adminIn August 2021, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order No. 253, mandating that all preschool through Grade 12 school personnel be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 18, 2021, or undergo regular testing. This directive aimed to enhance safety protocols in schools, particularly to protect children under 12 who were not yet eligible for vaccination at that time .
Additionally, in February 2022, Governor Murphy announced the end of the statewide school mask mandate, effective March 7, 2022. This decision was influenced by the rapid decline of the omicron variant and was seen as a significant step toward normalcy for students and educators. However, individual school districts retained the authority to implement their own mask policies thereafter .
These measures reflected the state’s ongoing efforts to balance public health concerns with the goal of maintaining in-person education during the pandemic.
