Newmarket Town Council to Hold Mask Mandate Vote Tonight

Well, it looks like Newmarket will follow Durham in mandating masks for residents.  I’m kind of conflicted. I wish we didn’t need mask mandates and that people would just do the right thing and wear a mask.  Think of our doctors and nurses on the front lines of this pandemic wearing a mask for 12 hours shifts.  They don’t complain.  Now think about the grocery store workers and the workers at Walmart, Home Depot, Kohls, and many other stores wearing them through an 8-hour shift.

I think it’s the right thing to do when you run errands and can't socially distance.  I know my position may be unpopular with some, but my wife is at high risk so I would do anything to protect her.  A piece of cloth on my face is the least I can do for a woman I would take a bullet for. According to reporting by seacoastonline.com, the Newmarket town council will vote on the emergency ordinance on Wednesday.  The mandate would not be indefinite.  It would last for 60 days and would impose fines on those that refuse to follow it. They can extend the 60 periods at any point if they see that it is necessary. 

Town Manager Steve Fournier says the ordinance proposal follows the lead set by Durham’s Town Council and tells seacoastonline.com “We have a large population of UNH students living here so the Town Council thought it would make sense to have something consistent (for mask requirement) between the two communities. Durham is much stricter than we are.  They have certain districts where the mask is fully required outside and we don’t have anything like that.” The sentiment is to promote education on mask-wearing, not to punish with fines or violations. We need to stop the spread.  I will do anything to get back to normal.