Governor Chris Sununu Announces Statewide Mask Mandate to Expire

Concord, NH – Today, Governor Chris Sununu announced that the statewide mask mandate implemented on November 20, 2020 will expire tomorrow, Friday, April 16.

The announcement follows a reduction in the state’s 7-day average of daily deaths to 0.6, the lowest since October of 2020 before the mask mandate had been implemented, as hospitalizations remain at a manageable level, and as over 70% of those 65+ have been vaccinated.

“We have been very careful from the beginning of this pandemic to take items up individually and make informed decisions,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “We have never set arbitrary dates unsupported by the data and the science. It is important to note that this mandate going away will not limit or prevent the ability of private businesses and local cities and towns from requiring masks. Of course, we continue to encourage folks to wear masks when they are unable to socially distanced.”

“NH public health continues to work towards protecting the health of all NH residents and communities,” said Dr. Benjamin Chan, State Epidemiologist. “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. 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. Therefore, we ask that people continue to take steps to protect their own health, the health of their family and friends, and the health of their community.”