All child care workers must be fully vaccinated by Nov. 1 according to a new mandate from New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy.
Additionally, Executive Order No. 264, which Murphy signed on Monday, now requires anyone over the age of two to wear a make while in a child care center. This included students, teachers, and visitors. There are exceptions for extreme heat or if the person is struggling to breathe.
“We know there are already many child care providers who are doing their utmost to protect the children in their care, their employees, and their communities – and we thank them,” Murphy said in a statement. “This order ensures that everyone is abiding by the same strong standards to protect those who are not yet eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations, so that we can continue to offer safe, in-person learning environments for children of all ages.”
Workers who are not fully vaccinated will have to undergo COVID-19 testing one or two times a week.
“Anyone is considered 'fully vaccinated' for COVID-19 two weeks after receiving either a single-dose vaccine or the second dose of a two-dose vaccine,” per The Washington Examiner.
The face mask requirements go into effect on Sept. 24.
According to NJ.com, “a similar rule went into effect for teachers ahead of the new school year, and covers employees at public, private, and parochial schools, including pre-school through 12th grade.”
Teachers have until Oct. 18 to comply with that mandate.
D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser also announced on Monday that all teachers and school staff and early child-care workers in the District also had until Nov. 1 to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The testing option for these professionals was eliminated and applies to public charter or private school workers, unlike an earlier mandate.
Additionally, “Bowser (D) also announced that student-athletes 12 and older must be vaccinated by Nov. 1 to participate in school-based sports. All students — including public, private and parochial students — who turn 12 between Monday and Nov. 1 must be vaccinated by Dec. 13,” per The Washington Post.
In neighboring Virginia, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Montgomery counties have enacted similar requirements for their student-athletes.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced a similar mask mandate in late August for all schools and licensed child care centers in his state. As of September 7, all students, teachers, and staff had to wear masks while inside school buildings. Student-athletes are exempt from the rule while they are playing.
In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced “daycare and afterschool facilities across New York must require staff, visitors and children to wear face masks indoors.”
The rule applies “to anyone older than 2 who’s ‘medically able’ to wear a mask, covers all childcare providers registered or licensed by the state’s Office of Family Services,” per New York Daily News.
Neither Pennsylvania nor New York included a vaccine mandate for child care workers.
