FGGAM Received this news release late yesterday:
Four blue-state governors said Monday they plan to ease COVID-19 restrictions within weeks, most prominently by removing mask mandates in classrooms, a sign of a new pandemic phase tied to plummeting infection rates in the United States.
New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut and Oregon on Monday announced that mask directives affecting schools and students — among the most contentious virus-related requirements — will be phased out. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) (pictured below) said the mask rollback in his state will go into effect on March 7. Murphy, who narrowly won reelection in November, said declining numbers of confirmed infections and hospitalizations are behind the decision.
“This is a huge step back to normalcy for our kids,” Murphy said, adding that school districts can choose to keep mask mandates in place. “We are not going to manage COVID to zero. We have to learn how to live with COVID as we move from a pandemic to an endemic phase of this virus” (NJ.com).
On Monday, New Jersey recorded its lowest single-day case total since Thanksgiving.
In Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) said the mask directive for students in his state will be rescinded on Feb. 28. Oregon and Delaware both will keep the classroom mandate in place through the end of March. Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) announced that his state’s indoor mask mandate will expire on Friday.
NJ.com: New Jersey plans to end its school mask mandate and parents have “very mixed feelings.”
Not all states are ready to follow suit. In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is ending the indoor mask requirement for vaccinated individuals on Feb. 15 but will keep the mask directive in effect for schools (The Associated Press). New York Gov. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said during an appearance in Kingston, N.Y., that she was still monitoring the situation, pointing out that the mandate in neighboring New Jersey would not be lifted for another month.