Effective February 1, South Orange has lifted an indoor mask mandate that was enacted on December 21, 2021, as the Omicron variant caused COVID-19 cases to surge in the township.
Village President Sheena Collum said in a statement posted to the township website that the mandate was being lifted because cases had fallen to pre-surge numbers.
“Our most recent data illustrates that we have now returned to pre-Omicron levels of transmission and continues to trend downwards. See most recent data here,” wrote Collum. who asked that residents continue to “leverage the guidance” of township officials on vaccination, social distancing, masking, hygiene, and isolation when appropriate (see Collum’s full post below).
Collum signaled the move on January 24 when she announced the plan to lift the mandate to the South Orange Board of Trustees.
Meanwhile, a similar mandate in Maplewood remains in place for at least one more month. Maplewood Health Official Candice Davenport told elected officials on Feb. 1, “The actual trend that is happening here is that our numbers are decreasing as well as our daily average. We are getting closer to where we we were prior to the surge, but we still have a little ways to go.”
From the Township of South Orange Village:
SOUTH ORANGE INDOOR MASK MANDATE LIFTED EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 1, 2022
This notice is to inform residents, businesses, and other South Orange stakeholders that the Indoor Mask Mandate Executive Order dated December 21, 2021, has been lifted.
This order was put into effect upon the guidance of local health officials at a time our community was surging as it related to Omicron variant and positive test cases. Compounded with holiday travel and the urgency to return children to in-person learning successfully, the order was a local mitigation effort to reduce community transmission.
Our most recent data illustrates that we have now returned to pre-Omicron levels of transmission and continues to trend downwards. See most recent data here.
I am incredibly grateful to the community for quickly pivoting and understanding that at times, our local actions may exceed those of state guidance out of an abundance of caution. These actions will continue to be used judiciously.
What does an end to the indoor mask mandate mean in practical terms?
- Individual and private businesses may still require patrons entering to wear masks and we ask that you respect and comply with what is being asked of you.
- South Orange Village is continuing to require residents to wear masks when entering public facilities, such as the South Orange Public Library, the Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs, municipal offices, etc.
As we continue to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic, please continue to leverage the guidance we have been provided:
- Get vaccinated and boosted
- Quarantine/isolate when exposed or testing positive
- Hand hygiene and social distancing
- Masking when appropriate
- Staying home when sick
More resources can be found at: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/ncov.shtml
In partnership
Sheena Collum, Village President
