Maskless In NJ Amid COVID? 5 Quick Questions On The New Guidance

UPDATE: Gov. Phil Murphy told New Jersey on Friday "we can do away with our masks" outdoors – and, in some cases, indoors – with exceptions. You must be vaccinated. Read more: Gov. Murphy: NJ 'Can Do Away' With Masks Outdoors If Vaccinated

NEW JERSEY — In a surprise move, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Thursday it was rescinding almost all its recommended coronavirus mitigation rules for how vaccinated people should behave indoors. The announcement sent governors and state legislatures riffling through their playbooks for a way to accelerate their pandemic exit strategies.

But does this mean you can just rip off your mask in New Jersey if you've been vaccinated?

Either way, here are some answers to questions:

What just happened?

The CDC, which has been providing guidance to states and the federal government since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, has suddenly dropped its recommendation that vaccinated people wear a mask and practice social distancing while indoors. The guidance is still in effect for those not vaccinated against COVID-19 and does not apply to health care settings, or crowded spaces such as prisons, buses, planes and homeless shelters.

So we're done, then? We can kick up our heels and burn our masks if we've been vaccinated?

No. The CDC doesn't make the laws; it only offers advice to the people who do. Here in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy said his office is reviewing the guidance, and he will appear at a live event at 12:15 p.m. Friday where he could make some statements on the matter.

New Jersey does plan to reopen much of the state Wednesday, so the New Jersey Department of Public Health could issue further, and formal, guidelines by then. So hold off on the mask bonfires just yet.

Can children who have been vaccinated attend school without wearing masks?

No, not in New Jersey. Not yet, at least. At the present time, all children in schools must wear their masks, but that could change.

As for the next school year? Murphy has said he plans to fully reopen schools next fall with no remote option.

I've been vaccinated, but my local grocery store still won't let me enter without a mask. What can I do?

Right now, a store or restaurant can opt not to serve someone without a mask in the same way it can refuse service to someone who is not wearing a shirt or shoes. It's not clear whether many businesses will continue to require their patrons to mask up and even practice social distancing, as the "new normal" has elevated these rituals from annoyances to "best practices" for many Americans.

Other businesses will drop mask requirements like they're on fire, and trumpet that fact like a two-for-one drink special. Which businesses ultimately will be more popular — those that advertise themselves as "safe and clean" or those that are proudly "free at last"? That's a question we can't answer.

How can a business tell if a maskless patron has really been vaccinated?

This has been the elephant in the room ever since President Joe Biden pledged he would not institute any kind of vaccine passport program and Murphy has pulled back his initial hint of support. All a business can do is ask you to voluntarily present some form of vaccine verification. Whether you comply, walk out, or present one of those ridiculously-easy-to-come-by bogus vaccination cards will be up to you.

Many colleges, such as Rutgers University, are requiring students to be vaccinated to attend class next semester and it's possible that — similar to what's happening in New York — sporting events could require either vaccinations or a negative COVID-19 virus test.

It's worth pointing out that HIPAA laws prevent insurers and health care providers from giving out someone's health information without their consent, but nothing can stop your bartender from asking you to voluntarily show some vaccine verification before he mixes your Manhattan.

If all this sounds like an incredibly onerous scenario for businesses already reeling from a year of virus-drained revenues, it is. Expect even the "safe and clean" establishment to look the other way and just take your money.

With reporting by Rich Kirby