NJ Lifts COVID Travel Advisory, Orders In-Person School Next Year

NEW JERSEY — The travel restrictions that were previously in effect for New Jersey amid the coronavirus pandemic have been lifted, and in-person schooling will return for the 2021-22 academic year, Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Monday.

Murphy said that, since school districts will return to full in-person remote learning for the 2021-22 academic year, there will no longer be a full-remote option. Summer school programs are not impacted. More details on what the safety guidelines and protocols will be for the next school year should be expected in June, Murphy said.

“We are facing a much different world than one year ago when we had to begin planning for this school year,” Murphy said. “We know much more about this virus and how it spreads. We have much more on-the-ground experience in fighting it. We have a robust vaccination program that now reaches adolescents as young as 12. As time moves forward, we will gain more knowledge and more tools. We know that we can get back fully in-person safely with the right protocols in place, and that is what we all should be planning to do.”

He said as vaccination trials continue, he expects immunizations will become available for younger children sooner than later. He also said the state will continue to “follow the science” act accordingly when it comes to localized outbreaks.

“Over the past year we have made the health of our students and school staff a top priority, and stakeholders in all of our school communities have done a commendable job of weathering this storm,” Acting New Jersey Commissioner of Education Angelica Allen-McMillan said. “Now we turn a corner, and students, educators, and parents throughout New Jersey can look forward to the full return to safe in-person instruction at the start of the 2021–2022 school year. Local Educational Agencies will continue to adhere to Individualized Education Programs, 504 Plans, and the Home Instruction needs of their students.”

“Remote and virtual learning became essential tools for maintaining student academic progress while keeping our communities safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks largely to the dedication and creativity of our educators who were forced to adapt to this new normal nearly overnight," Assemblywoman Pam Lampitt (D-Camden, Burlington) said. "While our schools went above and beyond to keep students engaged through remote instruction, students and educators alike agree that there is no substitute for traditional in-person classroom instruction.

“As the number of vaccinated New Jerseyans continues to increase and with transmission reaching the lowest rate since the outset of the pandemic, we are finally reaching a place where schools are able to fully and safely reopen for in-person learning. Returning to the classroom will be critical in getting students back on the path to academic success and I applaud Governor Murphy’s decision to fully reopen our schools for the coming school year.”

However, residents of the Garden State will still be required to wear masks indoors but, as Murphy said on Friday, they can take them off outdoors as the governor continued to ease restrictions amid the COVID pandemic.

With the lifting of the travel advisory, there will no longer be required quarantine periods for out-of-state travelers coming into New Jersey or for Garden State residents coming home from a trip outside the state, Murphy said during a Monday news conference. Residents are asked to continue to follow the local health and safety protocols when traveling.

"If your goal is international travel, recognize that the COVID reality in other nations is much different than here, and adhere to the travel guidance and advisories posted by the U.S. Department of State," Murphy said.

The CDC is requiring all air passengers entering the United States from a foreign country to provide proof of a negative test for COVID-19 or of recovery from COVID-19. Travelers are required to get tested no more than three days before their flight to the U.S. departs and show their negative result to the airline before boarding or be prepared to show documentation of recovery (proof or a recent positive viral test and a letter from a healthcare provider or public health official stating that they were cleared to travel). For more information, visit the CDC website.

In addition, with specific exceptions, foreign nationals who have been in any of the following countries during the past 14 days may NOT enter the United States: China, Iran, countries in the European Schengen Area, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Brazil, and South Africa. For more details and a full list of exceptions, refer to the CDC's update on travelers prohibited from entry.

International travelers should also refer to guidance published by the CDC and check the CDC's COVID-19 travel recommendations by destination. Many countries are categorized as a Level-4 high COVID-19 risk, and the CDC recommends avoiding all travel to these countries. Visit the CDC for information on testing and international travel.

The recommendation in New Jersey had been that unvaccinated travelers and residents returning from any U.S. state or territory beyond the immediate region – New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware – should self-quarantine at their home, hotel or other temporary lodging following recommendations from the CDC.

“New Jersey and the nation as a whole are moving in the right direction,” New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said. “Increasing vaccination rates and decreasing case rates make it safer for us to travel.”

The announcements came two days before what Murphy calls New Jersey's "most aggressive opening play" yet.

On Wednesday, the 50-percent capacity limits on restaurants, gyms and houses of worship will be lifted, full-capacity businesses will almost begin operating the same way life did before the pandemic began, and all interstate youth sports competitions can resume. Read more here: NJ This Week: Biggest COVID Reopening Yet; Will We Take Masks Off?

Mask-wearing will still be required, even if you've been vaccinated, indoors. You can take masks off outside. Read more: Gov. Murphy: NJ 'Can Do Away' With Masks Outdoors If Vaccinated

The state still says that six-foot social distancing should be maintained in all indoor places, including restaurants and at sporting events.