City councillors will hold a public hearing Monday night on Zoom in connection with a mask order for Concord’s business.
The concept of mask requirement was first raised in May, but the board did not comply. However, medical discoveries that sell the effectiveness of the mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19, masking needs in neighboring states, and public demands have led the council to reconsider.
The COVID-19 Masks Subcommittee of the City Council drafted an ordinance on August 17 and made it public to create a legislative assembly entitled “Using masks in the city of Concord – COVID-19”. To participate in Monday night’s discussion on the order, go to concordnh.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx to locate a link to the Zoom assembly or a phone number that can be called by audio only. The page also a link to the phonebook, which includes a full copy of the order.
The order requires workers at all Concord corporations to wear a face mask “when interacting with the public and as long as they are within six feet of a co-worker or customer.” It also requires that “members of the public entering any business, adding any outdoor domain where any business of any kind is conducted (except as provided herein,” the City of Concord government building or construction will have to use a face mask. “Business exceptions come with” restaurants or places of worship. “
The face mask would not be mandatory for young people under the age of 10 or for “anyone to wear a mask could pose a threat for fitness reasons.” The order requires the mask to cover “at least the nose, mouth and surrounding spaces of the lower face”, but allows the mask to be “manufactured in factory, homemade or improvised with familiar materials”.
Applying one of the board’s considerations in May when this factor was first raised, and the order signals the consequences of not dressing in a face mask. The penalty for the first violation would be a written reprimand and, for the time being and another violation, a fine of $15.
Failure to pay the fine within 10 days has effects on a duplication of the fine, non-payment within 20 days means that the fine increases to $60 and non-payment after 20 days could also result in a subpoena.
The Hopkinton City Library will be open to visitors on a limited basis and without an appointment from Tuesday.
Appointments are requested to reserve 30 minute time slots and can be made by calling 746-3663 or by emailing [email protected]. The time slots are open to all consumers from 3 p.m. at 3 pm. Tuesday and Friday and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, from September 12.
Spaces will be available to seniors only 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays, and for families with young children only on Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon.
There will be a maximum of 15 clients in the building at a time, and if capacity is not reached through reservations, other people will be welcome.
Masks will be needed. Computers will be available by appointment, photocopier and fax. Tables, exam rooms and meeting rooms will be available until further notice.
Curbside pickup will continue and the library is asking shoppers to continue the external e-book throwback box.
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services reported three new positive effects of COVID-1nine over the weekend (Saturday 30, Sunday 9), adding a new case with no known threat factor. Eighteen of the new instances were in Hillsborough County, and nine in Manchester. The total number of diagnosed cases in the state is now 7,254.
The DHHS also announced one new hospitalized case, bringing that state total to 714. There were no new deaths announced.
Concord Hospital had received test results for 13,561 patients as of Thursday with 173 positive. None of those positive cases were hospitalized as of late last week.
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott posted a weekend Twitter message detailing COVID-19’s testing efforts in the state related to the reopening of higher education. Scott wrote that “more than 8600 tests were administered to returning students with only 19 positive results. This equates to a positivity rate of 0.22%, which is a decrease than the general population of Vermont.”
Scott also wrote that more than half of the 15,270 out-of-state students Vermont plans to welcome back this fall already have been tested at least once. Of those 15,270 out-of-staters, 9,112 were back on campus in Vermont as of Aug. 26. The total number of students expected on Vermont college campuses this fall, including in-state students, is 21,292.
Help us fund reporting on COVID-19 in our community.