Gov. Murphy: Expect Masks In NJ Schools In The Fall Amid COVID-19

NEW JERSEY — Gov. Phil Murphy told MSNBC on Tuesday he expects that masks will be worn in New Jersey schools in the fall, and he provided a glimpse of how COVID-19 will continue to have an impact even as key pandemic metrics have improved.

Murphy said the fact that vaccines are not available to children under 12 years old means that masks will likely be required in schools.

"My guess is, as a result of that, if I had to bet today, that we will have masking in schools in the fall as a result of that, and I would suspect we will continue with some of the public health protocols inside the classroom and inside the school buildings to try to mitigate the concern," he told "Morning Joe." "The concern is a legitimate one."

That concern, Murphy said, is that children under 12 could be susceptible to spreading or contracting the virus.

Murphy didn't specify which schools would likely require them, or whether middle or high schoolers will be required to wear masks since vaccines are available to children 12 years old and up.

Murphy said the indoor mask order will end Friday and he will not prevent unvaccinated people from going maskless. He also ended the outdoor mask order. Read more: NJ To Lift COVID-19 Indoor Mask Order, With Some Exceptions

Murphy said he does believe getting vaccines for children under 12 will be "a huge step" but he's not sure they will be available by September.

"So we will continue to keep a fair amount of the steps we've got in place, I suspect, in the fall," Murphy said.

The governor said he expects next year's guidance for schools will be released next month.

Starting Friday, people will be permitted to enter restaurants, stores and other indoor spaces in New Jersey without face coverings. Friday will also see the lift of the 6-foot social distancing requirement in all indoor and outdoor settings. Businesses can continue to require social distancing should they choose.

And although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention only recommends that vaccinated people may toss their face masks and stop adhering to social distancing guidelines, Murphy said the state is asking people for "personal responsibility."

"If you're not vaccinated, we expect you to have a higher standard of care, both in wearing a mask and in social distancing," the governor said. "Who are we to ask the retail store employee … to be judge and jury on who is vaccinated and who is not?"

Monday's announcement served as a steep reversal of direction from the administration, which maintained as of last week that New Jersey is not ready to adopt the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines and lift the state's indoor mask restrictions.

"I do not, for one minute, regret our taking these extra two weeks to ensure that the dramatic decreases we have begun seeing in both cases and hospitalizations would continue," Murphy said. "I do not regret listening to a host of medical and scientific experts including Dr. Tony Fauci who spoke of a need to be more cautious to prevent a backslide. If these past two weeks have pushed one more person to get vaccinated or saved one extra person from hospitalization or death, then we are all better off."

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