Murphy Announces Vaccine Mandate for Childcare Employees

By Jim Pytell, Managing Editor On Sep 20, 2021

Gov. Phil Murphy today signed an executive order requiring all childcare workers and facility employees be vaccinated for COVID-19 by Nov. 1 or be subject to weekly COVID-19 testing. The order also states that effective Sept. 24, all visitors, employees, students, and children in a facility’s care ages two and over, must wear facemasks.

“We had always said that we would start with the most exposed elements of the workforce and then expand out from there,” Murphy said of the timing of today’s mandate. “We started with healthcare, then went to educators and state workers – we are going to chop through communities as we see fit.”

The governor conceded that many childcare providers have already implemented their own safety measures at their facilities, but that the executive order will, “ensure that everyone is abiding by the same strong standards.”

“We appreciate that it may be difficult to keep very young children in masks for the majority of the day, but we are looking for these settings to provide kids with as much support as necessary to ensure the safest possible environment,” Murphy said.

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