Some New Jersey School Districts Ushering in Mask Mandates

Some New Jersey students are facing mask mandates yet again as they return from winter break, officials citing what has been described as a “tripledemic.”

Students in the Passaic School District, for example, must wear masks until what ABC 7 called “further notice.” This policy appeared to be enacted prior to Christmas. 

“I want to keep the kids in school for in-person instruction, they were out long enough, remote cannot even come close to a live teacher in a classroom in front of a class of children,” Superintendent of Schools Eileen Shafer said, citing the Chinese coronavirus, RSV, and the flu. 

The Camden City School District, too, has implemented a two-week mask requirement for students and staff, also fueled by cases of the coronavirus, RSV, and flu. 

“Upon returning, CCSD [Camden City School District] will implement a two-week mandatory masking policy through January 17, 2023, for all students, staff, and anyone entering our buildings,” Katrina T. McCombs, the state district superintendent, wrote in a December 21 letter.

“NJDOH has already reported an increase in COVID, flu, and RSV cases. Therefore, in an effort to be proactive and remain vigilant, all schools and offices will operate under a short mask mandate upon reopening,” she added. 

The mask mandates come nearly three years after the start of the Chinese coronavirus, long after the efficacy of cloth and surgical masks has been publicly questioned. 

Even Dr. Anthony Fauci admitted in a private email in February 2020 to former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary Sylvia Burwell that “the typical mask you buy in the drug store is not really effective in keeping out virus, which is small enough to pass through the material.”

A University of Waterloo study also found that the commonly worn cloth and surgical masks are “roughly 10 percent efficient at blocking exhaled aerosols,” as Breitbart News reported.

“The results show that a [sic] standard surgical and three-ply cloth masks, which see current widespread use, filter at apparent efficiencies of only 12.4% and 9.8%, respectively,” the study found.

Notably, President Biden wore a mask at a children’s hospital prior to Christmas despite declaring the pandemic “over” in September.