New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) speaking in the city of Paramus in January 2022. Photo: Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) announced Monday that the state will lift its mask mandate for students and school employees next month.
Why it matters: It is the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that New Jersey has rolled back its school mask mandate, signaling a shift in how the state may view the virus.
- New confirmed cases and hospitalizations from the virus in New Jersey have rapidly decreased since peaking in early January, according to data from the state's coronavirus dashboard.
- Murphy said the new policy will begin on March 7 but noted that it will not change the ability of individual districts to maintain and enforce mask mandates.
What they're saying: "We are not going to manage COVID to zero," Murphy said in a tweet. "We have to learn how to live with COVID as we move from a pandemic to an endemic phase of this virus."
- "We are optimistic that given the decreased severity of this new variant, and the continued increase in vaccinations, that we are finally nearing this inflection point," he added.
The big picture: Several states across the country have reevaluated their mask mandates in recent weeks.
- Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's (R) issued an executive order ending the state's school mask mandate, though the order is now being challenged in court by at least seven school boards.
- Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) rescinded the state's mask mandate last month, allowing school districts to set their masking policies.
- Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) said Monday that the state's mask mandates for indoor public settings and schools will end over the next two months.
- The governors of New York and Connecticut also recently said they may soon reevaluate masks mandates.
Go deeper: The kids' vaccine dilemma
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.