Weekly Update - February 10, 2023
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Weekly Update - February 10, 2023
Dear Nashua,
As the Chief Public Health Strategist for the Greater Nashua Public
Health Region (GNPHR), the Nashua Division of Public Health and
Community Services (DPHCS) prepares weekly updates to inform our
community on matters related to the health and safety of our
community. The Greater Nashua Public Health Region (GNHPR)
includes the towns and cities of Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Hudson,
Litchfield, Lyndeborough, Mason, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon,
Nashua, Pelham, and Wilton.
COVID-19: New Variant and New Names
Lyndsey Bond, MPH, Nashua DPHCS Epidemiologist
We are quickly approaching the three-year anniversary of when
COVID-19 touched down in the United States, and we are yet again
facing a new variant of interest. Within the past several weeks we have
been experiencing cases associated with the Omicron subvariant
XBB.1.5, accounting for about 66% of tests sequenced with PCR
testing. Unfortunately, when a virus continues to spread over long
periods of time and infect thousands of people, it presents the
opportunity for genetic change and the rise of new variants.
We have recently started to see the emergence of the Omicron
subvariant CH.1.1, also known as Orthrus. Currently, Orthrus only
accounts for about 1.6% of tests being sequenced for PCR testing, but it is quickly increasing with some
concerning infection characteristics. What we know so far is that Orthrus is highly transmissible. Orthrus also
has a mutation, L452R, which can increase its ability to evade vaccine protection. There is limited
information on this newest variant at this point in time. To learn more about COVID-19 variants, visit CDC's
web page here.
Why the new names?
Some scientists suggest it is time to change the way we name subvariants due to the confusion that several
letters and numbers can present when trying to differentiate subvariants such as XBB.1.5 and BQ.1.1. The
suggestion is to name new variants after mythological creatures. For example, XBB.1.5 is now being called
the “Kraken” variant. The Kraken is a large squid-like creature from Nordic folklore. Now the newest variant,
CH.1.1, is being named Orthrus after a two-headed dog whom Hercules slays to complete one of his tasks
(12 labors) in Greek mythology.
COVID-19 Variant Tracker (CDC)
Keep Up with COVID-19 Pandemic Benefit Changes
Based on legislation passed by Congress in
December 2022, expanded benefits due to the
COVID-19 pandemic through programs such as
SNAP and Medicaid will be ending in the coming
months.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, with business
operations paused and families facing significant
work reduction, additional SNAP benefits (known
as Emergency Allotment) became a critical
support for New Hampshire residents in need.
Legislation to end Emergency Allotment will
become effective beginning in March 2023, making February 2023 the last month that families will receive
the Emergency Allotment amount of their SNAP benefits.
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced the end of continuous
Medicaid coverage from the pandemic effective March 31, 2023. Regular Medicaid eligibility will be effective
April 1, 2023. DHHS is reaching out to beneficiaries protected under the continuous coverage requirement
to determine their Medicaid eligibility. To keep their Medicaid coverage, individuals must complete a
redetermination or respond to requests for information sent by the Department of to keep their Medicaid
coverage. Be sure to keep an eye on your email, texts, and mail for notices from DHHS for next steps to
ensure you do not lose coverage.
If you or someone you know has continous Medicaid coverage, complete your redetermination or update
your information online at nheasy.nh.gov. Help is also available by calling 1-844-275-3447.
Pandemic Related Benefit Changes (NH DHHS)
Celebrate the Super Bowl with Food Safety in Mind
Mike McGuinness, Environmental Health Specialist
With the Super Bowl around the corner, the Environmental Health
Department would like to share some basic food safety tips to help
prevent foodborne illness during this fun event.
1. Adhere to the two-hour rule: Unless food is held above
135°F (for hot foods) or below 41°F (for cold foods), once a
food has been removed from heat or refrigeration there is a
two-hour window to safely consume the product until it must
be discarded.
2. Bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods (foods requiring
no further cooking process) is a major route of foodborne illness transmission. Be mindful of what
foods you touch, use tongs or serving utensils to plate your own food, and use scooping utensils to
plate bulk food (e.g. don’t grab handfuls of chips out of a communal bowl), and NO DOUBLE DIPPING.
