Schools Can Extend the Mask Mandate, but the Requirement in New Jersey Expires in March
Governor Phil Murphy Confirmed That He Will Drop New Jersey's School Mask Mandate
On March 7, Gov. Phil Murphy confirmed that New Jersey's school mask law will be repealed. The state, on the other hand, will allow individual school districts and daycare providers to keep masking requirements in place beyond that.
Those who like to use masks are free to do so. Murphy will prolong the state of emergency for public health in New Jersey for another month to give schools time to adjust.
The school mask rule will be lifted on Monday, March 7th, Governor Murphy stated at his COVID-19 conference on Monday afternoon, calling it the "announcement many of you have been hoping to hear."
The mandate will be lifted in all daycare settings, as well as schools, due to the "dramatic fall in COVID numbers."
The public health emergency will be extended for another 30 days later this week, he said, allowing the mask order to endure until it is lifted.
'We're announcing this with enough of prior warning' so that schools and officials can 'finalize any procedures they need to take in preparation,' according to the Governor, who also points out that masks are still a crucial tool for preventing COVID and should be used in many situations.
Individual school districts — and daycare firms – will still be able to establish and enforce policies within their schools if 'community conditions necessitate.' Those who want to keep masking indoors are welcome to do so. 'We will not tolerate somebody being pushed down because they chose to wear a mask,' Murphy said.
A petition backed by New Jersey State Senate Republicans called for Murphy to scale back pandemic protocols, including mask mandates in schools. The #GiveItBack petition has nearly 4,000 signatures as of 12:30 p.m. Monday.
"Parents want their rights to make masking decisions for their kids restored today, not next month," State Sen. Kristin Corrado, a Republican, said in a news release. "Governor Murphy should Give It Back now. There's no excuse to wait any longer."
Governor Phil Murphy holds a coronavirus briefing in Trenton on February 7, 2022
