ARE WORKING AT THE PORTSMOUTH NAVAL SHIPYARD THAT MAY HAVE TESTED POSITIVE OR MAY BE IN QUARANTINE. I HEARD FOU WE KNOW ABOUT. WE MAY FIND MORE. IT COULD BE ADDITIONAL NEW HAMPSHIRE OR MAINE RESIDENTS, BUT IT DOES NOT ADD ANY COMPLEXITY. WE TALK TO OUR PARTNERS SO WELL. >> DR. CHAN, WHAT DOES HE THINK IN TERMS OF -- [INDISCERNIBLE] DR. CHAN: THANKS FOR THE QUESTION ABOUT COMMENTING ABOUT WHAT UNH IS DOING REGARDING TESTING FOR IT IS IMPRESSIVE WHAT UNH IS DOING REGARDING TESTING. THEY NOT ONLY IMPLEMENTED THE SERIES OF TESTS FOR ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF UPFRONT. IT WAS A SERIES OF AT LEAST THREE ROUNDS OF TESTING WHEN THEY WERE BRINGING STUDENTS AND STAFF ON CAMPUS, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN TESTING STUDENTS ON A WEEKLY BASIS. AND THAT IS MORE TESTING THAN I AM AWARE OF MANY OTHER COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES EVEN AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN DOING. IT IS A VERY AGGRESSIVE TESTING PROGRAM, AND THEY HAVE FACILITATED THAT BY BRINGING ON TESTING THEMSELVES ON THE UNH CAMPUS TO SUPPORT THAT, AND I THINK THAT HAS BEEN AND WILL BE AN IMPORTANT STRATEGY. ONE OF THE LAYERED SOME PROTECTION, ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF TRYING TO PREVENT COVID-19 FROM GETTING A FOOTHOLD ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES, PREVENTING EARLY INTRODUCTION, WE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHEN TRANSMISSION IS OCCURRING -- THE ONLY OTHER COMMENT I WILL MAKE ABOUT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IS GOING BACK TO WHAT THE GOVERNOR AND THE COMMISSIONER MENTIONED, WHICH IS WE ARE NOT SEEING A LOT OF TRANSITION NOW ASSOCIATED WITH SPREAD IN CLASSROOMS. WHAT WE HAVE SEEN WITH REPORTED CLUSTERS ON CAMPUS, WITH A FRATERNITY AND ON-CAMPUS APARTMENT HOUSING IS WHAT WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WHICH IS THIS VIRUS LIKES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CLOSE, CROWDED, CONGREGANT SETTINGS. IT IS THESE SETTINGS OF CONGREGANT LIVING, SOCIAL GATHERINGS, WHICH POSE THE HIGHEST RISK FOR THE SPREAD. WE HAVE SEEN THAT, BUT UNH HAS DONE AN IMPRESSIVE JOB TO PREVENT FURTHER SPREAD OF COVID-19 ON CAMPUS. GOVERNOR SUNUNU: A COUPLE QUESTIONS OVER THE TELEPHONE. >> OUR NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM KATHY FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. GO AHEAD WITH YOUR QUESTION. >> HI. THANK YOU. FOLLOWING TODAY’S ANNOUNCEMENTS, COULD YOU GIVE US AN UP DATA ON -- CARES ACT FUNDS. GOVERNOR SUNUNU: AS OF TODAY OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WE HAVE ALLOCATED ABO $1.05 BILLION. THAT WOULD LEAVE US $200 MILLION THAT LEADS US TO BE TRULY ALLOCATED. THERE’S A GOOD CHANCE YOU WILL BE A BIT OF LAPSED FUNDS, DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED BUT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN EXPENDED. ONE EXAMPLE IS THE BROADBAND FUND W. WE ALLOCATED $50 MILLION ON THE BROADBAND FUND. AT LEAST $35 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT. WE WILL HAVE MORE THAN $200 MILLION. I AM ROUNDING THAT NUMBER. WE WILL HAVE A BETTER ASSESSMENT OF THE LAPSED FUNDS AND THE TOTAL ALLOCATED DOLLARS IN ABOUT A MONTH, AND THEN WE WILL DECIDE AND LOOK AT WHAT ADDITIONAL DOLLARS MIGHT BE NEED FOR SCHOOLS OR UNIVERSITIES, PPE, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE AND WHAT FALL MIGHT RING. WE EXPECT A MORE SIGNIFICANT RISE IN THE NUMBERS AT SOME POINT. WE HOPE WE DO NOT GET THERE. WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE SO FAR. MAYBE WE CAN REALLY SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS TO BUSINESSES OR OTHER OPPORTUNITY, BUT NOW WE ARE HOLDING ON AND FOCUSING ON THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, HOSPITALS, AND ADDITIONAL DIRECT COVID COSTS OR EXPENSES THAT MAY COME FROM AN INCREASE OR RISE IN NUMBERS THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS. AND ALSO, TO ADD IN THE OBVIOUS, IF CONGRESS DOES SOMETHING, WHICH WE THINK EVERYONE IN AMERICA DOES HOPE THEY DO, THAT WOULD CHANGE THE DYNAMIC IN TERMS OF HOW MANY DOLLARS THEY ALLOCATE, IS IT STIMULUS, ADDITIONAL CARES ACT RELIEF, UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF, WHATEVER IT RIGHT B. >> GOVERNO, OUR NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM TODD FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE PUBLIC RADIO. GO AHEAD WITH YOUR QUESTION. >> THANK YOU. THIS IS FOR THE HEALTH COMMISSION. LOOKING AHEAD TO THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION, WHAT SPECIFIC GUIDANCE IS YOUR AGENCY GIVING TO ELECTION OFFICIALS, AND DO YOU HAVE A HANDLE ON POLL WORKERS WHO TEST POSITIVE? [INDISCERNIBLE] WHAT KIND OF GUIDANCE DO YOU GET ELECTION OFFICIALS? GOVERNOR SUNUNU: I WILL HAVE DR. CHAN, IN AND TALK TO THAT. DR. CHAN: THANKS. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE STATE’S OFFICE TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR POLL WORKERS AND ELECTION STATION WORKERS. HE HAD A COUPLE WEBINARS IN THE PAST PUT OUT SOME OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS AREN’T HOW POLLING STATIONS CAN SAFELY CONDUC OPERATIONS. CDC HAS NATIONAL GUIDANCE ON SAFE CONDUCTION OF VOTING. WE HAVE BEEN PROMOTING AND WORKING WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT POLLING STATIONS WERE INFORMED OF WHAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH REGULATIONS ARE. I THINK YOUR QUESTION AS TO WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS A POSITIVE CASE AT A POLLING STATION. AS YOU POINT OUT, THAT IS A RELATIVELY RECENT EVENT. TO MY KNOWLEDGE WE HAVE NOT H A SITUATION LIKE THAT. THE SAME PUBLIC HEALTH INVESTIGATION WOULD BE CONDUCTED THAT WE CONDUCT WITH ANY BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION. ANYBODY WHO TELLS US -- TEST POSITIVE WOULD BE REPUBLIC -- REPORTED TO PUBLIC HEALTH, WHICH MIGH THE INVESTIGATION TAKE A LITTLE TIME. WE WOULD REACH O TO A BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION, THE ORGANIZERS OF THE POLLING STATION TO ASSESS WHAT EXPOSURES MAY HAVE OCCURRED. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF SOMEONE IS DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19 WHO WAS AT A POLLING STATION WITH THE APPROPRIATE LAYERED SOME PROTECTION IMPLEMENTED, THE RISK TO OTHER STAFF WITH PEOPLE COMING INTO THE POLLING STATION SHOULD BE MINIMAL. THE ISOLATION, ANYBODY WHO IS DIAGNOSED WOULD BE ISOLATED. ANYBODY WHO IS IN CLOSE CONTACT WOULD BE ASKED TO QUARANTINE. THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE NORMAL PUBLIC CONTACT INVESTIGATION WE DO. THANKS. GOVERNOR SUNUNU: THANK YOU. >> OUR NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM SEAN FROM THE "UNION LEADER." >> GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS A QUESTION FOR DR. CHAN. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE DHHS DETERMINED THERE WAS THIS CLUSTER. WAS THERE A PARTICULAR INCIDENT -- THOSE KINDS OF GATHERINGS, AND CAN YOU TELL HOW MANY OF THOSE CLOSE CONTACTS THOSE STUDENTS -- HOW MUCH CLOSE CONTACT TRACING YOU HAD TO DO. THANKS VERY MUCH. DR. CHAN: I DO NOT HAVE AN EXACT NUMBER ABOUT HOW MANY CLOSE CONTACTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED. THAT IS A NUMBER THAT WE COULD FIND OUT FOR UNH MIGHT HAVE. GUARDING YOUR INITIAL QUESTION ABOUT HOW WE IDENTIFIED THIS CLUSTER, THIS IS WHERE PUBLIC HEALTH IS WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH UNH AND THE TEAM THAT IS