New Hampshire prepares hospital overflow sites on campuses
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — College campuses are being turned into makeshift medical spaces as New Hampshire responds to the new coronavirus. More on developments:
ALTERNATIVE CARE SITES
Several more alternative care sites are being set up to serve as overflow and surge spaces for hospitals in New Hampshire.
The University of New Hampshire is working with Wentworth-Douglass, Frisbie Memorial and Portsmouth Regional hospitals to accommodate 250 people. The Durham campus also is offering resources for drive-thru testing, and its dining hall will provide takeout meals for anyone staying on campus.
At the New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord, the community college system is working with Concord Hospital and others to accommodate up to 300 patients in its gymnasium, wellness center and student center.
The first such site was established at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester.
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THE NUMBERS
More than 250 people in New Hampshire have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Three people have died.
For most people, it causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.
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SOCIALLY DISTANCED SWAPS
A Mount Washington Valley group on Facebook is encouraging neighbor-to-neighbor bartering for items and services, while emphasizing social distancing.
One woman was seeking a washing machine for a relative. The woman said in return, she could offer an hour of her cleaning services business “once we’re back to normal.” Last weekend was “super productive” for one man, who wrote he was able to barter for flour, trout worms, pallets and a dishwasher.
A woman seeking toilet paper and paper towels said she was willing to trade for food, pet food, or “Even if it’s just a ride to the store!”
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