ICYMI: Granite Staters Fed Up with Sununu’s COVID Vaccine Rollout Failures

Concord, N.H. -- It has been a tough week for Governor Chris Sununu who faced criticism from Granite Staters across New Hampshire who are frustrated with nearly every single aspect of his failed COVID vaccine rollout. “After he approved of a plan to gave the vaccine to ski patrol members who work at his family’s resort ahead of teachers, rolled out a vaccine registration system that has been called a 'nightmare', and attempted to let non-residents who own second homes in Waterville Valley get the vaccine before people who live here, I would say it’s pretty obvious why Granite Staters are not happy with Chris Sununu,” said New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley. Sununu Slammed For Vaccinating Ski Patrol Ahead of Teachers

• Keene Sentinel - Local school districts urge state to vaccinate teachers earlier: “In his letter to the governor, posted on the district website Thursday, SAU 29 Superintendent Robert Malay said, ‘To hear that our staff that provide this essential service required by statute are placed in a second-tier level of priority below a non-essential service (albeit important) that is not required by statute is disheartening at best.’” (1/23/21)

• Manchester Ink Link (Opinion) - Vaccinating teachers, very ‘necessary: “On Thursday, Gov. Chris Sununu prioritized the ski patrols at New Hampshire’s commerce-driven mountain resorts—catering to the affluent who can still afford weekends at Waterville Valley in a decimated economy—to receive the COVID-19 vaccine before public school teachers[1].” (1/23/21)

• NBC Boston - Ski Patrol Prioritized Over Educators for COVID Vaccine in NH: “The CDC is recommending educators get vaccinated in phase one, but in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, teachers are slated for phase two -- and they’re not happy about it.” (1/24/21)

• Foster's Daily Democrat (Opinion) - Gov. Sununu is leaving New Hampshire’s teachers behind: “By not prioritizing vaccinations for our teachers and school staff, the governor is prolonging the already unprecedented challenges our schools have faced since the beginning of this pandemic.” (1/24/21)

• Keene Sentinel - Sentinel Editorial: School staff safety; Until staff can be given vaccine, schools should remain in hybrid mode: “There is more than a trace of hypocrisy in calling for schools to fully reopen while refusing to protect those you’d be putting more at risk of a potentially deadly virus.” (1/26/21)

• Conway Daily Sun - School board to Sununu: Vaccinate teachers: “Board member Jessica Whitelaw said she already had sent a letter to the governor on her own.‘I sent a letter personally last week, as a parent, voicing my concern that educators should be moved, but I also do think that we really, as a district, need to make a statement on this.’” (1/26/21)

• Monadnock Ledger-Transcript - ConVal School Board pushes for teacher vaccinations: “‘While this alone is cause for concern, we are concerned that you approved members of the ski patrol -- which do not fall under the definition of first responders according to state statute to receive the vaccine in Phase 1a ahead of educators.’” (1/27/21)

• Concord Monitor (Opinion) - Governor has done little to help schools during COVID: “Your frustration that many schools in this state are not meeting your personal expectations is clear, but what do you expect? From the beginning of the pandemic, you and your administration have done little other than provide New Hampshire schools with vague suggestions regarding how to deal with the COVID crisis.” (1/28/21)

Sununu Caught Trying to Give Non-Residents The Vaccine Ahead of Teachers

• NHPR - State Now Says Vaccines Only Available For New Hampshire Residents: “Less than a day after defending a policy that allowed non-residents who own property in the state to obtain a COVID-19 vaccination, the state is reversing course and will limit vaccines to residents.” (1/25/21)

Sununu’s Vaccine Registration System A Nightmare for Granite Staters

• From the Union Leader - Some Left in Limbo: “I called my doctor’s office which is connected to Concord Hospital, and they told me they had sent all their patient files to the state. I don’t know what that means, but the bottom line is I was unable to register yet. It looks like I’m looking perhaps in March when my age group alone qualifies for the vaccine.” (1/23/21)

• Seacoast Online - I registered for COVID vaccine in NH. The next step was confusing: “While the state explained some of what would happen in signing up for the COVID-19 vaccine in New Hampshire, it didn’t explain very well what to expect after registering initially at vaccines.nh.gov.” (1/23/21)

• WMUR: Some Granite Staters express frustration after trying to sign up for vaccinations: “Murphy is a retired engineer, and he said he was stymied by the website. ‘It just requires so much information, and it requires it two or three times,’ he said. ‘And for some reason, it would just shut off, and then I would have to go right back and start all over again.’” (1/25/21)

• Concord Monitor - Vaccine signup process proves to be a ‘nightmare’ for some: “For many who registered on Friday, like the Perezes, the two-step process was not so straightforward. Some residents who registered on Friday were able select an appointment almost immediately, others, without any clear rhyme or reason, waited several days before they were able to sign up, with only distant vaccination dates left to choose. When those who were trying to troubleshoot the process went to the state for guidance, they were met with endless holds and full mailboxes.” (1/27/21)

• Concord Monitor - Granite Geek: Confused when signing for the COVID-19 vaccine? Me too: “As a guy with “geek” in the name of his newspaper column I’m supposed to be techy-savvy, so it’s embarrassing to admit how confused I got when signing up for a COVID-19 vaccine this week.” (1/27/21)

Granite Staters From North Country to Seacoast Have Vaccine Appointments Cancelled Under Sununu Administration

• WMUR - Some NH seniors waiting months, traveling far from home for vaccine appointments: “Agustin L'Etoile, 83, of Pike, booked an appointment for next week, only to learn it was canceled and had to be rescheduled to a full month later and an hour away. Sue Ruka, of Madison, helped her 94-year-old mother book an appointment, but it is not until April.” (1/24/21)

• Caledonian Record: Littleton-Woodsville:Scheduling Error Causes Bumps In 1B Vaccinations: “As coronavirus vaccinations roll out this week for Tier 1b residents across the state, some in the North Country are expressing frustrations and confusion about the appointment process so far.” (1/26/21)

• InDepthNH - Sununu Visits COVID-19 Vaccination Site, Addresses Rollout Missteps: “In the North Country, the rollout has been “a real mess up,” said Easton resident Susan Schibanoff, who said many in the Woodsville and Littleton area must re-do their appointments after finding out through social media that the locations for getting the vaccine don’t really exist or are just not open to the public.” (1/26/21)

• Seacoast Online - Pease COVID vaccine site for federal employees only causes confusion: “A Pease International Tradeport vaccination site for federal employees only has caused some confusion for people age 65 and older and other residents registering for vaccine appointments under Phase 1B in New Hampshire.” (1/27/21)

• WMUR - Some Granite Staters face challenges getting to COVID-19 vaccination sites: “New Hampshire health officials are figuring out how to get vaccines into the arms of people who can't get to state-run sites. Regional health networks are helping coordinate clinics in some congregate living settings, but individuals living alone with transportation issues could still have difficulty getting vaccinated.” (1/28/21)

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