Murphy to end New Jersey’s indoor mask mandate, social distancing requirement
(The Center Square) – New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order to lift the indoor mask mandate and end the six-foot social distancing requirement both inside and outside, saying the numbers allow him to move forward with such actions.
Under Executive Order No. 242, both the indoor mask mandate and social distancing requirements will end on Friday, May 28. The order extends to the prohibition on dance floors at bars and restaurants and the prohibition on ordering, eating and drinking while standing in a bar or restaurant.
Additionally, Murphy is eliminating indoor gathering and capacity limits effective June 4. That includes the current general indoor gathering limit of 50 people and the 30% capacity limit for indoor venues with a fixed-seating capacity of more than 1,000.
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, my administration has been guided by science, data, and facts to put New Jersey on the road to recovery with the public health and safety of all New Jerseyans as our highest priority,” Murphy said in a news release.
“Together, we have made tremendous progress in crushing this virus, and the last two weeks have shown significant decreases in key areas of our data, including new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, spot positivity rates, and rates of transmission,” Murphy added. “These data points, coupled with a dramatic increase in our vaccination efforts resulting in over 4.7 million New Jerseyans with their first shot, allow us to lift major restrictions and move forward with our most significant reopening steps to date.”
A mask mandate will remain in some settings, including health care settings and public transportation. Additionally, restrictions for schools, youth summer camps and child care centers will remain in place.
The Giants and the Jets welcomed the news, saying they planned to have full capacities at their games this fall.
“We are thrilled by Governor Murphy’s announcement today to have MetLife Stadium operate at full capacity for the 2021 season,” the teams said in a joint statement. “We can’t wait to welcome our fans back, creating the gameday atmosphere we have all been missing. We will continue to work to ensure the return of fans is accomplished in a safe and responsible way.”
However, the news wasn’t enough for state Sen. Steve Oroho, R-Sussex, who said it’s “time to rip the Band-Aid off and open everything up.”
“People have had enough of the drama. Why wait? This drip, drip, drip approach is unnecessary,” Oroho said in a news release. “Just lift the restrictions and let people decide their own comfort levels. For too long, New Jersey residents have been stripped of their individuality and freedoms.”
Last week, lawmakers were poised to consider legislation to end the state’s public health emergency. However, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, postponed action on A-5777 shortly before lawmakers considered it.
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