COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Coming For NJ Teachers, Source Confirms

NEW JERSEY — Gov. Phil Murphy is expected in the coming days to announce a mandate requiring all New Jersey teachers to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

This was first reported by NJ Advance Media, but state Sen. Joe Vitale (D-Middlesex) confirmed it to Patch Thursday afternoon.

"It's happening. I know this because I spoke to the Murphy administration and he is going to make an announcement either Friday or Monday," said Vitale of the governor.

Vitale also said he spoke to Marie Blisten, president of the state teachers' union, the New Jersey Education Association, Thursday afternoon and that she is supportive of the vaccine mandate. The NJEA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Vitale said he supports the mandate for teachers, and has been calling for it for some time now. He is the chairman of the Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee in the New Jersey Senate.

"They were going to test teachers in lieu of a vaccine, but I don't think that is viable," he said. "Everyone who can get a vaccine should get a vaccine. We've seen a number of children hospitalized because of this new variant, and they are hospitalized with straight COVID, they have no pre-existing conditions."

New Jersey would be the third state to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for teachers, behind California and Washington.

It wasn't immediately clear if teachers will be able to get tested regularly in lieu of the vaccine, which is an option for educators in California. Washington currently requires school staff to be vaccinated and does not offer a regular testing option.

Earlier this month, Murphy announced a vaccine mandate for many health care workers throughout the state. Employees in hospitals, correctional facilities, long-term care and assisted living facilities, specialty hospitals, in-patient rehab facilities and more will be required to be fully vaccinated or undergo testing at least once or twice a week by Sept. 7. Read more: COVID-19 Vaccines, Testing Now Mandatory For NJ Health Care Staff

If the state doesn't see a significant increase in vaccination rates among those employees, Murphy has said that the state is ready to require vaccinations for them.

"Our mandate is the floor," Murphy said. "If we do not see significant increases in vaccination rates among the employees in these settings, we are ready and willing to require all staff to be vaccinated as a condition of their employment."

At an Aug. 2 press conference, Murphy also acknowledged that a vaccination mandate may lead to worker shortages.

"It might, but we don't have any choice," Murphy said. "Worker shortages vs. keeping people alive. It's a tough reality."

Health care facilities in the state have already taken steps to enforce a vaccination mandate. In mid-July, the Hackensack Meridian Health System announced that all employees would be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by November. Soon after, RWJBarnabas Health announced it would require all employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine by Oct. 15.

Health officials, including those at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have warned of rising coronavirus case numbers in New Jersey, possibly driven by the more-contagious delta variant.

In fact, All of New Jersey is now experiencing either high or substantial spread of coronavirus, according to the latest public health data. The CDC recommends that fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors in public if they live in an area with "substantial" or "high" transmission of the virus — meaning that even the vaccinated should wear masks in indoor public spaces everywhere in New Jersey. Read more: These 17 NJ Counties Are Facing 'High' COVID Spread: CDC

As of Thursday, 5.45 million people who live, work or study in New Jersey are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, while 1,641 new cases were reported.

“We started with the most vulnerable populations — hospitals, long-term care, other vulnerable settings like corrections facilities,” Murphy said of the vaccination mandate on Aug. 10. “I have been asked about teachers and what is our mindset. Other folks are looking at law enforcement. You mentioned main street businesses. All of that is under consideration. We want to start with the most vulnerable communities first.”

With reporting by Carly Baldwin.