COVID-19 INFORMATION

THE FEDERAL COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY ENDED MAY 11, 2023 

• COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are still available at no cost while supplies last. Most commercial insurance companies and Medicaid will continue to provide support. 
• Free antigen tests remain widely available in communities, while supplies last.
• Recommendations for who should receive updated boosters will continue to evolve. People who have questions or concerns about how to protect themselves from COVID-19 should talk with their primary care providers, especially individuals who are at higher risk for severe COVID-19, such as older adults and people with compromised immune systems.
• Access to COVID-19 vaccinations and certain treatments, such as Paxlovid, will generally not be affected.  Vaccines are available at health care providers and at retail pharmacies. 
• In most cases, access to telehealth to identify and treat COVID-19 will not change. New Hampshire’s partnership with On-Site Medical Services for free telehealth services for treatment of COVID-19 will continue until August 31, 2023.
• New Hampshire will continue to partner with select communities to monitor wastewater for the presence of COVID-19 and data will continue to be published on the New Hampshire COVID-19 Dashboard.

CDC continues to maintain its online tool for assessing community risk -- COVID-19 Community Levels -- to help communities and residents decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. Take precautions to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 based on the COVID-19 Community Level in your area.

Go to maps of locations offering vaccinations for children 6 mo-4 yrs and 5-11 years old.

COVID-19 BOOSTER VACCINES RECEIVED FDA AUTHORIZATION – The CDC has approved FDA EUA for a modified Pfizer vaccine for age 12+ and one from Moderna for 18+ as fall boosters -- more effective against the original strain and the Omicron variant. NH DHHS recommends that everyone age 12 and over at least three months past receiving their primary series receive the new booster. Go to the vaccine finder to search for one of the 50 sites in and around Portsmouth.

BOOSTERS FOR HOMEBOUND INDIVIDUALS – Call On-Site Medical Services at 603.826.6500 to make an appointment or go to the On-Site homebound vaccine website.

ON-SITE MEDICAL ALSO OFFERS FREE TELEHEALTH CONSULTATIONS -- Those who test positive for COVID-19 but experience delays in being seen by their PCP, or other medical professional, possibly losing the effectiveness window for some treatments that could be helpful can call 1-800-816-5803 or log onto the On-Site Medical website. The telehealth appointment can also include prescribing any needed medication/treatments. 

FDA/CDC authorizes the following vaccination recommendation (as of April 19, 2023):

CDC’s new recommendations:

• Those age 6-64 who already completed an updated mRNA vaccine series do not need to take any action.
• Those age 65+ or who are immunocompromised should receive an additional updated vaccine booster dose.
• Everyone age 6+ should be vaccinated against COVID-19 and will now receive the updated vaccine.
• Young children should also be vaccinated with doses that vary by age and vaccine.

 

J&J VACCINE
On May 5, 2022, the FDA limited who can receive Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine due to the ongoing risk of rare but serious blood clots. The shot should only be given to adults who cannot receive a different vaccine or specifically request the J&J.

Those who are severely immunocompromised or have other concerns related to age or medical condition have slightly different vaccination recommendations. Check with your healthcare provider.

To learn more and find vaccination sites go to Vaccines.gov

For some Mask Basics -- effective types, tips on wearing, masks for kids, etc. -- click here.

Regional Health Bulletin Board (September 1, 2023)

For CDC information about the COVID-19 vaccine, including "Key Things to Know," click here.

For CDC information about booster vaccinations, approved for all three vaccines, and who is eligible, click here.

CDC updated their guidelines on August 11, 2022 --and NH DHHS agrees -- with the following recommendations:

CDC advises that people should continue to consider their individual risk in a particular setting, including local COVID-19 Community Levels and the important role of ventilation, when choosing to mask or keep physical distance from others.  Source: CDC streamlines COVID-19 guidance to help the public better protect themselves and understand their risk | CDC Online Newsroom | CDC

Physical distancing is just one component protecting yourself and others. These basic precautions are still effective in preventing COVID-19 infection -- vaccination, testing, masking, hand hygiene, good ventilation – and individual decisions should factor in the Community Risk levels tracked by CDC: COVID-19 by County | CDC

Additional CDC guidelines:

