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Governor Murphy Lifts COVID Testing Requirements for School Districts, Childcare, and State Contractors

Aug 16, 2022

Today, Gov. Phil Murphy signed Executive Order 302, lifting the requirement that school districts, childcare settings, and state contractors maintain a policy requiring their unvaccinated workers undergo routine testing.

The testing requirements for school districts, childcare settings, and state contractors were directives from Executives Orders 253, 264 and 271, respectively. School districts and childcare settings will be relieved of the testing requirement immediately, while the executive order will be in effect on September 1, 2022, for state contractors. Gov. Murphy maintained the requirement for COVID-19 vaccinations for covered workers in congregate care, healthcare, and correctional facilities.

On August 11, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) had issued new guidelines surrounding quarantine and isolation, which also focused on relaxing requirements in the school setting. The CDC de-emphasized the differences in vaccination status and maintained the following recommendations:

A.   If an individual is exposed to someone with COVID-19 (regardless of vaccination status).

  1. No need to Quarantine BUT wear a well-fitted mask around others for 10 days.
  2. Get a VIRAL TEST (PCR or Antigen) on day 5 from the date of last contact. If negative, continue taking precautions and wear a mask around others at home and indoors in public. If positive, follow isolation rules.
  3. If the individual tests negative after 5 days but later develops symptoms, they must isolate immediately, get a VIRAL TEST (PCR or Antigen) and follow isolation rules until the result is known.

B.    If an individual tests positive for COVID-19 (regardless of vaccination status).

  1. Isolate home for 5 days. If the individual had no symptoms, end isolation after day 5.
  2. If the individual had symptoms and their symptoms are resolving after 5 days, they can end isolation if they are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever reducing medication).
  3. The individual must continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days after ending isolation.
  4.  If an individual had moderate or severe illness defined as experiencing shortness of breath or difficulty breathing or was hospitalized, they need to isolate for the full 10 days. The CDC has opined that for these individuals, testing may be recommended to end isolation.

If dealers have questions about this topic or any other questions, they can contact Greyson P. Hannigan, NJ CAR’s Director of Legal & Regulatory Affairs at (609) 883-5056, x340 or via email at [email protected].