New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy: Students May Not Have To Wear Masks When Returning To School In September
BERGENFIELD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy says when students return to schools for in-person learning in September, there's a chance they may not have to wear masks.
"Having said that, we put our guidance out, full thick booklet, in June of last year for what reopening would look like, and we tweaked it a number of times between June and September. I'll put on my epidemiological hat and say three months from now might as well be five lifetimes in a pandemic, so the answer is absolutely, our minds are open," he said.
Murphy made the comments during a visit to Bergenfield High School with U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
- Ask CBS2's Dr. Max Your Vaccine Questions
- COVID Vaccine FAQ From CDC
- Vaccination Sites In New York City | Call 877-VAX-4NYC
- Track NYC Vaccinations By Zip Code
- Find A New York City Testing Site Near You
- Check NYC Testing Wait Times
- Resources: Help With Unemployment, Hunger, Mental Health & More
- Remote Learning Tools For Students And Parents At Home
- Complete Coronavirus Coverage
New Jersey is requiring all schools to provide full-time, in-person instruction in September with no remote learning option available.
The state lifted its indoor mask mandate on May 28, meaning fully vaccinated people no longer need to cover their face indoors in most settings. There are some exceptions, however, including schools, health care facilities and public transportation.