Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess touted the city’s low COVID-19 numbers and encouraged people to complete the U.S. Census during a press briefing earlier this week.

NASHUA – Mayor Jim Donchess touted the city’s low COVID-19 numbers and touched on absentee ballots for the Nov. 3 general election, as well as encouraged residents to take a few minutes to complete household census information this past Wednesday.

Donchess praised citizens for being practical, wearing masks and social distancing during the pandemic, all of which have helped keep Nashua’s coronavirus numbers well below other neighboring cities.

“We’ve not visited friends and family as often as we did before,” he noted. “We don’t go to group events and we wear these masks, which of course can be very difficult at times. We’ve all made a lot of sacrifices, but together, we have really made a difference here in Nashua.”

The mayor said that in March, Nashua was possibly facing hospitals running over capacity and that an alternative care site was a probable result had residents not taken every precaution.

“”We closed City Hall and a number of other public buildings,” he stated. “We exercized social distancing and the city passed an ordinance requiring the wearing of masks in public places.”

Donchess reported that as of Wednesday, Sept. 2, New Hampshire had almost 7,300 coronavirus cases, but 91% of those have recovered. More than 400 people lost their lives to COVID-19, which the mayor said was difficult, as friends and relatives are not permitted to visit coronavirus hospitals patients.

And as of Sept. 2, there were just eight active cases in the city. Donchess praised the health department and the public health nurses.

“Bobbie Bagley, Kim Bernard and others have been doing a great job in working with every patient who tests positive, and then determining who that patient has been in contact with,” he explained. “And counselling them to quarantine and to get tested. This is very effective technique in preventing further spread of the virus.”

The city’s public health determined that there are 79 individuals that the eight patients had contact with, before and after they tested positive. The health department continues to work with those 79 people.

Although 41 residents of Nashua died due to COVID-19, the city hasn’t seen any deaths in more than a month. Donchess further urged residents to be patient and continue to be diligent.

“We have to continue to exercise caution,” he said. “In states like Florida and Arizona they closed down things for a brief period of time and then before they had the virus under control, they opened up. In southern states, there was huge spike in a number of cases and we don’t want that to happen here.”

Donchess listed “problem spots” such as the states of Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.

The city of Nashua continues to provide free COVID-19 testing on every Tuesday afternoon, from 3 – 5 p.m. at the Elm Street garage. Appointments are necessary, either by visiting the website www.nashuanh.gov/covid19or by calling (603) 589-3456.

The mayor pivoted to the subject of elections, recommending that voters who wish to vote via absentee ballot on Nov. 3 may register to do so.

“We have a state primary on Tuesday, Sept. 8 for anyone who wants to vote in the Democratic or Republican primary,” he said. “So far, for the primary, we have around 5,000 people who have requested absentee ballots. In previous years, we would receive 600 requests for absentee ballots. And we’ve already received 5,000 requests for absentee ballots for the November election.”

Donchess said same-day voter registration is available for voters who want to vote in Tuesday’s primary election at their polling location.

On Sept. 9, voters can register to vote absentee for the Nov. 3 election. The city clerk’s phone number to register to vote is (603) 589-3010; select option 5 in menu; the fax number is (603) 589-3029; and the email address to contact the city clerk is cityclerkdept@nashuanh.gov.

More information is available on the New Hampshire secretary of state website: www.sos.nh.gov.

Finally, Donchess discusses the city census, adding that people are urged to complete the census information for their household.

“It’s very easy,” he said. “It takes two minutes and then no one will have to visit your house.”

The 2020 census relies on the participation of residents in cities and towns across the country, to distribute federal money to local communities.

“We want to make sure that every person in Nashua gets counted,” Donchess said.

The 2020 census website is www.2020census.gov.