We, the citizens of New Hampshire are concerned about the potential for a large influx of visitors to our state during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Opening Granite State campgrounds will bring an influx of thousands of people to our communities, significantly increasing the risk that our citizens will contract this virus.

Many of our rural communities have small community hospitals, which could quickly become overwhelmed in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak.  Some of these hospitals have a very limited number of beds and few ventilators designed to care for a small population.  An explosion of the virus in these towns could quickly become an untenable situation. 

We understand the importance of opening our economy and getting people back to work.   But this is not the time to invite thousands of visitors to recreate in our state.  We ask that you continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and open our campgrounds only at such time as medical experts in the field deem it safe to do so. 

Governor Sununu, we urge you to protect the health of our seniors, our children, and other vulnerable individuals by keeping our campgrounds closed. Our lives depend on it.