On April 15, 2021, New Hampshire (NH) Governor Sununu announced that the statewide mask mandate (Executive Order #74, #81, and #87) will expire on April 16, 2021. Private businesses, organizations, and cities and towns retain the authority to require customers/residents to wear face coverings.
Due to an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations throughout the State and continued substantial community transmission in the Greater Nashua Region, the City of Nashua Ordinance O-20-018 and Ordinance O-20-029 will remain in effect until further notice. The City of Nashua Board of Health is in the process of developing evidence-based criteria for maintaining or removing the face covering ordinance.
Ordinance O-20-018 requires the use of face coverings in public settings where you are unable to maintain social distancing (a distance of six feet between yourself and others). Exceptions include children under the age of 10 and those unable to wear a face covering due to a medical condition. Ordinance O-20-029 provides supplemental regulations regarding the use of face coverings for businesses, gyms, places of amusement, and personal care services.
"We all want to reopen our economy. We all want to keep our family, our friends and our community safe. However, the medical and public health experts are clear: If we want to eradicate the virus, we need to continue to wear masks and we all need to get vaccinated,” said Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the universal use of face coverings in public, and cites several research studies that provide evidence of face covering effectiveness. Face coverings prevent the spread of COVID-19 transmission in two ways. First, face coverings prevent infectious individuals from spreading their respiratory droplets. Second, face coverings act as a barrier by preventing respiratory droplets from entering into the wearer’s nose and mouth. For more information on the effectiveness of face coverings, visit the CDC’s website.
“We know that the mask ordinance works. The Nashua Division of Public Health and Community Services (DPHCS) is continuously monitoring data and providing recommendations to keep our community healthy and safe. Since we know that mask-wearing, along with vaccination, social distancing and hand washing are the most effective ways to end this pandemic, we will continue to enforce our mask ordinance until COVID-19 cases in our community decrease. We hope our community will stay vigilant and practice public health recommendations as the virus continues to spread,” said Bobbie D. Bagley, Director of the City of Nashua Division of Public Health and Community Services.
Throughout the State, all businesses deemed ‘essential’ should continue to follow NH’s Safer at Home guidelines. This includes continuing to wear face coverings and limiting numbers of clients in businesses as directed by the State of NH Emergency Order #52. For more information, visit covidguidance.nh.gov.
According to the CDC, even fully vaccinated people should continue to wear face coverings in public. In addition to wearing a face covering in public, the best way to protect yourself and your community is to stay six feet away from people you do not live with, avoid large gatherings, practice frequent hand hygiene, and get vaccinated against COVID-19.
For more information, please visit the City of Nashua’s website at nashuanh.gov/1392/Face-Coverings.