3. Ice is food! Do not eat or use ice for beverages that has been used as a cooling medium (such as the
ice in a drink cooler). Use a scooping utensil for ice that will be added to beverages or food. Avoid
bare hand contact with ice that will be ingested.
4. Be mindful of the 9 common food allergens and inform guests if a dish may contain or was prepared
in the presence of any of the following: Wheat, soy, sesame, finfish, shellfish, milk/dairy, tree nuts,
peanuts, and/or eggs.
With these several food safety tips in mind we hope everyone has a happy and healthy Super Bowl Sunday,
whoever you’re rooting for. Enjoy the food, company, and the game.
Game Day Food Safety (CDC)
Community Resource Spotlight: Syringe Service Alliance of the Nashua Area
Liana Perez, RN, BSN, Public Health Nurse
The Syringe Service Alliance of the Nashua Area (SSANA) is a
community-based program that provides access to sterile
needles, wound care supplies, HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV)
testing, Naloxone (Narcan) and resuscitation training, as well
as treatment resources and peer support. In 2019, CDC
reported participants of a Syringe Exchange Program (SEP)
are five times more likely to enter into a treatment program,
three times more likely to reduce or stop injection of illicit
drugs and play a key role in preventing overdose deaths.
Harm reduction education and methods are provided during each client encounter. Identifying transmissible
communicable disease in the community, such as HIV and HCV, allows individuals to receive referrals to
treatment, reduces occupational exposure in high-risk professions, and helps to prevent disease outbreaks.
Clients are encouraged to share recent experiences with overdoses and naloxone administration. Education
is provided on naloxone and the risk for repeated overdose. If clients are ready for recovery or are seeking
other services, SSANA outreach workers provide referrals to connect those individuals with services.
Learn More Here
LEGISLATIVE CORNER
Make Your Voice Heard
The 2023 legislative session is in full swing! Take action today by
testify in support or opposition of proposed bills during this
legislative cycle.
Sign Petition on Medicaid Expansion - Medicaid Expansion
provides 90,000 Granite Staters with health insurance. Without
reauthorization by the state legislature, Medicaid expansion will
expire on December 31, 2023 and thousands of Granite Staters
will lose access to their health insurance. Sign New Future's
petition to express support for Medicaid Expansion.
Upcoming Hearings
Online Testimony Submission Forms (House / Senate)
How to Testify In-Person
House Committee on Health, Human Services, and Elderly Affairs (February 16)
HB342: Relative to lead testing in children. This bill would establish a blood lead level testing
requirement for children entering day care and public schools.
Senate Committee on Health and Human Services (February 16)
SB239: Relative to the use of harm reduction services to treat alcohol and substance abuse.
This bill would propose the inclusion of harm reduction services in the definition of alcohol and
drug abuse prevention programs under existing law (RSA 12-J) and expand syringe services
programs.
SB175: Relative to making an appropriation for the multi-tiered system of support for
children's mental health. The bill would extend funding for an evidenced-based prevention
framework to support the behavioral health and wellness of all students.
NOTE: Nashua DPHCS does not lobby for or endorse specific legislation. Nashua DPHCS provides information and education on the public health
impacts of proposed legislation and existing policy to inform and educate partners, policymakers, and residents of the Greater Nashua Public
Health Region.
The General Court of New Hampshire
EQUITY CORNER
Free Tax Assistance in Greater Nashua
From January 29 through April 15, the AARP Foundation
is again providing free tax assistance and preparation for
low- to moderate- income taxpayers across the Granite
State. Tax assistance is available by appointment only.
Participating locations include Nashua Public Library, Nashua Senior CenterUnited Way of Greater
Nashua, John O' Leary Adult Community Center, Merrimack Public Library, and Milford Masonic
Temple. Make an appointment by calling 211 or by visiting nhtaxhelp.org.
Black History Moment: Harriet Wilson
February is Black History Month. Throughout the month, Nashua
DPHCS will be highlighting Black historic figures in New Hampshire
and beyond.
