Governor Phil Murphy will reportedly lift school mask mandates.
The Governor is expected to announce during a briefing later today that the mandate will be lifted beginning of March.
The mandate currently applies to both staff and students.
UPDATE: Gov. Murphy announced moments ago the school mask mandate will be lifted March 7, 2022.
Noting the significant decline of statewide COVID-19 metrics, Governor Phil Murphy today announced that masks and facial coverings will no longer be mandated for students, staff, or visitors in schools and childcare centers effective March 7, 2022.
“I must thank the overwhelming majority of students, parents, administrators, educators, and support staffers who have worn their masks without problem or protest since our schools reopened for in-person learning. Thankfully, we have reached a point where we feel confident that we can take another step toward normalcy for our kids,” said Governor Murphy. “Given the continued drop in new cases and hospitalizations, projections indicating a continued decline over the coming weeks, and the continued growth of vaccinations for our school-aged population, we believe that we can responsibly end the universal mask mandate.”
School districts and childcare facilities can continue to implement universal masking policies after the mandate is lifted in March. Schools that do not impose universal masking should revise their COVID policies to utilize masking among other prevention strategies under certain circumstances. Schools will not be permitted to bar the use of facial coverings by individuals and will be expected to take disciplinary action in instances of bullying should they arise due to an individual’s choice to continue wearing a mask. Prior to the mandate being lifted, the Department of Health will release guidance to help school districts update their policies to align with the risks and unique needs of their setting and student population to ensure safe learning environments.
“The Department will develop guidance that incorporates all aspects of safety in schools while children are unmasked,” said Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. “We know that every parent wants to do what’s best for their children.”
Governor Murphy and the Department of Health continue to encourage parents of school-aged children age five and over to vaccinate children against COVID-19.
Governor Murphy will also sign an Executive Order before the Public Health Emergency expires on February 10, 2022 which will extend the Public Health Emergency declared on January 11, 2022 by Executive Order No. 280 for 30 days. The Public Health Emergency allows the state to continue vaccine distribution, vaccination or testing requirements in certain settings, the collection of COVID-19 data, implementation of any applicable recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent or limit the transmission of COVID-19, staffing and resource allocation, and other critical components of the State’s COVID-19 response.
Under the Emergency Health Powers Act, the Public Health Emergency will expire after 30 days, unless renewed. State COVID-19 metrics will be reevaluated at the time of expiration to determine if an extension will be needed.
There was a mask mandate in schools?…
Yes, in public school.
Lol
Is anyone listening to this guy??
Why March? I think that’s to early!!
I think the Governor should wait till September, so all the children can suffer with their masks on in the heat.
We have to flatten the curve!!!
Does anyone know if the curve was flatten yet????
I don’t know whether the curve was flattened, but I’m sure a few noses were flattened for those who refused to wear their masks.
I also know that there are some teachers who’ve been grading their students on a curve. I assume it’s the same curve, which would mean the curve has not yet been flattened.
Regarding the mask mandates in schools, there are different schools of thought on that, so I suppose it’s up to government and the schools to decide whether the mask mandates should be lifted and whether the masks be lifted from the students faces.
I hear the kleenex company has been lobbying hard to lift the mask mandates; apparently less people are using kleenexes on their noses when the masks are worn. People used to blow a lot of money – and a lot of noses -on kleenexes, but not now.
Is the rate of Covid transmission more in public schools than in our schools?
Thank you Governer.
What’s the wait for? It’s well known they are useless, even dangerous. Murphy will be exposed when Hashem’s TRUTH is revealed. The man is a mentally ill dem puppet.
Hold on one minute. Isn’t this the same individual that many, many people here guaranteed would be making a vaccine mandate shortly after being elected? They were using fear tactics by assuring us that a vote for him was a vote for a vaccine mandate for our children. Not only did that not come to be true but actually he is now taking away the mask mandate. So this lame duck governor who has no reason to do anything “nice” or “considerate” for others is actually taking away something that is so awful and not science driven at all, according to said individuals for no reason at all? Is that possible? How can this be? Could it be that those fear mongering individuals with all their guarantees and promises were wrong? Maybe in the future we shouldn’t listen to all these neviim and soothsayers, maybe they don’t know everything no matter how much they present themselves as being absolutely 100 percent sure they do know absolutely everything that will happen.
If you followed the media after that came out, it was one group who made that claim-Project Veritas. if you do some research, you’ll find out that Project Veritas does a good job at making things seem what they really aren’t. As a matter of fact, Murphy responded to that claim that it’s not a reflection of him or his administration.
As well, don’t believe any commenters on here until you make your own conclusion
The individual districts are allowed to make up whatever protocols they want. It will be interesting to see if they continue the mask mandates or not.
So he’s a prophet? Why not today?
Ur pretty ignorant. Murphy mandated healthcare personnel to get the vax and or booster. Im gona get fired bec I refuse to keep getting boosters. do u want to pay my bills? U can contact me through lakewoodscoop
The research is in: Lockdowns have had little to no effect on COVID-19 deaths.
Numerous studies have come out during the pandemic analyzing whether COVID-19 restrictions have managed to reduce COVID-19 deaths –– which has been their intended goal. Some of these studies show that restrictions have had little effect on COVID-19 outcomes, such as mortality.
But of course, discrepancies in empirical research findings are common. And most times it is more useful to look at what the total body of evidence indicates in order to get a much clear picture.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have done just that.
Their new study scrutinized numerous studies looking at the effect of COVID-19 restrictions on mortality to see what the evidence says.
In their study, the authors recognized about 24 studies measuring the effect of lockdowns on COVID-19 mortality. These studies were of course chosen from a bigger pile after they fit statistical rigor.
Lockdowns, in this case, indicate the presence of any one policy restricting people’s possibilities. This ranges from mask mandates to closing schools or businesses.
Evidence from these 24 studies indicates that restrictions have had minimal to no effect on COVID-19 mortality. Specifically, in the United States and Europe lockdowns reduced mortality only by 0.2 percent. Shelter in place orders only reduced mortality by 2.9 percent.
Additionally,
Studies looking at specific NPIs (lockdown vs. no lockdown, facemasks, closing non-essential businesses, border closures, school closures, and limiting gatherings) also find no broad-based evidence of noticeable effects on COVID-19 mortality.
The costs from these restrictions have however been significant and will continue to be felt by many for the foreseeable future.
@moshe jungreis or maybe he saw that he nearly lost his re-election so he didn’t follow though….
No. No. No. It was absolutely guaranteed by many, many individuals on this site that Governor Murphy would enact a vaccine mandate for ALL the day after he was elected. The mandate for healthcare workers was already in place. These individuals were using g this fear mongering tactic to frighten would be voters that a vote for Murphy was an absolute guarantee that you would have hilto vaccinate your child even to send your child to a private school. Go back and read the comments here leading up to the election. Seeing as how he had nothing to lose as he wouldn’t be running again he nothing would stop him the minute he got into office from enacting the most severe and tyrannical edicts, so was prognosticated and promised by many, many individuals on this site. Lo and behold it never played out and he is now removing the mask mandate. That’s why you never listen to people.
Looks like there’s a new variant coming out March 9th. Just in time!