IMPLEMENTING NOT ONLY THE TESTING, BUT ASSISTING PUBLIC HEALTH WITH THE PROCESS OF CONTACT INVESTIGATION. WE ARE NOT USUALLY PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THESE LOCATIONS WHERE PEOPLE ARE BEING DIAGNOSED, SO WE HAVE TO RELY ON PARTNERS ON THE GROUND WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE COLLEGE CAMPUS SET UP. AS AN EXAMPLE, WHO THESE STUDENTS ARE THAT ARE TESTING POSITIVE, WHERE THEY LIVE, FOR EXAMPLE. THROUGH THE COURSE OF UNH TESTING, PEOPLE ARE TURNING UP POSITIVE, AND THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE PUBLIC INVESTIGATION, WORKING WITH THE COLLEGE, TRYING TO GET INFORMATION ON WHERE EACH OF THESE STUDENTS ARE WHO TESTS POSITIVE, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE ASK IS WHERE DO THEY LIVE. WHEN WE START IDENTIFYING A CLUSTER, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A SINGLE APARTMENT COMPLEX, WE TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY AND WE LOOK TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A SINGLE EVENT OR A MULTIPLE EVENTS THAT MIGHT HAVE PICTURED IT. TODAY WE ARE UP TO 21 STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN THE UNH GABLES ON-CAMPUS APARTMENT COMPASS WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE. WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT AS A CLUSTER. THERE IS NOT ANY ONE SINGLE EVENT THAT WE HAVE FOUND THAT WE BELIEVE HAS CONTRIBUTED TO TRANSMISSION WITHIN THE APARTMENT COMPEX UNIT. AS WITH ANY NON-CAMPUS HOUSING, THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL MIXING’S AND SOCIAL GATHERINGS, WHICH IS LIKELY WHY WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CASES NOW, PEOPLE INFECTED WITH COVID-19, AND THAT GOES BACK TO HOW THIS VIRUS LIKES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOCIAL GATHERINGS, CONGREGANT LIVING SITUATIONS, WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN THIS INSTANCE. THANKS INC.. GOVERNOR SUNUNU: GREAT. THAT IS IT FOR THE QUESTIONS ON THE PHONE. A NUMBER OF THE SCHOOL -- HAVE BEEN RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT THE LACK OF MONEY -- REIMBURSEMENT. YOU MENTIONED IT EARLIER AND THERE WAS A LETTER SENT OUT TO MANCHESTER OFFICIALS ABOUT SOME OF THE MONEY THEY RECEIVED. IN YOUR OPINION, HALF THE MONEY HAS NOT BEEN SPENT. IT IS THERE. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM. IT IS THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO REQUEST IT? IS IT POLITICAL? I KNOW THE GRANTS -- IT IS A BAROMETER FOR THIS ONE, BUT NOT FOR THEM. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? GOVERNOR SUNUNU: A COUPLE ASPECTS. SCHOOL OFFICIALS KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO APPLY FOR THE MONEY, HOW TO DRAW DOWN THE FUNDS DIRECTLY. THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM SO THEY KNOW THAT IS NOT AN ISSUE AT ALL. YOU HAVE DISTRICTS, BECAUSE EVERY DISTRICT HAS A CERTAIN ALLOCATION. MORE THAN HALF THE TOWNS IN THE STATE HAVE NO COVID WHATSOEVER. ABOUT HALF THE MONEY HAS NOT BEEN DRAWN DOWN. YOU HAVE SOME OF THE MORE HOTSPOT AREAS, MANCHESTER AND NASHUA AND THE OTHER SMALL CITIES IN THE SOUTHERN TIER. I THINK TODAY TIM ONLY ONE OR TWO HAS MADE A FORMAL REQUEST FOR MORE MONEY. ABOUT 60 OR SEVEN HAVE DRAWN DOWN 100% OF THEIR FUNDS, AND THE REST OF THE DISTRICTS HAVE NOT DRAWN DOWN ALL THEIR MONEY YET. THEY HAVE DOLLARS REMAINING. IT IS A COUPLE DIFFERENT VARIABLES. IT IS MORE TO THE DISPARITY OF WHERE THE VIRUS IS EXISTING. I THINK SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THOSE DISTRICTS WANT TO TAKE. >> X SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH 0 CASES, BUT WANTS EVERYBODY TO HAVE A MASK. GOVERNOR SUNUNU: THOSE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE. IF