Recently, Gov. Chris Sununu issued an Executive Order that effectively closed all non-essential businesses in the state. Non-essential businesses include barbershops, hair salons, movie theaters, bowling alleys and other establishments on a list provided by the Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the U.S. Cyber Security Office.

For weeks prior, he had made incremental and strategic decisions that eventually led the state to this point. For example, he limited bars and restaurants to takeout and delivery only and expanded unemployment benefits to cover individuals who would eventually be laid off from work. He also directed the New Hampshire Department of Education to transition classrooms across the state to virtual learning platforms.

The governor’s calm and steady approach has allowed the state to be one of the most aggressive to address the so-called invisible enemy, the novel coronavirus. Gov. Sununu’s decision to close non-essential businesses was made at the right time to protect the public’s health and slow the spread of the coronavirus.

In times of crisis, there is nothing easy about governing. In the public sphere, there are those who believe the virus is a hoax and others who want to shut down the entire state in the name of public safety. If anything has been clear, it’s that Gov. Sununu has been very effective in putting politics and hysteria aside, heeding advice from medical professionals and scientists and making the decisions that he believes are best for New Hampshire residents.