•    Stress the importance of being up to date with vaccination to protect against serious illness, hospitalization and death. 
•    Recommend against quarantine for anyone exposed to COVID-19. Instead: wear a high-quality mask for 10 days and get tested on day 5.
•    Recommend those who have, or suspect they have, COVID-19: stay home for at least 5 days, isolate in your household and wear a mask when around others (through day 10 if you tested positive). You may end isolation when:
o    If tested, you receive a negative test result and
o    If after 5 days you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication, and your symptoms are improving, or you never had symptoms, 
o    If you have contact with people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 that you isolate from them until at least day 11.
•    Recommend those who experience moderate illness (shortness of breath or had difficulty breathing) should isolate through day 10.
•    Recommend those who had  severe illness or have a weakened immune system should consult a doctor before ending isolation. 
•    Recommend that if your COVID-19 symptoms worsen after ending isolation, you should start another 5 days of isolation.
•    Discontinue screening tests for asymptomatic people without known exposures

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

Information from Governor Sununu:

• Universal Best Practices (as of May 7, 2021).

Information from the NH Department of Health and Human Services:

• Guidance for Vaccinated People and Masking, click here.
• Frequently Asked Questions about COVID vaccination, click here.
• Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19, click here.
• Where to get tested, click here.
• Walk-in vaccination locations, click here.
• How to quarantine, click here.
• NH DHHS Interactive Dashboard, click here.
• Employer Travel, Screening and Quarantine (updated May 7, 2021), click here.

For rent and mortgage relief assistance: the New Hampshire Housing Relief Program, an initiative designed to keep people from losing their housing and to secure or maintain permanent housing in partnership with the Community Action Partnership for NH (CAPNH) is now accepting applications. To contact CAPNH, call 2-1-1 from any NH phone or click here.  

CITY OF PORTSMOUTH

• Health Department information on COVID-19, click here.
  • Frequently Asked Questions on Masks, click here. Updated July 5, 2022
  • Frequently Asked Questions on Testing, click here. Updated March 31, 2022
  • Frequently Asked Questions on Daily Life During the Pandemic, click here. Updated August 17, 2022
  • Frequently Asked Questions on Ventilation, click here. Updated July 9, 2021
  • Frequently Asked Questions on Vaccination, click here. Updated October 31, 2022
    • Find Vaccination Sites, click here. 
    • Backgrounder on the Development of the COVID-19 Vaccines, click here. October 8, 2021
  • Frequently Asked Questions "After COVID-19, now what?," click here. 
  • Frequently Asked Questions "I've been vaccinated, now what?" click here. Updated November 3, 2021
  • Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Treatments for those recently diagnosed, click here. Updated March 21, 2022
  • Frequently Asked Questions about Kids and COVID, click here. Updated June 20, 2022
• City Newsletter Archive of 2020, 2021, 2022 COVID-19 information, click here.
• Sign up for City Newsletter, click here.

• ARCHIVE: Economic Development COVID-19 resources for business, click here
• ARCHIVE: Assistance Resources, click here.
• Blue Ribbon Committees to Reopen Portsmouth 2021 & On Health, click here.
• Blue Ribbon Committee on Arts and Nonprofits, click here.

City Hall services are available online. Online and by-phone services include:

• Paying bills: Use the City's online services to pay water bills, taxes, fees, fines; secure permits, etc.  Payments can be mailed or dropped in the drop-box in the City Hall parking lot. OR Call (844) 850-9185 to pay your water/sewer or property tax bills using Interactive Voice Response (IVR). Account number required. ($1.50 IVR fee, plus any credit card fees if paying by credit card.)
• For licenses, birth and death certificates and other vital records, click here. Call or email the City Clerk at 603-610-7245 or cityclerk@cityofportsmouth.com
• City residents can renew their registrations online here. For new registrations, call 603-610-7244 or email taxdept@cityofportsmouth.com NH DMV services are by-appointment only.
• Portsmouth Fire Department is processing burn permits online. 
• Planning Department: For information about land use applications and submission deadlines click here. 
• City board, commission and committee meetings are conducted in person and via Zoom. Check the City calendar for details.
• Portsmouth Public Library: For details on all of the services offered by the Library and how to access them, click here.