Mask Mandate Ends In East Brunswick As COVID Cases Decline

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — The indoor mask mandate which is set to expire Monday night, will not be renewed, Township officials announced.

The decision was made after officials found a decrease in positive COVID-19 cases across the Township.

"Based on the reduction in hospitalizations at our local hospitals, reduction in ICU beds, and an easing at the Emergency Rooms, the Executive Order regarding indoor mask requirements will not be extended beyond the expiration of January 31, 2022," Business Administrator Joseph Criscuolo told Patch.

The policy however remains in effect at all Municipal buildings. When visiting public Municipal offices and buildings, masks must be worn, officials said.

East Brunswick joins other municipalities like Princeton that decided not the extend mask mandates after Monday. The Township issued an indoor mask mandate effective Dec. 31, after the omicron variant resulted in the rapid spread of COVID-19 across the town and state.

Many municipalities like South Brunswick, East Orange, Hoboken, Maplewood, Morristown, Newark and Asbury Park also began enforcing mask mandates. Montclair's indoor mask mandate has already been extended through the spring. Read more: Montclair Extends Mask Mandate Until Spring, But Adds Exemptions

Meanwhile, three cases of the new omicron subvariant have been detected in New Jersey, a spokesperson for the Department of Health said Thursday afternoon. Read More: 'Stealth Omicron' Subvariant Detected In NJ

The subvariant of omicron, known as BA.2, is also dubbed "stealth omicron" because its particular genetic traits make it harder to detect, and evidence suggested it will spread even more quickly than its infamous parent.

However, this new subvariant is not considered a variant of concern, according to the World Health Organization.

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