What to Know
- Governor Phil Murphy reinstated a public health emergency for New Jersey on Tuesday amid a surge in COVID-19 cases due to the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.
- The order allows agencies and departments to utilize state resources to help the state’s healthcare system and communities impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
- The health emergency will expire after 30 days, unless renewed. Officials will then evaluate the state’s COVID data to determine if the emergency needs to be extended.
Governor Phil Murphy reinstated a public health emergency for New Jersey on Tuesday amid a surge in COVID-19 cases due to the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.
Executive Order No. 280 reinstates the existing State of Emergency across all 21 counties in New Jersey, allowing agencies and departments to utilize state resources to help the state’s healthcare system and communities impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
“COVID-19 remains a significant threat to our State and we must commit every resource available to beating back the wave caused by the Omicron variant,” Governor Murphy said. “While we hope to return to a state of normalcy as soon as possible, the step I am taking today is a commonsense measure that will protect the safety and well-being of all New Jersey residents while allowing state government to respond to the continuing threat that COVID-19 poses to our daily lives.”
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Under the emergency, a New Jersey mandate for masking in schools and daycare will remain in effect. The state will also continue to distribute vaccines while vaccination or testing requirements will remain in place for certain settings. COVID-19 data will continue to be collected and the state will continue to implement recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop or limit the spread of the virus.
The emergency also gives state agencies the power to take all appropriate steps to continue to address the public health hazard caused by any new COVID variants.
The health emergency will expire after 30 days, unless renewed. Then, officials will evaluate the state’s COVID data to determine if the emergency needs to be extended.