Gov. Sununu Issues Mask Mandate For New Hampshire Amid COVID Spike

Governor Chris Sununu has issued a statewide mask mandate amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in the state of New Hampshire.

The mask mandate will go into effect on Friday, November 20, 2020 at 12:01 a.m. and continue until at least January 15, 2021, CBS Boston reports. Children 5 and under will be exempt from the mandate.

All individuals over the age of 5 will be required to wear face coverings properly -- covering both the nose and mouth -- while in public, indoors or outdoors whenever it is difficult to meet social distance requirements of six feet from other individuals outside their immediate household.

“With rising cases, substantial statewide community transmission, and an increase in hospitalizations – the data supports enacting a statewide mask mandate,” Gov. Sununu said via CBS Boston.

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services reported 529 new COVID-19 cases throughout the state on Thursday, which was the highest total ever reported.

“Instituting this commonsense mask mandate today will allow us to keep our economy open and help ensure our health care system has the capacity and workforce it needs in the coming weeks,” Sununu said. “By wearing a mask, Granite Staters can keep our friends, family, neighbors, and critical workforce members and those they care for safe – without shutting down the economy.”

New Hampshire reported 3,767 active COVID-19 cases and a total of 15,749 cumulative cases throughout the pandemic as of Thursday.

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