Gov. Chris Sununu is now requiring people to wear face coverings when they're part of organized gatherings of 100 people or more in New Hampshire, a change that comes ahead of a large annual gathering, Laconia Motorcycle Week.
Images of people ignoring social distancing measures at another major motorcycle gathering, this weekend's Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, factored into Sununu's emergency order requiring masks at those large, organized gatherings, he said at a news briefing Tuesday afternoon.
"Sturgis was a real clear warning sign to us. I don't think anyone saw the photos out of Sturgis and thought, 'That looks safe,'" Sununu said.
The governor said that residents have by and large been following recommendations to wear masks or face coverings when social distancing isn't possible, but with large events coming up in New Hampshire and outbreaks linked to super-spreader events around the country, Sununu said the move made sense.
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New York quickly became the epicenter of the American coronavirus outbreak, along with New Jersey. Only those states had more cases than Massachusetts early on in the pandemic. But after more time passed, all three found stability while others spiked to higher case counts.
Source: The COVID Tracking Project
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Schools are not being included in the order, though school assemblies might apply. Sununu said the order would apply to large religious gatherings as well.
Fines, still being developed, will theoretically be given to organizers, not individuals. And the order will be enforced by the state.
"We are going to have our enforcement teams out there, whether it's liquor or public safety, we are going to have people in the field and working one-on-one," Sununu said.
Laconia Motorcycle Week is set to begin Aug. 22, and the government has set up a working group to plan for it this year.
"I think the vast majority of folks you're going to see this year ... will likely be from New England," Sununu said, citing data gathered at the Foxwoods Resort Casino 310 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Sununu also said that the state would be stepping up the enforcement of coronavirus rules at bars and restaurants, where patrons must be seated -- standing and socializing has been linked to super-spreader events, according to the governor, who called the enforcement measures "common-sense."
New Hampshire's coronavirus metrics remain low.
On Tuesday, there were no new deaths and 13 new positive cases of the novel coronavirus reported, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. The number of coronavirus deaths remains at 419.
On Monday, the school board in New Hampshire's largest city approved remote learning for students entering grades two through 12 for the first quarter of the year.
Manchester's Board of School Committee voted that students in pre-kindergarten through the first grade will be returning to school for two days a week, at the superintendent's recommendation.
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Online learning for students in grades two through 12 will be held during regular school hours. Teachers will use video conferencing technology for classes.
The superintendent and health officials will evaluate the situation in October and decide whether to move to a hybrid model. Parents will be given a choice to stay fully remote or switch to hybrid.
