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GOVERNOR SUNUNU SAYS THE TIME IS NOT RIGHT FOR WHAT HE BELIEVES IS A MEASURE OF LAST RESORT. THE NEW HAMPSHIRE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IS KEEPING A HEALTHY SOCIAL DISTANCE FROM ITS CHAMBERS, MEETING VIA TELEPHONE. ALMOST RIGHT OFF THE BAT, COUNCILOR DEBORA PIGNATELLI CALLED FOR GOVERNOR CHRIS SUNUNU TO ISSUE A SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER TO HELP EASE THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. MS. PIGNATELLI: IT’S NOT OFTEN THAT WE ARE IN A POSITION TO SAVE LIVES, BUT I AM CERTAIN THAT IF YOU TAKE THIS ACTION, THIS WILL SAVE A LOT OF LIVES. ADAM: THE GOVERNOR ONCE AGAIN DECLINED, SAYING HE SEES THAT ORDER AS A FINAL, DRASTIC STEP THAT DOES NOT YET NEED TO BE TAKEN IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, WITH ITS CURRENT RATE OF INFECTION. GOV. SUNUNU: AFTER THREE OR FOUR WEEKS, PEOPLE ARE JUST GOING TO, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY START VIOLATING THAT ORDER? I MEAN, WE’RE NOT GOING TO PUT NATIONAL GUARD IN THE STREET TO START ARRESTING PEOPLE FOR COMING OUT OF THEIR HOMES, THAT’S JUST NOT PRACTICAL. SO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE STRETCHING THIS AS LONG AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, GIVE FOLKS FLEXIBILITY, AS OPPOSED TO SAYING LOOK, YOU HAVE GOT TO STAY HOME FOR THE NEXT EIGHT WEEKS." THAT’S NOT A PRACTICAL ASK OF FOLKS. ADAM: BUT THE GOVERNOR ISN’T RULING THAT ORDER OUT DOWN THE ROAD. NEW HAMPSHIRE’S HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSIONER TOLD THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WHAT SHE BELIEVES IS THE DANGER OF ISSUING A SHELTER ORDER RIGHT NOW. COMMR. SHIBINETTE: THE PROBLEM THAT YOU HAVE WHEN YOU GO TOO RESTRICTIVE TOO SOON WITH YOUR R MEASURES IS THAT THE RATE OF INFECTION DROPS TO THE POINT THAT WHEN YOU COME OUT OF THOSE RESTRICTIVE MEASURES, WHETHER THAT’S IN TWO WEEKS OR TWO MONTHS, YOU THEN HAVE A NEW OUTBREAK. ADAM: THE GOVERNOR ALSO SAID GRANITE STATE PARENTS SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE SCHOOL CLOSURES EXTEND BEYOND APRIL 6. NO WORD ON W

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A New Hampshire executive councilor asked the governor during a chamber meeting held over the phone Wednesday that he issue a stay-at-home or shelter-in-place order amid the coronavirus outbreak, but the governor declined again to take that step.>> Download the FREE WMUR app"It's not often that we are in a position to save lives, but I am certain that if you take this action this will save a lot of lives,” Executive Councilor Debora Pignatelli, D, said.The governor disagreed, saying he sees that order as a final, drastic step that does not yet need to be taken in New Hampshire with its current rate of infection.>> COVID-19 in New Hampshire: What you need to know"After three or four weeks, people are just going to -- what happens when they start violating that order? We're not going to put National Guard in the street to start arresting people for coming out of their homes. That's just not practical. So, what we're trying to stretch this out as long as we possibly can, give folks the flexibility, as opposed to saying, 'Look, you have to stay at home for the next eight weeks.' That's not a practical ask of folks,” Sununu said.The governor isn't ruling that order out down the road, though.New Hampshire's Health and Human Services commissioner told the Executive Council what she believes is the danger of issuing a shelter order right now.>> Latest coronavirus coverage from WMUR“The problem that you have when you go too restrictive, too soon, with your measures, is that … the rate of infection drops to the point that when you come out of those restrictive measures, whether that's in two weeks or two months, you then have a new outbreak," New Hampshire DHHS Commissioner Lori Shibinette said.The governor also told WMUR on Wednesday that Granite State parents should prepare for the school closure to be extended beyond April 6. There was no word yet what the new potential re-opening date might be, but WMUR was told an announcement will be made soon.