In New Jersey, regardless of new CDC tips, indoor masks are nonetheless required

Phil Murphy, New Jersey Governor, second from left, greets the police sergeant during a tour of the Morris County’s Covid-19 vaccination facility at Townsquare Mall in Rockaway, New Jersey, USA, on Friday, January 8, 2021.

Sarah Blesener | Bloomberg | Getty Images

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said Friday that the state had maintained its mandate on inner masks despite newly relaxed guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC updated its guidelines on Thursday stating that it is safe for fully vaccinated Americans to throw away their masks in most environments, whether indoors or outdoors.

While fully vaccinated New Jersey residents can remove their masks outdoors, Murphy said those who are not vaccinated should continue to wear masks outdoors when in “close proximity” to others.

The announcement comes when other states decide whether to include new CDC guidelines in state policies.

Hawaii Governor David Ige said his state’s mask mandate will remain in effect for anyone vaccinated or unvaccinated, despite the CDC’s new recommendations.

Texas lifted its mask mandate in March before the CDC announced it by two months. The Texas Department of Health told CNBC that the agency has agreed to the new CDC guidelines and is currently updating its recommendations.

In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio hailed the move as a “monumental day in the fight against Covid-19” and said the city was reviewing its own guidelines.