Sununu Allows Gradual Business Reopening Starting May 11


Republican Gov. Chris Sununu on Friday extended New Hampshire’s stay-at-home order to May 31 while allowing the restricted reopening of restaurants, hair salons and other businesses throughout the month.

The state issued universal guidelines for all businesses regarding screening of employees, workplace cleaning and other practices to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus, as well as a timeline and detailed guidance for specific industries.

Campgrounds, which were already allowed to operate under previous orders, are now limited to 50 percent capacity, and out-of-state visitors are prohibited unless they are members of a private campground. Golf courses also will be limited to New Hampshire residents and members when they are allowed to reopen May 11, and in both cases, there will be other restrictions to prevent people from congregating.

Ocean beaches will remain closed, while state parks can open according to their usual seasonal schedules with some restrictions.

Hair salons, barber shops, retail stores and drive-in movie theaters also will be allowed to reopen May 11 with different requirements for the various industries. Retail stores, for example, will be limited to 50 percent capacity, and hair salons will not be allowed to offer services beyond basic haircuts and root touch-ups.

Restaurants, which are currently limited to takeout and delivery, will be allowed to offer outdoor dining starting May 18.

Hospitals, which had largely been restricted to treating COVID-19 patients and emergencies, can start performing time-sensitive procedures such as CT scans and knee and hip replacements for chronic pain starting May 4.

As of Friday, 2,310 people in New Hampshire had tested positive for the virus, an increase of 64 from the previous day. Nine new deaths were announced, bringing the total to 81.