News

New Jersey Schools Will Require Masks This Year

New Jersey public schools will require students to wear masks during the upcoming school year, Gov. Phil Murphy (D) has announced.

Even though New Jersey has one of the highest vaccination rates in the country (with 68.5 percent of the eligible population being fully vaccinated), COVID-19 infections are on the rise again, prompting the governor to reinstate school mask requirements, said Murphy spokesperson Mahen Gunaratna.

Back in June, Murphy said he would let school districts make their own decisions about masks; however, the governor made it clear that this policy was subject to change, depending on COVID-19 cases. “I don’t want to go backward—that’s the last thing I want to do—but we’ll do what we have to do.”

Over the past week, the state has seen daily case rates of over 1,000, with the vast majority of hospitalizations and deaths occurring among unvaccinated populations.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of political news in your in-box.
We find the news you need to know, so you don't have to.

The CDC is now recommending that all faculty and students in K-12 schools wear masks, regardless of vaccination status.

Elizabeth Letsou

Share
Published by
Elizabeth Letsou

Recent Posts

Senate Republicans Eye Passing Second Mega-Bill With Priorities That Didn’t Make It Into Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill

After President Donald Trump signed his “Big, Beautiful Bill” on July 4, Congressional Republicans are…

10 hours ago

Trump Administration Creates New Program To Increase Number Of Foreign Farm Workers, Critics Call It ‘Legalized Slavery’

Amidst growing dissatisfaction from farmers due to rising deportations of their workers, the Trump Administration…

10 hours ago

Oath Keepers Founder Stewart Rhodes, A Leader In Jan. 6 Attack, Says Esptein Case Will Cause Trump ‘Trouble’ With Base

Stewart Rhodes, the founder of right-wing militia group Oath Keepers, has demanded the release of…

11 hours ago

Trump’s New ‘Free’ Air Force One From Qatar Could Cost U.S. Taxpayers $1 Billion

President Donald Trump’s Air Force One renovation could reportedly cost up to $1 billion. According…

13 hours ago

Senate Confirms Trump Ally Emil Bove To Federal Court of Appeals Despite Multiple Whistleblower Allegations That He Committed Perjury

Emil Bove, President Donald Trump’s former attorney, has been confirmed to a lifetime seat on…

14 hours ago

U.K. To Recognize Palestinian State In September Unless Israel Makes ‘Substantive’ Effort To End Conflict in Gaza

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Tuesday that the United Kingdom will recognize Palestine as…

1 day ago