Harriet "Hattie" E. Wilson, born in 1825, was an African American novelist
from Milford, New Hampshire. She was the first African American to
publish a novel on the North American continent.
Her novel Our Nig, or Sketches from the Life of a Free Black was published
anonymously in 1859 in Boston, Massachusetts, and was not widely
known. The novel was discovered in 1982 by the scholar Henry Louis
Gates, who documented it as the first African American novel published
in the United States.
To learn more about Harriet Wilson, visit "The Harriet Wilson Project", a project formed by New Hampshire
citizens dedicated to "promoting New Hampshire’s Black heritage and acknowledging the contributions
made by Wilson and other African Americans to New Hampshire’s history and culture."
Image Source: NH Women's Foundation
COVID-19 Update
Currently, the CDC COVID-19 Community Level is considered LOW in Hillsborough County.
When the COVID-19 Community Level is Medium or High:
If you are at high risk of getting very sick, wear a high-quality mask or respirator (e.g., N95)
when indoors in public
If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for getting very sick,
consider self-testing to detect infection before contact, and consider wearing a high-quality
mask when indoors with them
At all Community Levels:
Stay up to date on vaccination, including recommended booster doses.
Maintain ventilation improvements.
Avoid contact with people who have suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
Follow recommendations for isolation if you have suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
Follow the recommendations for what to do if you are exposed to someone with COVID-19.
If you are at high risk of getting very sick, talk with a healthcare provider about additional
prevention actions.
To find where a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster dose is available near you, go
to vaccines.gov.
For more information regarding COVID-19, visit our website.
At-home COVID-19 tests are still available at no-cost through the federal government.
To order your free kits, go to COVIDTests.gov. To improve accurate, up-to-date testing
data collection, share your at-home COVID-19 results anonymously at
MakeMyTestCount.org.
Valentine's Day Testing Valentine's Day Testing Valentine's Day Testing
Event Flyer (English) Event Flyer (Spanish) Event Flyer (Portuguese)
Public Health Resources
Workforce Development Clinics
SNHAHEC: Epilepsy & Self-Management SSANA
Virtual Taining Mondays / 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
February 14, 12 PM to 4 PM Nashua Public Library Parking Lot
Learn More & Register Here 2 Court Street
Job Opportunity: Marguerite's Place - Immunizations & Child Lead Testing
Residential Programs Coordinator Tuesdays / 4 - 7 p.m.
Learn More & Apply Here Nashua Public Health
18 Mulberry St., Nashua
Job Opportunity: Nashua DPHCS - Public By Appointment: Call 603-589-4500, Option 2
Health Nurse, Bilingual in Spanish/Portuguese
Strongly Preferred SSANA
Learn More & Apply Here Wednesdays / 2 - 4 p.m.
Nashua Public Library Parking Lot
Additional Resources 2 Court Street
Sexual Wellness Clinic
Thursdays / 3 - 6 p.m.
Community Health Assessment Nashua Public Health
18 Mulberry St., Nashua
By Appointment: Call 603-589-4500, Option 2
Community Health Improvement Plan Immunizations & Child Lead Testing
Fridays / 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Nashua Public Health
18 Mulberry St., Nashua
By Appointment: Call 603-589-4500, Option 2
COVID-19 Guidance, Testing,
Vaccines Sexual Wellness Services
2nd & 4th Friday of the Month
1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Laton House
28 Railroad Sq., Nashua
Statewide Resources
The New Hampshire Public Health Association NHResponds is the system used pre-register
(NHPHA) supports science-based public health policy volunteers who are interested in responding in an
and has a goal of informing citizenry of changes emergency. Whether you are a healthcare provider,
needed in the laws and government in order to administrative specialist, a retired professional, or
improve public health. Subscribe to the ”Health in ready to help in your community, New Hampshire
All Policies” E-News on their website. needs you. Check it out!
City of Nashua Division of Public Health and Community Services STAY CONNECTED!
Greater Nashua Public Health Network
(603) 589-4500
www.nashuanh.gov/DPHCS
Nashua Division of Public Health and Community Services | 18 Mulberry Street, Nashua, NH
03060
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