T.K. Whalen: We don't want governor putting our health on table for money

To The Daily Sun,

Next weekend will start a great influx of visitors to the state of N.H. (which had been lucky thus far regarding the number of cases and deaths caused by the Covid pandemic currently ravaging in a great many states throughout our country). The reason for this influx is Bike Week, a Central N.H. tradition that obviously cannot be denied, even in the face of a public health emergency. For at least seven days (maybe more) these maskless attendees will come from all over the country — shopping in our stores, eating in our restaurants and spreading whatever virus they may be carrying to whomever they encounter.

Under the governance of John Sununu, and despite the usual increase in summer tourists from other states, N.H. STILL has NO statewide mask mandate. But fear not, because this wise leader DOES have a plan. It has been mandated that ALL groups of over 100 people will be required to wear a mask! To please the Central N.H. towns and cities who make a bundle of their tourist bucks with the Bike Week event, Sununu has decided to turn a blind eye to potential spread of Covid infection, essentially brushing away our fears (or pulling the wool over our eyes), as the question of who will count the number of people in a rambunctious, celebratory biker group and who will enforce their mask wearing when numbers exceed 100, can never actually be addressed. Also issues such as quarantining out-of-towners have been completely avoided. In other words, Sununus says, "You got cash? Come on in!"

We are watching Governor Sununu do a perfectly executed GOP two step in real time. Placating never maskers (aka GOPers who demand to make money, live free AND oh yes, get sick and maybe die), and the rest of the rubes who see Covid infection and death tolls rise in every state that has relaxed mask and social distancing rules and are concerned for our safety (aka SANE people).

The scary part of this is that we will NOT be able to determine if infection has spread until 14-21 days after the event has ended and we will not be able to trace who brought it to us. We need Sununu to postpone Bike Week and all other large group events until he is SURE it is safe because when it comes to gambling, many of us like to place our own bets and do not want him putting our health and life and the health and lives of our families on the table!

T.K. Whalen

Sanbornton