New Hampshire's Statewide Mask Mandate To Expire Friday

CONCORD, NH — New Hampshire's statewide mask mandate will end on Friday, according to Gov. Chris Sununu.

The governor announced the end of the mandate at his weekly Thursday coronavirus news conference. Sununu pointed to a seven-day average daily death rate of 0.06 percent — the lowest since October 2020, a month before the emergency mandate was issued. Hospitalizations, he noted, also remain at a manageable rate while more than 70 percent of the state's residents who are 65 or older have been vaccinated.

"We have been very careful from the beginning of this pandemic to take items up individually and make informed decisions," Sununu said. "We have never set arbitrary dates unsupported by the data and the science."

Sununu said it was important for Granite Staters to know private businesses, as well as cities and towns, can continue to mandate face coverings. He added, anyone who was unable to practice social distancing, should also wear a mask.

Dr. Benjamin Chan, the state's epidemiologist, said the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services would continue to work to protect state health.

"Throughout the pandemic, we have advised people to wear face masks to protect themselves and prevent COVID-19 from spreading, even when there was no mask mandate," he said. "The lifting of the mandate does not diminish the importance of wearing a face mask. The threat to health from COVID-19 is real. Even as restrictions are reduced, we are still in a pandemic, and levels of COVID-19 remain high across the state."

Chan said health officials were still asking people to take steps to protect their own health — as well as the health of their family and friends, and the health of their community.

Originally, in early fall 2020, Sununu was against face-covering mandates. But as cases spiked, he pivoted and implemented the emergency order.

About 30 minutes after the announcement, state Sen. Tom Sherman (D-Rye), who is also a doctor, said he was "shocked" by Sununu's decision.

"Our state is averaging more new cases each day and more hospitalizations than when the mask mandate first went into effect," he said. "As a doctor, I am shocked that in spite of these facts the governor is now lifting this critical protection against the spread of COVID 19. It is clear that the pandemic is far from over."

Sherman called on the governor to "rethink this unnecessary and potentially devastating deviation in our public health policy."

Todd Selig, the town manager of Durham, which has been rocked by cases due to infections at the University of New Hampshire, said the community's mandate will remain in place at least until June 5.

"Throughout the pandemic, the town has advised people to wear face masks to protect themselves and prevent COVID-19 from spreading," he said. "The lifting of the state-wide mandate by the governor does not diminish the importance of wearing a face mask. As restrictions are reduced by the state, we are still in a pandemic, and levels of COVID-19 remain high across NH."

Outside of Durham, he added, "we strongly recommend that people continue to take steps to protect their own health, the health and safety of their family and friends, and the health of their local communities: Wear a mask around others, get vaccinated, avoid close physical contact, monitor your health, wash hands/disinfect."

Zandra Rice Hawkins, the executive director of Granite State Progress, said the governor was "pandering to the most extreme COVID denier members of his party" instead of standing up for public health.

"Time and again, Chris Sununu shows us he cannot be trusted to put the health and safety of his constituents over his own partisan political agenda," she said. "From coddling white nationalists to campaigning with secessionists and standing with armed militia members and conspiracy theorists, Complicit Chris Sununu continues to choose far-right extremists over Granite Staters. Sununu’s lack of leadership is dangerous and will cost lives."

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