UNH Today

Rural Areas With Vacation Homes More Susceptible to COVID-19 Outbreaks

According to Jessica Carson, a research assistant professor at Carsey, rural counties that are attractive destination spots- either because they are near ski areas or beach fronts- are drawing visitors despite shelter-in-place orders. While urban areas have suffered most from the coronavirus, Carson said that residents in rural communities are more likely to be susceptible to the worst symptoms because they tend to be older than those who live in urban areas and are more likely to suffer from underlying conditions.

Rural Mass. Worries About Capacity to Handle COVID-19

Kenneth Johnson, a senior demographer at the Carsey School, says that rural people tend to be more interconnected with their neighbors. Massachusetts Senator Eric Lesser believes that this will help to carry rural Massachusetts through these hard times. However, no matter how high moral may be, rural Mass. still has cause for concern due to their lack of resources. Lesser worries about the region's health care system particularly as it relates to a population that tends to be older and more at -risk for COVID-19.

Routine Maintenance

Molly George’s new neighbor in class doesn’t say much, tends to have a short attention span and is easily distracted by objects that make noise.

She also happens to be a 10-year-old pug mix named Miley.

George ’23, like all fellow UNH students, has traded the traditional classroom for a makeshift setup at home as the university has suspended all in-person classes through the rest of the spring semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting entirely to remote online learning.