NJ Lawmakers Call On Gov. Murphy To Lift COVID Mask Restrictions

NEW JERSEY – Several New Jersey lawmakers have called on Gov. Phil Murphy to follow new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance and lift all COVID mask restrictions in the state.

Sen. Declan O’Scanlon called on Murphy this weekend to immediately do what he has consistently promised to do: follow CDC guidelines and science and end mask requirements, social distancing and "outdated" mandates and restrictions.

Murphy is expected to address his mask requirements and the state's travel advisory during a 1 p.m. news conference on Monday. Read more: WATCH LIVE: Gov. Murphy Issues NJ COVID, Reopenings, Masks Update

O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth, also called on the Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli to retract her "false claim" that vaccinated people still have a 5 percent likelihood of contracting COVID.

“The CDC has, as a pleasant surprise, acknowledged the now-overwhelming data we have that vaccinated or naturally immune people aren’t getting COVID themselves or giving it to others. The CDC and the Biden Administration have joined those of us wisely and reasonably calling for an end to mask-wearing and social distancing mandates,” O’Scanlon said.

“That the governor has chosen to ignore this guidance sends the message that he doesn’t believe vaccines work."

Murphy did partially adopt the new CDC guidance on Friday, telling New Jersey that vaccinated people "can do away with our masks" if they're outdoors. But he declined to remove the restrictions requiring indoor masking.

Murphy also said that if you're not vaccinated and outdoors and "you're still in close proximity (with other people), you should be wearing your mask."

Murphy elaborated in tweets later in the day on Friday, saying: "We will keep our indoor mask mandate in place in public settings as we continue to work toward our vaccination goals. To be clear, we’re making incredible progress, but we’re not there yet."

"Dr. Fauci himself said yesterday that he thinks lifting indoor mask mandates at this time could lead to a rise in infections. So we’re not going to let up for the next few weeks as we keep pushing forward on our statewide vaccination goals."

Sen. Jim Holzapfel and Assemblymen Greg McGuckin and John Catalano, R-Ocean, released a joint statement noting that "scientists at the CDC say people can stop wearing masks" but "that’s not good enough" for the governor.

“Stop hiding behind the mask and let it go, governor. You know you can’t hold on to your emergency powers forever. It is time to lift the mask mandate and relax social distancing rules," the lawmakers said.

Sen. Joe Pennacchio, R-Morris, also noted that Murphy promised that he would lift mask and social distancing requirements when the CDC said it was safe.

Pennacchio also noted that Murphy said on Friday that lifting the indoor mask order could happen in "a matter of weeks" even though "the CDC says the science supports unmasking today."

"He said science and data would always drive policy. Despite the CDC saying there’s no scientific basis or need for vaccinated people to continue wearing masks or social distancing in most situations, Governor Murphy still refuses to eliminate restrictions," Pennacchio said.

Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick also urged Murphy to follow the CDC’s updated guidance and drop all mask-wearing orders.

“The governor says we need to follow the science,” said Bramnick. “The science tells us that it is safe to end social distancing and masking requirements for fully vaccinated people. Governor Murphy should immediately follow the guidance from the leading public health agency in the nation.”

Murphy has said that such a move would be a "game-changer," and he's said that New Jersey could loosen its coronavirus restrictions once the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its guidelines.

One of those changes could involve allowing more people in indoor spaces – particularly schools and restaurants – or in potentially crowded outside settings.

Other states have taken similar actions. In Pennsylvania, the state confirmed it will follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's updated guidance on masking. Read more: New Mask Rules In Effect In PA

Under the new guidelines, Rochelle Walensky, director of CDC, said "you can start doing the things that you had stopped doing before the pandemic" if you've been fully vaccinated.

"We have all longed for this moment when we can get back to some sense of normalcy."

However, the CDC did say that Americans need to abide by "state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance" before changing their behavior.

Vaccinated people still have to wear masks at hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare settings, when using public transportation and at traveling hubs.

Here is the new guidance if you’ve been fully vaccinated:

• You can resume activities that you did prior to the pandemic.
• You can resume activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.
• If you travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel.
• You need to pay close attention to the situation at your international destination before traveling outside the United States.
  • You do NOT need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination requires it.
  • You still need to show a negative test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding an international flight to the United States.
  • You should still get tested 3-5 days after international travel.
  • You do NOT need to self-quarantine after arriving in the United States.
• If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms.
  • However, if you live or work in a correctional or detention facility or a homeless shelter and are around someone who has COVID-19, you should still get tested, even if you don’t have symptoms.

The change in guidance comes after New Jersey and Connecticut governors announced that capacity limits at restaurants, stores, offices and other areas of life are set to be lifted by May 19 in the tri-state area. Read more: 'Major' COVID-19 Reopening In NJ: Here's What's Planned

"Should the CDC ... revise its 6-foot distancing guidance, we will revise our requirements accordingly," Murphy two weeks ago.