THEY NEED MORE MONEY, THEY HAVE AN AVENUE TO REQUEST MORE FUNDS. A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE REQUESTED A LOT MORE MONEY. WE WILL WORK WITH MANCHESTER, MAKE SURE STUDENTS HAVE WHAT THEY NEED. MANCHESTER HAS RECEIVED AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF MONEY THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC. IN TOTAL, MAIN STREET REALLY FUNDS, TO WHAT WE PROVIDED THE CITY, OF THE SCHOOL, $85 MILLION IN TEARS A. NOW THEY WANT MORE MONEY FOR THEIR SCHOOLS. THERE IS A DISCONNECT, AND I AM NOT SURE WHAT IS THERE. WE WORE WORK WITH THEM, FIND OUT HOW TO DRAW DOWN THE FUNDS, BUT WHAT IS AN APPLICABLE COVID COST. IF THERE ARE GAPS, WE ARE HAPPY TO STEP UP AND HELP. THEY RECEIVED A LOT OF MONEY IN THE CITY OF MANCHESTER. YOU ADD ALL THE ADDITIONAL SCHOOL FUNDING PRE-COVID. WE ARE PUTTING IN AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF MONEY TO TEST SCHOOLS. THE STATE HAS NEVER SPENT AS MUCH AS MONEY. A LOT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THEIR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO PROGRAM. THERE IS MONEY. MANCHESTER IS THE DISTRICT THAT HAS ASKED MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS MORE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE. WE ARE HELPING YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT IS REIMBURSABLE. >> TO BE CLEAR IN YOUR MIND, THERE IS NOT A RESOURCE PROBLEM WITH OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS CONCERNING COVID. GOVERNOR SUNUNU: WE HAVE $200 MILLION SITTING ON ALLOCATED. THAT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO ME BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THERE IS $16 MILLION THAT HAS NOT BEEN DRAWN DOWN. THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT AVENUES. IT HAS TO BE DONE IN THE RIGHT WAY FOR THE RIGHT REASONS. YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE DRYING DOWN FUNDS THAT ARE BEING TRULY REIMBURSED. ALL THOSE DOLLARS MIGHT COME FROM DIFFERENT POTS. PRETTY MUCH VIRTUALLY EVERY DISTRICT IN THE STATE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DRAW DOWN THEIR DOLLARS AS THEY NEED TO SPEND THEM, AND WE HAVE HAD VERY FEW REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL DOLLARS. WE WILL WORK TO MAKE SURE WE DO AN ANALYSIS SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT DOLLARS CAN BE USED HOW AND WHERE. OK. SPORTS QUESTIONS? I WAS SICK EXCITED TO GET THE SPORTS REPORTER HERE. >> [INDISCERNIBLE] GOVERNOR SUNUNU: OUR SPORTS REPORTERS ALLOWED TO PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS? >> I WOULD RATHER STAY ON THE VIRUS. GOVERNOR SUNUNU: I WOULD PUT FORWARD SOME GUIDANCE. YOU WANT TO HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND. IT WILL BE A LITTLE COOL WITHOUT A DOUBT. IT IS GOING TO BE AN ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND. VISIT THE FARM, GO APPLE PICKING, GO UP T PROFILE, VISIT A CAMPSITE. THERE’S SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY EVERYTHING YOU HAVE YOUR HAS TO OFFER IN THE FALL. WE WANT EVERYBODY GETTING OUTSIDE, GETTING THE FRESH AIR, STAY HEALTHY, AND WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO KEEP THINGS MOVING FORWARD IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION. BIG THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR KEEPING US
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Full video: Governor holds latest COVID-19 briefing for New Hampshire (Sept. 17, 2020)
Gov. Chris Sununu and state officials give the latest updates about the state's coronavirus response.

Gov. Chris Sununu and state officials give the latest updates about the state's coronavirus response.

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