Gov. Murphy: NJ 'Can Do Away' With Masks Outdoors If Vaccinated

NEW JERSEY – Gov. Phil Murphy adopted new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 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, with one small exception.

Following a day of telling the public that his administration was reviewing new CDC guidance that masks shouldn't be required for vaccinated people, Murphy appeared at a public event in East Orange and gave the go-ahead for removing masks outside.

Murphy said he would provide more details during his 1 p.m. news conference on Monday and he'll also address New Jersey's travel advisory then.

"As it relates to folks outdoors being among other vaccinated persons, I think we can do away with our masks," Murphy said.

At a vaccination promotion event, the governor then turned to Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli and asked, "Fair to say?" She nodded in agreement.

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 also allowed people an exception for not wearing masks indoors:

"Secondly, I think if it's an indoor activity that is personal in nature – a birthday party, a graduation, in your home with your loved ones, with folks you know that are in your family, in your bubble – not wearing a mask feels to us to be something that is also, I think, responsible," Murphy said.

Murphy elaborated in tweets later in the day on Friday:

The CDC on Thursday changed its guidance on masking, saying fully vaccinated people should not have to wear masks or social distance indoors or outdoors except under certain circumstances.

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

Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick 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.”

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 said last week.