(The Center Square) – New Jersey will require teachers and state workers to receive a COVID-19 vaccine by Oct. 18 or face mandatory testing under an order Gov. Phil Murphy said he will sign.
The order applies to full-time and part-time employees at public, private and parochial schools offering preschool through grade 12. It also applies to state employees, including state troopers and employees at public universities.
Those who are not vaccinated must undergo regular COVID-19 testing once or twice per week, Murphy said.
“We’re continuing to do all we can to ensure a safe start to the school year,” the governor said on Twitter. “Strong masking and vaccination protocols, in tandem with other safety measures, are our best consolidated tool for keeping our schools open for full-time, in-person instruction.”
During a Monday news briefing, Murphy could not say how many teachers are unvaccinated. According to state numbers, nearly 5.5 million New Jerseyans are fully vaccinated.
In a joint statement, New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) President Marie Blistan, Vice President and President-elect Sean M. Spiller, Secretary-Treasurer and Vice President-elect Steve Beatty and Secretary-Treasurer-elect Petal Robertson, commended the decision.
“COVID-19 vaccines are the best tool we have to better protect our schools and communities against this pandemic and the terrible toll it continues to take,” they said. “Public health experts agree on the importance of widespread vaccination. That is why we strongly agree that Gov. Murphy’s executive order is appropriate and responsible under current conditions.”
The state is also moving forward with a plan to offer booster shots for vaccinated individuals, in line with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
According to state numbers, New Jersey has reported 938,609 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 137,321 probable cases. The state has 24,033 confirmed deaths and 2,722 probable deaths.
Murphy previously announced that workers in many state and private health care facilities and high-risk congregate settings must be fully vaccinated or undergo testing at least once per week. Facilities subject to the mandate have until Sept. 7 for their employees to comply or have a plan to test unvaccinated employees “one to two times per week.”
The governor also previously announced a mask mandate for New Jersey schools.