'We've Got This Thing On The Run': Gov. Murphy Ending Weekly COVID-19 Briefings On 2-Year Anniversary Of Pandemic
TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) -- A new COVID-19 milestone in New Jersey. The road to recovery in the Garden State is looking so much better, according to Gov. Phil Murphy.
Next week will mark two years since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in New Jersey. Murphy said Wednesday this long and difficult journey is finally coming to an end.
"We're pretty much getting back to where we want to be, which is normal," Murphy said.
After two years battling COVID-19 and 250 briefings later, Murphy says they'll be ending, along with the public health crisis.
"We've got this thing on the run, just no question about it," Murphy said.
COVID-19 hit New Jersey early and hard. The state has one of the highest death rates in the country and almost 1.9 million cases, but for the past month cases, hospitalizations and deaths are dropping significantly.
"We are just 11 days from the lifting of the indoor masking mandate in our schools," Murphy said. "We see the rates of in-school transmission now down to where they were pre-omicron."
New Jersey schools can be maskless starting March 7.
"Nothing will or can prevent any student, educator, or staff member from continuing to wear a mask indoors if they so choose and to do so without fear of being bullied or otherwise singled out," Murphy said.
Under federal guidelines, masks are still required on public transportation. That includes school busses. The last remaining mandate in New Jersey requiring masks in state buildings is ending soon too.
The one thing that won't be ending is the push to get more people to get vaccinated.
"That is going to continue to be a huge priority of ours," Murphy said.
88% of the state has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, but only 32% of New Jersey residents are boosted. The state will continue to hold a variety of vaccination clinics.
