Gov. Murphy's NJ COVID Mask Reversal: Why He Did It

NEW JERSEY – Just 10 days ago, Gov. Phil Murphy seemed to take pride in New Jersey being one of two states – the other being Hawaii – that held firm on its order to wear masks in indoor spaces.

At the same time, Murphy was taking heat from many places – including his moderate-to-liberal allies on MSNBC and elsewhere – for holding firm on an order that his surrounding neighbors in New York and Pennsylvania were happy to do away with.

In the end, it was the "heat" that won over pride.

And not only did Murphy back down – he went even further than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was recommending, saying he's not even going to chase after unvaccinated people for not wearing masks.

Murphy's reversal came as part of an announcement at a Monday news conference that New Jersey residents and visitors can stop wearing masks in certain indoor areas starting this past Friday. He also lifted the 6-foot social distancing requirement.

That surprising decision appeared to be a matter of pressure and practicality than politics. He was getting increasingly criticized for showing his independence, even compared to other states that have been restrictive as New Jersey. And one of the reasons why Murphy has been hesitant to remove the indoor mask order is that he doesn't believe it can be policed.

So he won't.

"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?"

That inability to police mask usage was perhaps never more evident than it was at Jenkinson's in Point Pleasant Beach on Saturday night:

Murphy also spoke on CNBC on Friday and admitted that pressure from the business industry played a role in his reversal.

Murphy acknowledged he was anxious about losing business to neighboring states, such as Pennsylvania and New York, where mask orders were already lifted.

When asked again if business industry pressure played a role, Murphy said: "Yes, to some extent but only if we were satisfied with the health metrics and the vaccination rates."

"It's the right moment," Murphy said, noting the timing of the restriction lift coming before the Memorial Day weekend, which is viewed New Jersey as the unofficial start of summer.

Murphy may have also been facing mounting public pressure – meaning, not just from the business industry - to change his stance.

Public polls that have typically shown strong support for the governor's handling of the COVID crisis were starting to show that people were done with the mask orders.

Byt Murphy was facing a potential public relations nightmare: Being the only state in the areas, during a holiday weekend, that requires masks and social distancing – during an election year.

Even after Murphy's about-face, Republican lawmakers expressed exasperation over Murphy's positions and they continued to criticize him.

Republican Sen. Steve Oroho wondered why Murphy announced plans to lift more COVID restrictions by the end of the week. He asked: Why not immediately?

“Why do we continue to play these games? After a full year of being told what to do, New Jerseyans deserve better. It’s time to rip the Band-Aid off and open everything up,” said Oroho. “Let’s do it.”

Others who have been critical of Murphy embraced his reversal – including his decision to lift restrictions on masks in workplace and child-care settings. Read more: NJ Changes Workplace, Child Care Rules Amid COVID

New Jersey Business & Industry Association President and CEO Michele Siekerka issued a statement that was supportive of Murphy's moves:

“Providing employers the flexibility to allow vaccinated employees to forego masking and distancing in business and office settings is appropriate, as was recognized by CDC. Treating them any differently than public-facing businesses only caused confusion, especially when employers in closed office-like settings can have better control of their work environment, as evidenced through their safety protocols over the better part of the past year."

Murphy made the decision 12 days after the CDC recommended that the public was safe in removing masks outdoors and indoors. Murphy lifted the outdoor mask mandate, but he said New Jersey needed more time before taking the indoor steps.

Starting this past Friday, people are now permitted to enter restaurants, stores and other indoor spaces in New Jersey without face coverings. Friday also saw 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."

"We encourage you in the strongest possible terms to, first of all, get vaccinated, but if not or until (then), follow the CDC guidance to wear a face mask in any indoor public setting," Murphy said.

"We won't have law enforcement checking peoples' vaccination status but we are asking people to be responsible and to do the right thing," he said.

Murphy also was lifting the prohibition on dance floors at bars and restaurants and the prohibition on ordering and eating/drinking while standing at bars and restaurants. Additionally, effective Friday, June 4, indoor gathering and capacity limits will be lifted, meaning that sporting and concert events can have sold-out crowds.

Over the last two weeks, key COVID-19 benchmarks have been achieved across New Jersey, including a dramatic increase in vaccinations, and significant decreases in new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, spot positivity rates, and rates of transmission, solidifying the foundation for the state’s sweeping reopening steps, Murphy said.

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