No food will be served at Town Meeting. Per the Emergency Management Director, Mark Houghton, “there is no evidence of COVID-19 via food, but certainly the act of serving and consuming in an environment such as Town Meeting would enhance the possibility of transmission if the virus was present.”
Although many of us will miss our pre-meeting hot dog, we must take the highest safety cautions during this time of national emergency.
Sarah Downing asked me to post this on behalf of the Selectboad. The meeting must go on because it actually started on Tuesday with the voting and was then recessed until Saturday the 10th. – Lil
Coronavirus (COVID-19)and
Walpole Town Meeting
Saturday, March 14, 2020 at 1 PM
To prepare for Town Meeting:
• Tables and chairs, floors, bathrooms and other frequently touched surfaces have been cleaned and disinfected
• Touchless soap and paper towel dispensers have been installed in the bathrooms and a touchless soap dispenser in the kitchen
• Attendees are encouraged to use hand sanitizer from dispensers in the hallway and in the meeting room
NH State Health Officials are recommending the following per NPR for NH citizens:
➢ Stay home and avoid public places when sick.
➢ Cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing
➢ Wash hands frequently
➢ Avoid being within 6 feet (close contact) of a person who is sick
➢ Avoid sharing drinks, smoking/vaping devices or other utensils or objects that may transmit saliva
➢ Disinfect frequently touched surfaces
Use your personal discretion whether you should attend Town Meeting. Those with health concerns may not wish to attend.
Can you believe? I cannot. Time again to start putting together your next issue of THE WALPOLE CLARION. We as a community, a nation, and worldwide humanity are facing the most devastating health crisis in generations. To understand how such an event can happen you may wish to see the movie CONTAGION (on Amazon), and also view the long documentary about the Influenza of 1918 on YouTube. That pandemic killed over 675,000 Americans, and a painful death could occur within a day of contracting the virus.
But back to normalcy, do submit your articles, stories, events, and advertisements for the April CLARION by 20 March. Your early submissions are always appreciated. Thank you, yours, Ray – Publisher
Chuck sent this along with a warning that there will most probably be more to come. – Lil
TOWN OF WALPOLE
HEALTH OFFICER
DEALING WITH THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) DISEASE FACT SHEET– UPDATE #1
THIS IS A NEW VIRUS TO HUMANS. IT IS TRANSMITTED INTO YOUR MOUTH, EYES OR NOSE BY YOUR HANDS (ASSUMING AN INFECTED PERSON DOESN’T COUGH IN YOUR FACE). AN INFECTED PERSON CAN APPEAR HEALTHY FOR ABOUT FIVE (5) DAYS BEFORE EXHIBITINGTHE SYMPTOMS OFFEVER, COUGH AND FATIGUE. OLDER PEOPLEARE HIGHER RISK AS ARE MEN AND PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING HEALTH CONDITIONS. THERE IS NO VACCINE OR DRUG SPECIFICALLY FOR COVID-19. THE LONGER YOU ARE WITH AN INFECTED PERSON THE HIGHER THE CHANCE YOU WILL BECOME INFECTED.
HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO
1. KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON. DON’T WEAR A MASK UNLESS YOU CAN’T KEEP YOUR HAND AWAY FROM YOUR FACE.
2. IF YOU ARE SICK, STAY HOME.DRINK SMALL AMOUNTS OFWARMFLUIDS FREQUENTLY.
3. MAINTAIN A DISTANCE OF THREE (3) FEET FROM OTHERS (SOME ARE ADVISING SIX (6) FEET).
4. NO HANDSHAKING. USE A FIST BUMP, ELBOW OR BOW.
5. OPEN DOORS WITH YOUR CLOSED FIST, HIP, SLEEVE PULLED OVER YOUR HAND OR GLOVED HAND.
6. USE ONLY YOUR KNUCKLE TO TOUCH LIGHT SWITCHES, KEYPAD BUTTONS ETC.
7. LIFT THE GASOLINE DISPENSER HANDLE WITH A TOWEL OR GLOVE.
8. WASH YOUR HANDS, WASH YOUR HANDS, WASH YOUR HANDS. 20 SECONDS EACH TIME (SING THE HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONG TWICE– THAT TAKES 20 SECONDS).
