Masks Still Required Indoors In New Jersey Despite CDC's New Guidance
COLLINGSWOOD, N.J. (CBS) -- Face masks are still on if you are indoors in New Jersey. Gov. Phil Murphy says the state isn't quite ready even after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance saying fully vaccinated people can ditch their masks inside many places.
Even though the CDC says those who are fully vaccinated are no longer required to wear their masks indoors, the governor says that's still not an option in the Garden State.
"We're not there yet," Murphy said Friday. "We're frankly not there yet. Think about the hardware store employee, the essential worker in retail."
That's what Murphy is saying about the change in the CDC's face coverings guidelines, respectfully. But Friday afternoon, Murphy did say if you are fully vaccinated, you are no longer required to wear your mask outside.
"I think if you're not vaccinated and you're outdoors and you're still in close proximity, you should be wearing your mask," Murphy said.
South Jersey residents Eyewitness News spoke with in Collingswood on Friday night agree with the governor's decision to continue the mask mandate indoors.
"I think it's going to be a problem like when the pandemic started," Ralph Conver said, "so I think we're going to go back into a lot of crazy stuff happening again."
Another South Jersey resident says she's fully vaccinated, along with her family, but she'll continue to mask up -- even outdoors.
"We don't know," Maria Nova said. "We got some people who got vaccines, some people not."
Eyewitness News also spoke with a fully vaccinated Philadelphia couple who say they're happy with the CDC's announcement, and that it's a relief to finally have an option.
"No one says you have to take your mask off," Steve Haughton said. "It's your preference."
"We want to walk around free," Lisa Haughton said. "We want to live our lives the way we were living them, and for those who just aren't that comfortable yet, you know, keep the mask on where you feel like you're in an uncomfortable situation."
Businesses have the right to restrict access to shoppers if they're not wearing a mask.
