NH hosts mass vaccine site; MA awards business relief funds
A mass COVID-19 vaccination site in New Hampshire aimed to deliver thousands of doses this weekend, with a focus on teachers, childcare providers and others who work with children, as well as people age 50 and older.
The Greater Nashua Public Health Network and Fidelity Investments worked to host the event in Merrimack. Organizers said they expected to give second doses of the Moderna vaccine to about 2,000 people.
“We are immensely grateful to this weekend’s clinic staff, which includes a large number of volunteers,” said Michael Apollo, the public health emergency preparedness coordinator at the Nashua Division of Public Health and Community Services.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster met with organizers and volunteers during a visit to the mass vaccine site Saturday, WMUR-TV reported.
“New Hampshire can open up, we can have a beautiful healthy summer with our families, but everybody has to get get those two shots,” Kuster said.
Nearly 94,000 people have tested positive for the virus in New Hampshire, including 284 new cases announced Sunday. The state’s COVID-19 death toll now stands at 1,284.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Hampshire decreased over the past two weeks, going from nearly 425 new confirmed cases per day on April 8 to more than 330 new cases per day on Thursday.
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MASSACHUSSETTS
Some businesses in Massachusetts will be getting a little more COVID-19 relief from the state.
More than 600 businesses will share more than $30 million in grants designed to help them recover from the economic impact of the pandemic. It’s part of a broader state program which has awarded more than $680 million in grants to 15,000 businesses so far.
The state also announced $1.6 million in grants last week for local tourism organizations and chambers of commerce to assist in the recovery of the state’s tourism sector.
“Our administration recognizes the challenges this industry has faced during the pandemic,” Baker said.
In Massachusetts, the seven-day rolling average of daily new cases decreased over the past two weeks, going from about 2,070 new cases per day on April 8 to more than 1,530 new cases per day on Thursday, according to data from Johns Hopkins.
State health officials announced more than 1,385 new confirmed cases Saturday night as well as 12 additional COVID-19 deaths, bringing the state’s death toll from the virus to 17,193.
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VERMONT
The Vermont Brewers Festival has been sidelined for second year in a row because of COVID-19 restrictions.
“Our brewers have been working hard to keep their businesses going through this pandemic and we want to give them the time and space to focus on their brewery this summer,” the Vermont Brewers Association announced this month on social media, according to the Burlington Free Press. “Based on a myriad of factors, we have decided it is best not to host our festival in July 2021.”
Planning for the festival that draws a sold-out crowd to the Burlington waterfront traditionally starts in early January. Since the state only recently outlined a phased reopening plan with a goal of being largely back to normal by July 4, organizers did not have enough time to plan the festival.
The Vermont Brewers Association recommends that beer fans visit taprooms to have a beer or take it home, as it “is the best way you can support the brewing industry right now.”
Vermont reported 96 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Sunday, for a statewide total since the pandemic began of more than 22,500.
A total of 23 people were hospitalized with five in intensive care.
With no new deaths reported Sunday, the state’s total stands at 244.
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MAINE
Maine was distributing doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to any resident over the age of 18 during a one-day mobile clinic in Biddeford.
Maine was one of several states to resume vaccinations using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after U.S. health officials lifted an 11-day pause on the use of the J&J shot. During the pause, scientific advisers decided the vaccine’s benefits outweigh a rare risk of blood clot.
The pause had prompted the mobile clinic to switch to the Moderna vaccine, Maine health officials said.
Massachusetts and Connecticut have also resumed use of the shot. Unlike other COVID-19 vaccines, the J&J shot requires only a single dose. No appointments were required for Sunday’s mobile vaccination effort.
Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said the one-day clinic, held at the Biddeford High School, was an “opportunity for Maine people who prefer a one-shot vaccine to get vaccinated on the weekend and without the need to schedule in advance.”
The Maine CDC reported 174 new cases but no additional COVID-19 deaths on Sunday. Since the pandemic began, Maine has experienced nearly 60,000 cases and 772 deaths.
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RHODE ISLAND
Roughly half of the state’s population has now had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the latest state vaccine data.
More than 527,000 initial vaccine doses have been administered, and nearly 356,000 people in Rhode Island have been completely vaccinated.
No new deaths were reported when new numbers were announced Friday showing nearly 260 new confirmed cases. The death toll from the pandemic remained at 2,660.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Rhode Island decreased over the past two weeks, going from about 405 new cases per day on April 8 to more than 310 new cases per day on Thursday.
