Coronavirus concerns prompt cancellation of area events

As concerns grow about the possible spread of COVID-19 through social interactions, church and state officials are offering new guidelines for public events, and local organizations are responding, canceling or curtailing events.

The Gunstock Ski Club canceled the 2020 Francis Piche Invitational Race, scheduled to run through Sunday at Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford.

In announcing the cancellation, Gunstock said the ski club made the decision shortly after the United States Amateur Snowboard Association announced the cancellation of several other competitions across the country.

In Holderness, the staff of the Squam Lakes Association closed its offices to the public and canceled all public programs.

The staff is continuing to work, including performing trail maintenance, but asks that any interactions take place by phone at 603-968-7336 or by email at info@squamlakes.org.

The Murray Academy of Irish Dance has postponed its March 14 performance at the Taylor Community’s Woodside Building in Laconia to a later date to be announced.

Farther afield, history buffs will find the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord to be closed to the public for a month. The Society also postponed all public programs, including its annual meeting.

CruCon in Moultonborough announced that both Carnival and Celebrity/RCCL cruise lines have instituted restrictions on passengers 70 years and older. Both now require a doctor’s “fit to sail” letter to confirm that older passengers meet the health guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control in order to board a cruise ship.

Businesses that remain open to the public are emphasizing the measures they are taking to ensure the wellbeing of their clients. The Common Man Family of Restaurants is typical in its assurances, emphasizing frequent hand-washing by staff and requiring that staff members who are sick stay home; suggesting that guests stay home if they are ill; cleaning and disinfecting high-touch objects and surfaces; and practicing diligence at self-serve stations and buffets by swapping out serving utensils regularly and requesting that guests sanitize their hands before serving themselves.

Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald advised town moderators, town clerks, and supervisors of the checklist that they should consider the state law allowing the rescheduling of Town Meeting if the moderator “reasonably believes” the meeting location to be safe, but warned, “Moderators should also consider the legal ramifications of postponing their towns’ meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to approve annual budgets and for newly elected officials to assume their positions. As such, in making this determination we also encourage moderators to consult with their town’s legal counsel.”

Bristol, Moultonborough and Tilton are among those towns scheduled to hold town meetings today, and those meetings were scheduled to go on as planned as of late Friday, according to town officials.

"After consulting with town counsel and conferring with the Board of Selectmen and School District, the Town and School District meetings will be held as scheduled this coming Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. at the Community Auditorium at Moultonborough Academy," wrote Paul T. Punturieri, the town and school district moderator.

As of Friday afternoon, three communities in the southern part of the state had decided to postpone their town meetings.