InDepthNH.org (https://indepthnh.org/category/covid/page/16/)
One Democratic lawmaker pressed Friday to better protect children touring the mask-optional State House and others scolded Republicans who don’t wear face masks and voted against $27 million in federal contracts that would have boosted vaccination efforts, which they say will delay getting shots to children.
In an end-run around the Executive Council’s controversial rejection of $27 million in federal funds for a state vaccine program, the Joint Fiscal Committee unanimously supported the acceptance of $4.68 million in more flexible funding on Friday.
One hundred and ninety-two individuals under the age of 18.
Hospitals across the state are facing some of the highest census numbers since last January due in part to the pandemic with some looking at “levers” they can pull that include suspending elective overnight procedures, said Steve Ahnen, president of the New Hampshire Hospital Association.
With the number of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths on the rise, some lawmakers question the safety of continuing tours for elementary school children at the State House where there is no mask or vaccination mandate and no requirement to report the number of legislators and staffers who work there who have been infected.
Gov. Chris Sununu said the nine people arrested after being disruptive at the Executive Council meeting earlier Wednesday showed the line of civility has moved in the state as people debate vaccine mandates and federal funding to help with COVID-19 vaccinations.
At a heavily attended meeting that saw the arrest of eight anti-vax mandate protesters, the Executive Council voted 4-1 to reject two controversial federal contracts to build out the state’s vaccine program and get more people vaccinated against COVID-19 through regional health networks. It makes New Hampshire the only state in the nation to reject such funding.
There are currently 140 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. In New Hampshire, since the start of the pandemic, there have been a total of 126,229 cases of COVID-19 diagnosed.
Four state Representatives, two of whom are physicians with one a recent convert to the Democratic party, urged the Joint Fiscal Committee and Executive Council on Tuesday to accept $27 million in federal funds to help increase COVID-19 vaccinations in New Hampshire.