TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy today told New Jerseyans, “Don’t be a knucklehead, wear a mask.”
This statement echoes the sentiment of President Joe Biden how has told Americans it’s their patriotic duty to wear a facemask.
But, are masks ever going away? The goalposts once again have been moved by Murphy and Biden. The promise of COVID-19 vaccine was also a promise of returning to life as normal. Many states in America already have returned to normal, but in New Jersey, where vaccination rates are among the highest in the nation, Murphy is clinging on to his “new normal”.
When we get the vaccine, life will return to normal.
Does it sound familiar? You may have heard at one time that we need to shut down the state for 14 days to flatten the curve. It’s now more than one year later and the curve was flattened, came back and flattened again in the time since.
This weekend in Congress, the delegation which is fully vaccinated sat socially distanced, wearing face masks to listen to the President give his speech.
New Jersey is one of 27 states in America with a government mask mandate according to AARP.
Wearing a face mask is your patriotic duty. Wearing two facemasks goes above and beyond the call of duty. Murphy said last week that he often wears two face masks.
This week, the Governor said you can now go outside without a facemask if you have been vaccinated and can maintain social distancing. If you are inside, or near other people, then you have to wear a mask. There’s not much difference in the Governor’s directive for those who have been vaccinated and those who have not.
This leads to the erosion of confidence in the vaccine and could be why many people are not getting it. When government officials like Murphy and Biden show a lack of confidence in the vaccine’s ability to vaccinate people, then people become suspicious of the government directives.
Regardless of the science behind the decision here, remember, it’s your patriotic duty and if you don’t you’re a knucklehead.