Sununu: "This is a test of our emergency preparededness"

Governor urges Granite Staters to prepare for months-long precautions

Sununu: Worst is likely yet to come with COVID-19 in NH

Governor urges Granite Staters to prepare for months-long precautions

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TAKE THE LONG VIEW SPEAKING WITH THE GOVERNOR TODAY, AS THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH HOUR TO HOUR, DAY TO DAY CHANGE IN THIS PANDEMIC. HE SAYS EVEN WITH THE HELP COMING FROM WASHINGTON, THERE WILL BE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO LIVES, THE ECONOMY, AND THE STATE BUDGET, AND PEOPLE SHOULD EXPECT TO BE IN THIS FOR A WHILE. GOV. SUNUNU: THE WORST IS PROBABLY STILL YET TO COME. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A MEDICAL SURGE, AND IT’S GOING TO BE VERY SERIOUS. WE WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT. ADAM: SITTING DOWN FOR AN INTERVIEW ON "CLOSE UP," GOVERNOR CHRIS SUNUNU TOLD US HE’S NOT GOING TO TAKE ISSUE WITH THE PRESIDENT’S REPEATED DESIRE TO GET THE COUNTRY BACK TO WORK BY EASTER, HE JUST DOESN’T THINK IT’S THE RIGHT MOVE FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE. GOV. SUNUNU: I THINK EASTER IS A LITTLE OPTIMISTIC, BUT I THINK HE DOES HAVE THAT BIG RESPONSIBILITY OF MAKING SURE PEOPLE HAVE HOPE, THAT THEY’RE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS. ADAM: AS THE PANDEMIC RAMPS UP HERE, THE GOVERNOR SAYS THERE WILL BE MORE INFORMATION MAD PUBLIC ABOUT WHERE THE STATE CAN CONFIRM COVID-19 IS SPREADING IN THE STATE. GOV. SUNUNU: AS MORE AND MORE CASES COME ON, THEY ARE, WE KNOW THEY ARE, THAT ALLOWS US A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY IN PINPOINTING THAT, SO BEGINNI NEXT WEEK, W WILL BE PUTTING OUT A TOWN BY TOWN MAP, SO PEOPLE CAN SEE WHERE THOSE NUMBERS ARE WITHIN THEIR TOWNS. ADAM: AS FOR A TIMELINE ON THIS CRISIS, THE GOVERNOR SAYS IT’S SOON TO TELL, BUT HE WANTS GRANITE STATERS TO BE READY FOR A LONG HAUL, LIKELY BEYOND THE CURRENT END OF THE STAY AT HOME ORDER ON MAY 4. GOV. SUNUNU: WE JUST DON’T KNOW HOW LONG WE’RE GOING TO BE IN THIS. IT’S NOT WEEKS, IT IS LIKELY MONTHS. AND FOLKS HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT. AND THAT’S WHY GOING WITH A STAY-AT-HOME ORDER IS VERY DIFFICULT, IT’S A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION. BUT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, THE MORE WE PREPARE TODAY, WE CAN SUPPRESS THAT VIRAL SPREAD. WE’RE ASKING FOLKS, REALLY, THEY NEED TO STAY AT HOME. ADAM: WE ALSO ASKED THE GOVERNOR ABOUT THE SEARCH FOR VENTILATORS AND THE POTENTIAL DEATH TOLL HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, WHICH HE SAYS PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE TOLD HIM CAN RANGE FROM THE HUNDREDS INTO THE THOUSANDS. YOU CAN WATCH THE FULL INTER

Sununu: Worst is likely yet to come with COVID-19 in NH

Governor urges Granite Staters to prepare for months-long precautions

New Hampshire has 158 confirmed cases of COVID-19, about 16% of patients have been hospitalized and one person has died, and state officials worry that the worst is yet to come.>> Download the FREE WMUR appGov. Chris Sununu said Granite Staters should be prepared to continue taking precautions for some time. Even with help coming from the federal government, there will be a significant impact on people's lives, the economy and the state budget.>> COVID-19 in New Hampshire: What you need to know"The worst is probably still yet to come," Sununu said. "We're going to have a medical surge, and it's going to be very serious. We want people to understand that."In an interview for "CloseUP," Sununu said he's not going to take issue with the president's repeated desire to get the country back to work by Easter. He just doesn't think it's the right move for New Hampshire."I think Easter is a little optimistic, but I think he does have that big responsibility of making sure people have hope, that they're going to get through this," Sununu said.As the outbreak ramps up in New Hampshire, the governor said there will be more information made public about where COVID-19 is spreading in the state."As more and more cases come on -- they are; we know they are -- that allows us a little more flexibility in pinpointing that, so beginning next week, we'll be putting out a town-by-town map so people can see where those numbers are within their towns," he said.As for a timeline on the crisis, Sununu said it's too soon to tell, but he wants Granite Staters to be ready for a long haul, likely beyond the current end of the stay-at-home order on May 4."We just don't know how long we're going to be in this," he said. "It's not weeks. It is likely months. And folks have to be prepared for that, and that's why going with a stay-at-home order is very difficult. It's a very difficult decision. But you have to understand, the more we prepare today, we can suppress that viral spread. We're asking folks, really, they need to stay at home."The full interview can be seen on "CloseUP" at 10 a.m. Sunday.

MANCHESTER, N.H. —

New Hampshire has 158 confirmed cases of COVID-19, about 16% of patients have been hospitalized and one person has died, and state officials worry that the worst is yet to come.

>> Download the FREE WMUR app

Gov. Chris Sununu said Granite Staters should be prepared to continue taking precautions for some time. Even with help coming from the federal government, there will be a significant impact on people's lives, the economy and the state budget.

>> COVID-19 in New Hampshire: What you need to know

"The worst is probably still yet to come," Sununu said. "We're going to have a medical surge, and it's going to be very serious. We want people to understand that."

In an interview for "CloseUP," Sununu said he's not going to take issue with the president's repeated desire to get the country back to work by Easter. He just doesn't think it's the right move for New Hampshire.

"I think Easter is a little optimistic, but I think he does have that big responsibility of making sure people have hope, that they're going to get through this," Sununu said.

As the outbreak ramps up in New Hampshire, the governor said there will be more information made public about where COVID-19 is spreading in the state.

"As more and more cases come on -- they are; we know they are -- that allows us a little more flexibility in pinpointing that, so beginning next week, we'll be putting out a town-by-town map so people can see where those numbers are within their towns," he said.

As for a timeline on the crisis, Sununu said it's too soon to tell, but he wants Granite Staters to be ready for a long haul, likely beyond the current end of the stay-at-home order on May 4.

"We just don't know how long we're going to be in this," he said. "It's not weeks. It is likely months. And folks have to be prepared for that, and that's why going with a stay-at-home order is very difficult. It's a very difficult decision. But you have to understand, the more we prepare today, we can suppress that viral spread. We're asking folks, really, they need to stay at home."

The full interview can be seen on "CloseUP" at 10 a.m. Sunday.