Mask mandate lifted at New Hampshire Statehouse

By Holly Ramer
Associated Press
All U.S. adults are now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. To register for a vaccine appointment in New Hampshire, please visit vaccines.nh.gov or call 2-1-1. To register for a vaccine appointment in Vermont, please visit healthvermont.gov or call (855) 722-7878.

Here are the latest developments regarding the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic throughout New England:

New HampshireMasks are no longer mandatory at the New Hampshire Statehouse, which remains closed to everyone but lawmakers and staff.

The Republican-led Joint Facilities Committee voted 8-4 along party lines Friday to remove a requirement that masks be worn to prevent spread of the coronavirus in the Statehouse and legislative office building.

The vote comes three weeks after Republican Gov. Chris Sununu lifted a statewide mask mandate, leaving it up to individual communities, businesses and organizations to set their own policies.

Under the new Statehouse policy, legislators and staff can choose to wear masks and to require them for those who enter their personal workspaces, though most spaces are shared with others.

“The policy that’s in place in the state of New Hampshire is not requiring face masks right now. Your individual choice, my individual choice, I think that’s where we’re headed back to,” said Senate President Chuck Morse, adding that he has worked with senators and staff to ensure everyone feels comfortable.

Rep. Karen Ebel, D-New London, opposed the change, citing inadequate ventilation in the legislative office building and the advanced age of many lawmakers. She also expressed concern for staffers, who are in the building daily while lawmakers come and go.

“We know the governor’s emergency order is still in place which indicates that he feels the pandemic is ongoing,” she said. “I think it’s early to removing the mask mandate especially if we’re thinking of letting the public back into the building.”

The 24-member Senate has been meeting remotely this year, while the 400-member House has met outside at the University of New Hampshire, in a parking lot from their cars and at a Bedford sport complex.

Dartmouth graduation: Dartmouth College will allow graduating seniors to bring two guests to next month’s commencement ceremony.

The new guidelines reverse the college’s earlier decision to prohibit guests at the June 13 ceremony, the Valley News reported Thursday. President Phil Hanlon said the change was made based on declining COVID-19 cases, the availability of vaccines nationwide and “more flexible state and local guidance.”

Two tickets will be available to each student receiving an undergraduate degree. Those receiving graduate and professional degrees will be allowed two guests at events hosted by their individual schools, but not at the larger ceremony.

The ceremony will be held in Memorial Stadium instead of the college green to allow for social distancing.

The numbers: More than 96,000 people have tested positive for the virus in New Hampshire, including 213 cases announced Friday. No new deaths were announced, keeping the total at 1,311.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Hampshire has decreased over the past two weeks, going from 341 new cases per day on April 21 to 208 new cases per day on May 5.

VermontThe state of Vermont could ask the federal government for vaccine in excess of the 25,000 doses a week it currently receives, officials said Friday.

Unlike some states that aren’t using all the doses they are allocated and are even declining to accept some of the doses they are offered, Vermont is keeping up with its vaccination schedule.

“We don’t have that problem yet in Vermont,”’ Gov. Phil Scott said Friday during the regular virus briefing. “Obviously it’s been reduced a bit, but we are still taking our full allocation and we’re asking for more as well.”

The state is getting creative in its efforts to keep the state on pace to reach its next goal of vaccinating 70% of the eligible population by June 1. The state hopes to lift most virus restrictions by July 4.

“I know most are anxious to get back to normal, especially as the weather begins to get better,” Scott said. “This has been a long, tough road and every day we get closer to the end of the state of emergency and a return to normalcy.”

Secretary of Human Services Mike Smith said that for next week Vermont has been allocated a total of about 25,000 doses of vaccine.

The numbers: The Vermont Department of Health on Friday reported 75 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19, bringing the statewide total since the pandemic began to just under 23,400. The number of deaths from COVID-19 remained at 249.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Vermont did not increase over the past two weeks, going from 94.43 new cases per day on April 21 to 67.43 new cases per day on May 5.