Holding up a face mask, Gov. Phil Murphy on Wednesday said, “To be able to have our precious kids in schools without these on, obviously — that is the hope as long as we can do it safely and responsibly.” Murphy promised that later Wednesday the state would provide school districts with detailed guidance on how and when to safely opt out of universal masking but also when to put masks back on if COVID-19 infection rates rise.
Many school districts have already indicated they will make masks optional when the controversial statewide mandate for schools expires March 7. Others have said they will ditch related quarantines, contact tracing and other safety precautions. But health commissioner Judy Persichilli advised, “While masks will not be required by the state as of March 7, they remain an important part of a layered approach against COVID-19.” Montclair State University epidemiologist Stephanie Silvera predicted a rise in COVID-19 cases after March 7, because, she said, “Community rates just aren’t quite low enough to be able to take our masks off and not see an increase in cases.”
