New Hospital Visit Rules,COVID-19 Booster Blitz Locations Out

York Hospital is the latest Seacoast medical facility to restrict most visitors because of the COVID-19 winter surge as the next Booster Blitz locations are announced.

The new policy took effect Tuesday with some exceptions including end of life care, parents or guardians of inpatient pediatric patients and support people in specific cases.

"As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge and evolve, we remain steadfast in our commitment to provide a safe environment for patients and caregivers alike. For that reason, we have revised our patient visitor guidelines as of December 28, 2021, until the COVID activity in our community decreases to safer levels again," the hospital said in a statement.

Portsmouth Regional Hospital is limiting the number of visitors to just one visitor age 16 and older in its inpatient units between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.  ER patients, laboring mothers and pediatric patients will also be allowed one visitor.

Exeter Hospital and Wentworth-Douglass in Dover were the first on the Seacoast to implement restrictions.

Booster Blitz Locations

DHHS announced the locations for the next COVID-19 Booster Blitz scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 8. Sign up begins Monday at covid19.nh.gov.

There will be two locations on the Seacoast: Exeter Area High School and a new location in Rochester at Spaulding Commons.

• ASHLAND: Former Liquor Store, 46 Main St.
• BERLIN: site location is pending
• CLAREMONT: Former Liquor Store, 367 Washington St.
• CONCORD: Police Standards and Training, 17 Institute Drive
• EXETER: Exeter High School, 1 Blue Hawk Drive
• KEENE: 62 Maple Ave.
• LACONIA: Lakes Region Community College, 379 Belmont Road
• MANCHESTER: Memorial High School, 1 Crusader Way
• MILFORD: Milford High School, 100 West St.
• ROCHESTER: Spaulding Commons, 306 North Main St.
• SALEM: Salem Jr. High School (Woodbury School), 206 Main St.
• TAMWORTH: Community Action Program Building, 448 White Mountain Highway
• WEST LEBANON: Former JCPenney, 250 N. Plainfield Road, Unit 202
• NORTH HAVERHILL: Horse Meadow Senior Center, 91 Horse Meadow Road

Gov. Chris Sununu announced Thursday that a 17 person team of active duty service members from the Department of Defense composed of medics, nurses, administrative support, and a physician will be deployed to Elliot Hospital in Manchester.  They will arrive on Tuesday and leave at the beginning of February.

“We continue to press for all available resources as we combat this winter surge,” Sununu said. “This latest team will be a valuable part of our all-hands-on-deck effort and I would like to thank the federal government for being responsive to our calls.”

He announced Wednesday that FEMA is sending three monoclonal antibody teams arriving the same day. They will report to Elliot Hospital, Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital in Lebanon, and Concord Hospital.

Cases Back on the Rise

With more people taking COVID-19 tests the number of new cases is on the rise again with 1,580 new positive test results bringing the total number of active cases to 9,341 as of Wednesday, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services. 11 deaths were reported.

Hospitalizations dropped to 384.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNH