TRENTON, NJ – As New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has mandated vaccination for healthcare workers and state workers, he stopped short of mandating vaccinations for the state’s teachers. After declaring the serious mortal threat of the virus to unvaccinated children under the age of 12 where no vaccination exists, Murphy stopped short of protection for those unvaccinated and said he will not at this time require vaccinations for teachers.
“In terms of schools and vaccinations (for teachers), I think no news to report there,” Murphy said. “Just to repeat that we started with our most vulnerable communities, hospital, long-term care, corrections facilities. We’ve said we would consider and then put in place sending rings out from there.”
As far as the future goes, teachers could be next on Murphy’s vaccination mandate. He said that he is currently examining the prospect of a forced vaccination among the state’s teachers and possibly even more rigorous testing.
“We’re looking at all options in terms of what moves to make next there. The double-headed notion feels like the right one,, which is either to require vaccination or a very high frequency of testing alongside of it whenever it is.”.
Teachers would be exposed to large groups of children during in-classroom settings this year. Unvaccinated teachers would pose a greater risk to passing the virus to unvaccinated children who can then bring that virus back home to their families and siblings.