No. 1 in the Nation. No. 1 with the highest number of reported COVID cases. How embarrassing! It seems that we have New Hampshire residents who really believe in the state’s slogan, “Live Free or Die.”
Sadly, their choice imperils their own families, friends, work colleagues, employees in the service industries and medical personnel. Perhaps they would do well to focus on the first word of the slogan — “live.” Live by taking three simple actions: get vaccinated, wear a mask, wash hands. This is a case when New Hampshire should seek to be 50th in the nation.
When issues arise, one can seek to handle them “upstream” and deal preventatively, focusing on the causes creating those issues. One can choose to handle those issues “downstream” and be focused on the outcomes of the issues. Or both. Unfortunately, we have a governor who is focused on downstream outcomes. His decision to deploy the National Guard to help overwhelmed medical personnel will not change the causes for their being overwhelmed. It is a short-term downstream solution. Why not help the hospitals in their efforts of mobile vaccination clinics going to where the unvaccinated people are? Why not mandate mask-wearing? These are the long-term, upstream solutions.
And by the way, we need a different state slogan. Cover up those last three words on the license plate and focus on “live.”
Harriet DiCicco
Hancock