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As Mask Requirements Spread Outside N.H., Sununu Says Mandate Isn't Necessary

As more businesses and the rest of New England begin to require the wearing of face masks, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu says he still thinks a statewide mandate is not needed.

At a press conference Tuesday, Sununu and health officials urged people to wear masks when they are out in public. But Sununu said he thinks this would be hard to enforce as a requirement.

“At the end of the day, it's still up to each of us to take that personal responsibility seriously and wear it as often as we can, as much as we can,” Sununu said.

Credit Gov. Chris Sununu Twitter
N.H. Gov. Chris Sununu tweeted out a photo of himself earlier this year wearing a bandana mask while grocery shopping.

Sununu feels he’s seeing widespread mask usage in the community, and credits state messaging with adoption of the practice. But he acknowledged that a minority of people are choosing not to wear them.

"I feel like every time I put my mask on, we're sending a message to everybody that yeah, it's important,” he said. “And remember, when you wear a mask, it's not to protect you, as much as it is to protect everybody around you. It's a sign that you're doing something for everybody else and it has real positive effects in terms of mitigating that virus spread."

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He also argued that states with mask requirements have still seen spikes in coronavirus cases.

Public health officials maintain that widespread use of masks is the best way people can prevent the virus from spreading. Vermont became last New England state besides New Hampshire to institute a mask requirement last week.

Answering a reporter's question Tuesday, Sununu said he does not expect to require people or their children to take any COVID-19 vaccine if and when one becomes widely available.

Annie has covered the environment, energy, climate change and the Seacoast region for NHPR since 2017. She leads the newsroom's climate reporting project, By Degrees.
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