New Jersey Transit Mask Mandate Comes To An End
Governor Phil Murphy ended the mask mandate for New Jersey Transit early Tuesday morning, a day after a federal judge in Florida voided the National Mask Mandate for airplanes and public transportation.
.@TSA announced that it'll no longer enforce a mask mandate in public transportation settings. Masks will no longer be required on @NJTRANSIT & by South Jersey Transportation Authority. Individuals may wear a mask based on personal preference, informed by personal level of risk.
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) April 19, 2022
Individuals who wish to continue wearing masks on NJ Transit in the state may do so for personal preference. The PATH transit system will continue requiring masks.
The decision by Florida federal U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball — a Trump appointee — comes as the Centers for Disease Control extended the mask mandate through May 3 as cases of the omicron subvariant BA.2 continues to spread.
The decision by Governor Murphy comes just a day after he urged residents in the Garden State to be “cautious” in the face of the latest strain of COVID-19. Murphy told reporters on Monday that he expected the wave is expected to “mimic what Europe experienced four-to-six weeks ago.”
Murphy was diagnosed with COVID earlier this year after being full vaccinated. He received a second booster just a few weeks ago. He reported minor symptoms.