Some schools are having a hard time staying open as they struggle with staffing shortages. The Executive Council has approved the state’s purchase of a psychiatric hospital. And at-home COVID tests are soon to be available at a state liquor store near you.

We get to those stories and more on this edition of the New Hampshire News Recap.

Guests

• Sarah Gibson, NHPR
• Todd Bookman, NHPR

The New Hampshire House and Senate are revisiting the state’s new limits on abortion. New data shows a dramatic spike in hospital worker absence. And some lawmakers are calling for changes to the vaccine registry.

We talk about those stories and more on this edition of the New Hampshire News Recap.

Guests

Alli Fam, NHPR

Annmarie Timmins, New Hampshire Bulletin

Host: Rick Ganley

Producer: Jackie Harris

New Hampshire health care facilities are having to make tough decisions between staffing shortages and limited availability for some COVID-19 treatments. New Hampshire House lawmakers are debating whether to extend the new so-called “divisive concepts” law to include colleges and universities, while they continue to disagree about COVID protocol.

And the Executive Council voted down another round of contracts for reproductive care for historically low-income patients across the state.

The year began with the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccinations and renewed hopes. And it’s ending with some of the highest coronavirus numbers since the first patient in New Hampshire was identified in March of 2020.

To reflect on the year in local news, NHPR Morning Edition host Rick Ganley invited a few reporters whose beats dominated the headlines. Health reporter Alli Fam, education reporter Sarah Gibson, education reporter and Josh Rogers, political reporter, reviewed the defining moments of 2021.

NHPR's Alli Fam discusses the first cases of the Omicron variant in New Hampshire and NHPR's Mara Hoplamazian updates us on the Public Utilities Commission’s order to decrease funding for energy efficiency programs.

New Hampshire has the highest rate per capita of COVID-19 infections in the country. Gov. Chris Sununu announced the state is bringing in FEMA and the National Guard to help health care facilities, which are struggling with a labor shortage, while cases and hospitalizations are at an all-time high.

How are health officials fighting this wave?

And looking ahead to the new year, a law banning abortion after 24 weeks will take effect in January, just a few weeks away. How are reproductive health care providers preparing for the change?

The omicron variant of COVID-19 arrived in the United States this week. What do we know and what is New Hampshire doing to prepare? Meanwhile, COVID cases and hospitalizations are at an all-time high in the state.

Gov. Chris Sununu says the state will hire more out-of-state health care workers to combat persistent staffing shortages and free up space for COVID patients in hospitals.

What else are public officials doing to help stop the spread of COVID?

The continued rise in COVID-19 infections in New Hampshire is putting even more pressure on the state’s hospital system. A State House committee has approved a plan that would make dramatic changes to the state’s congressional districts. And renters are continuing to struggle under the state’s housing crisis.

Voters across New Hampshire participated in city elections this week. Republicans in the New Hampshire House proposed new Congressional district voting maps.

And the state’s vaccination data has been inaccurate since June. But Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette said this week that she thinks the CDC’s data is becoming increasingly inaccurate as well.

We get into those stories and more.