Hospitals to begin elective procedures Monday; Granite Staters can tee it up May 11

Gov. Chris Sununu at today's press conference in Concord. (WMUR screenshot)

CONCORD - Hospitals can begin doing elective procedures on Monday, with barbershops, hair salons and golf courses following a week after that, the governor announced today.

Under the so-called Stay at Home order 2.0, restaurants would be allowed to offer outdoor dining beginning on May 18, with a limit of six per table.

Noting a potential wave of Massachusetts residents, Sununu ordered that campground and golfing be restricted to New Hampshire residents.

Asked how he expected to enforce such an order, he said he would expect businesses would let officials know if it became a problem.

"Look, ground zero for COVID-19 is just over the line in Massachusetts in those northern Massachusetts counties that border us," Sununu said.

Unfortunately beaches will remain closed, he said, adding he expected a regional approach will be taken with bordering coastline states as to when they finally open.

He said when barbershops and hair salons open up both the hairstylist and customer will have to wear a cloth mask and chairs will have to be properly distanced. No waiting area will be allowed.

He said it is hoped that with customers and workers being cautious and prudent, the rollout could be done safely.

"The people of New Hampshire have taken this epidemic incredibly seriously," Gov. Sununu said. "We have all played a small part in flattening the curve and slowing the spread of COVID-19. We all know you are healthier at home, and that continues to be true, but we are also taking steps to reopen our economy in a smart, step-by-step approach that is supported by facts, science and data."

Sununu also praised the work that the contact tracers did early on that mitigated New Hampshire's number of COVID cases.

He said the task force decided these first steps could be taken due to a reduction in hospitalizations and the percentage drop in hospitalizations. He said currently only 5 percent of patients in New Hampshire hospitals are COVID related.

Meanwhile, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said there have been 81 new cases, including eight that required hospitalizations.

Chan also reported nine new deaths, all who were residents of nursing homes or assisted living facilities.

"We have to maintain our social distancing and do whatever we can to protect our most vulnerable, who are older with chronic health conditions," Chan said.

Asked by a reporter what kind of spike in COVID cases can we expect as a result of the relaxation of the governor's Stay at Home order, Chan was blunt.

"We don't know," he said.