New Jersey, For Now, Says No To New CDC Mask Guidelines; Gov. Murphy: School In-Person Learning To Return In Fall
HOBOKEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- New Jersey is not following the rest of the Tri-State when it comes to a revised mask mandate.
Everyone -- vaccinated or not -- is still required to wear a mask indoors, CBS2's Christina Fan reported Monday.
At Organic Basic Food in Hoboken, to wear or not wear a mask has become so contentious among customers, employees had to print out Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fliers to prove they could enforce face coverings in stores.
WATCH: Gov. Murphy's May 17, 2021 COVID Update
Imagine their relief when Gov. Phil Murphy took on the responsibility Monday, declaring the indoor mask mandate will remain in place.
"Actually, one gentleman just walked in without a mask and was saying the CDC said no mask required and we had somebody approach him and apparently he didn't get a vaccination and he was thinking that he didn't need a mask," Organic Basic Food's Jino Ahn said.
Unlike many governors in surrounding states, Murphy decided not to adopt new CDC guidance that says fully vaccinated people can ditch face coverings indoors and outdoors.
He insists New Jersey is still not out of the woods.
"The majority of New Jerseyans are still unvaccinated and we're not checking anyone's vaccine status at the door when you go to the supermarket or to a hardware store," Murphy said.
But the governor did have optimistic news for students. All schools will be returning to in-person instruction this fall. Remote learning will no longer be an option.
"Of course, we will continue, as we have from the get-go, to follow the science and should there be a localized outbreak or other emergency, we will act accordingly. Otherwise, buildings will be fully open," Murphy said.
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Parents and teachers reacted positively to the news on Monday.
"The kids are missing interaction with each other and they miss activities at school, so they do want to go back and I think they've opened up vaccines for teenagers and young adults now," Hoboken resident Ruchir Shah said.
They are hopeful the recent changes signify that the coronavirus pandemic may finally soon be over.
"I think it's almost over. It looks like a silver lining," one person said.
The governor was asked if he is worried about the mask mandate preventing visitors from flocking to the Jersey Shore this summer. He said he doesn't believe that will be the case. He said his goal is to have New Jersey beaches be the safest in the country.
CBS2's Christina Fan contributed to this report