9. USE DISINFECTANT WIPES IN STORES FOR HANDLES AND CART SEATS.
10. HAVE SANITIZER (AT LEAST 60% ALCOHOL) AVAILABLE WITH YOU AND WHEN YOU GET HOME.
11. COUGH INTO A TISSUE AND DISCARD. COUGH INTO YOUR ELBOW SLEEVE IF NO TISSUE IS AVAILABLE.
12. STOCK UP ON MEDICINES, LOSENGES CONTAINING ZINC, HAND SANITIZER AND GLOVES (LATEX, NITRILE OR CLOTH).
I received this from Chuck Shaw, our town health officer. With Town Meeting coming right up on Saturday, I wanted to share with you. – Lil
TOWN OF WALPOLE HEALTH OFFICER
DEALING WITH THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) DISEASE FACT SHEET
THIS IS A NEW VIRUS TO HUMANS. IT IS TRANSMITTED INTO YOUR MOUTH, EYES OR NOSE BY YOUR HANDS (ASSUMING AN INFECTED PERSON DOESN’T COUGH IN YOUR FACE). AN INFECTED PERSON CAN APPEAR HEALTHY FOR ABOUT FIVE (5) DAYS BEFORE EXHIBITING THE SYMPTOMS OF SORE THROAT, FEVER, COUGH AND FATIGUE. OLDER PEOPLE ARE HIGHER RISK AS ARE MEN AND PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING HEALTH CONDITIONS. THERE IS NO VACCINE OR DRUG SPECIFICALLY FOR COVID-19. THE LONGER YOU ARE WITH AN INFECTED PERSON THE HIGHER THE CHANCE YOU WILL BECOME INFECTED.
HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO
1. KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON. DON’T WEAR A MASK UNLESS YOU CAN’T KEEP YOUR HAND AWAY FROM YOUR FACE.
2. IF YOU ARE SICK, STAY HOME.DRINK WARM FLUIDS EVERY 15 MINUTES.
3. MAINTAIN A DISTANCE OF THREE (3) FEET FROM OTHERS (SOME ARE ADVISING SIX (6) FEET).
4. NO HANDSHAKING. USE A FIST BUMP, ELBOW OR BOW.
5. OPEN DOORS WITH YOUR CLOSED FIST, HIP, SLEEVE PULLED OVER YOUR HAND OR GLOVED HAND.
6. USE ONLY YOUR KNUCKLE TO TOUCH LIGHT SWITCHES, KEYPAD BUTTONS ETC.
7. LIFT THE GASOLINE DISPENSER HANDLE WITH A TOWEL OR GLOVE.
8. WASH YOUR HANDS, WASH YOUR HANDS, WASH YOUR HANDS. 20 SECONDS EACH TIME (SING THE HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONG TWICE– THAT TAKES 20 SECONDS).
9. USE DISINFECTANT WIPES IN STORES FOR HANDLES AND CART SEATS.
10. HAVE SANITIZER (AT LEAST 60% ALCOHOL) AVAILABLE WITH YOU AND WHEN YOU GET HOME.
11. COUGH INTO A TISSUE AND DISCARD. COUGH INTO YOUR ELBOW SLEEVE IF NO TISSUE IS AVAILABLE.
12. STOCK UP ON MEDICINES, LOSENGES CONTAINING ZINC, HAND SANITIZER AND GLOVES (LATEX, NITRILE OR CLOTH).
If you have one from the 1900-1920 era that you are willing to loan the Walpole Historical Society for the summer, please call Sally McGaffigan at 445-2527 or email frankmcgaffin@comcast.net. They need it for an exhibit they are putting together. It can be “repossessed” in the fall.
Please Note: The Walpolean is a citizen-run blog and is not affiliated with the Town of Walpole.
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