Governor Murphy has signed an executive order repealing the requirement that individuals wear masks at outdoor public spaces. Masks will still be required in indoor public spaces and workplaces. Individuals at small gatherings in private residences are not required to wear masks indoors.
“New Jersey is making incredible progress towards our vaccination goals and our COVID-19 case numbers continue to trend downwards, allowing us to eliminate the need for masks outdoors,” said Governor Murphy. “Outdoor environments pose a lesser risk of transmission of the virus than indoor settings, and lifting the indoor mask mandate at this time could lead to a rise in transmission among those not yet fully vaccinated, including children who are either not yet eligible or who have just recently become eligible. As we approach our vaccination target in the coming weeks, we expect to be able to safely lift the indoor mask requirement soon.”
Current masking requirements at child care facilities, youth summer camps, preschool programs and elementary and secondary schools, including charter and renaissance schools, are unaffected by this order.
Additionally, any masking requirements for outdoor spaces in healthcare settings and at congregate facilities, such as long-term care facilities and state correctional facilities, will remain in place.
Murphy is taking a more cautious approach than New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, who announced that New Yorkers will no longer be required to wear masks or face coverings in most settings beginning Wednesday, under new state regulations that align the state with CDC guidance.
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