A major shift in coronavirus guidance is coming to New Jersey. The Murphy administration is dropping the vaccination or test requirement for certain workers. Starting immediately, unvaccinated teachers, school employees and child care workers will no longer be mandated to undergo weekly COVID-19 testing. The new guidelines go into effect for state workers and contractors starting Sept. 1. Gov. Phil Murphy’s decision follows recent loosening by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its guidance on COVID-19 restrictions, including ending some quarantine and social distancing rules.
It’s a concern for health experts, who are worried about the long-lasting impact of getting infection. In an interview with NJ Spotlight News, Montclair State University epidemiologist Dr. Stephanie Silvera said, “I think unfortunately we are at a point with COVID that most people are really tired of discussing it; they don’t want to talk about it anymore; they don’t want any type of mandates or requirements. And I think that the governor is reacting to that much like the CDC is reacting to that. I don’t necessarily think that it’s great public health policy, but unfortunately that’s where we are.”
Silvera added, “As we go into what is now going to be cold, flu and COVID season, we’re really taking away all of the prevention methods that we have built up over the past 2 years.”
