The Murphy Administration is reportedly reviewing new guidance from the CDC recommending K-12 school masking regardless of vaccination status.
What’s more, eight New Jersey counties – Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Essex, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Union – currently have transmission rates which the CDC says qualify for indoor masking.
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Tuesday’s development comes at a politically difficult time for the incumbent.
It’s only a little over three months to go before Governor Phil Murphy faces reelection. Up until now, the first term Democrat’s administration has punted, allowing school districts to set their own mask policies for the fall 2021 semester. Even before today, members of his own party have ratcheted up calls for masks in schools.
Will Murphy bow to his base and risk alienating covid-weary unaffiliated voters?
Or stick with his local-control position on the issue and risk agitating the Faucists and Karens in his own coalition?
Also on Tuesday, Murphy told “Wharton Business Daily” on SiriusXM that he doesn’t believe there is an “appetite” for “stricter guidelines” among state residents.
“People rightfully have had it,” said Murphy. “Having said that, we got to do the right thing, and we will.”
“You’ve got other states that are a fraction of where we are in terms of their vaccination rates,” he added. “So we have to factor that in as well.”
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