TRENTON – Gov. Phil Murphy confirmed a report he will end the statewide school mask mandate, effective March 7.
Murphy Tweeted a link to a New York Times article, where the news was first reported, Feb. 7.
“Balancing public health with getting back to some semblance of normalcy is not easy. But we can responsibly take this step due to declining Covid numbers and growth in vaccinations,” Murphy wrote in his Tweet.
The new mandate will apply to both students and teachers, the Times’ article said.
“I must thank the overwhelming majority of students, parents, administrators, educators and support staffers who stood tall as role models ever since our schools returned to in-person instruction by wearing your masks, day-in and day-out,” the governor said Feb. 7. “You truly represent our highest Jersey values of selflessness, community spirit, and looking out for others. You are the reason why we’re ready to take this step forward.”
Murphy met with President Joe Biden at the White House last week and the governor suggested after the meeting that it was time to reconsider how to manage the virus, the Times reported.
Districts will reportedly be allowed to continue enforcing a mask mandate or to restore the mandate if another spike occurs.
New Jersey had been among 11 states that had required students to wear masks in school. Murphy will extend the State of Emergency 30 days to allow the mandate to continue until it can be “responsibly lifted” in March.
