Murphy and Regional Governors Urge Colleges to Test Students Before Thanksgiving

By Jim Pytell, Assistant Editor On Nov 18, 2020

Today Gov. Phil Murphy, along with the governors from New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, are urging all colleges and universities in their states to make COVID-19 testing available to all residential students before they leave for Thanksgiving break.

Murphy said that any student that tests positive will be encouraged to isolate on campus, or, if students that test positive do choose to travel home, they should make arrangements for safe travel in coordination with local health officials.

“There are many New Jersey students who attend school around the country, and particularly in these [regional] states, so ramping up testing for students prior to their departures home is a critical step for reducing the risk of transmission across our region,” Murphy said.

He again urged individuals to stay home and limit the size of their gatherings during Thanksgiving next week, reemphasizing the state’s recent executive order limiting the number of individuals allowed to gather together indoors to just 10 people.

“This is not the year for the big family gathering. This is not the year to squeeze around the dinner table,” Murphy said. “A large family Thanksgiving gathering, particularly among different age groups, runs the risk of turning the dinner table into a COVD-19 hotspot.”

New Jersey saw 4,063 new positive cases over the past 24 hours, and the statewide rate of transmission continues to tick upward, now sitting at 1.43. There are also currently 2,446 COVID-19-related hospitalizations in the state, a figure that has more than doubled over the past two weeks.

To access more business news, visit NJB News Now.

Related Articles: