Gov. Murphy To Make Decision On NJ Schools In Coronavirus Crisis

UPDATE: Gov. Phil Murphy announced that schools will close for the rest of the academic year because of the coronavirus outbreak. Read more: New Jersey Schools Closed For Rest Of Academic Year: Gov. Murphy

NEW JERSEY – Gov. Phil Murphy said he’s ready to announce a decision on reopening schools amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Murphy said on Sunday that he plans to hold a news conference at 12 noon on Monday, and will likely address the issue. Patch will cover it live. “We will give you that guidance on Monday,” he said. Read more: WATCH LIVE: Gov. Murphy Issues Update On Coronavirus, NJ Schools

Murphy made the statement as he announced thousands of new coronavirus cases this weekend and hundreds of additional deaths. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here’s What You Need To Know

Murphy previously said he would make a decision by May 15, but he moved up the timetable.

“My hope is on Monday as to what we’re going to do about schools,” Murphy said. “We’re on remote learning until at least May 15 and we said we would let folks know at the latest on May 15 what the balance of this school year looks like.”

Murphy’s decision could be influenced by New York’s announcement on Friday that that state’s schools will remain closed for rest of the 2019-20 academic year. Read more: New York Schools Closed For Rest Of Academic Year

New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania also have formed a coalition of seven states hardest hit by the new coronavirus, forming a task force for a regional approach to reopen their states in the wake of the outbreak. Read more: NJ, PA Join Regional Coronavirus Reopening Council

Earlier in the week, a coalition of education organizations around New Jersey sent a letter to Murphy with one request: Don’t reopen the schools this year. Read more: Keep NJ Schools Closed, Education Groups Tell Gov. Murphy

Also earlier in the week, Murphy told CNBC that there’s “a chance” that schools could reopen by May 15, even though restrictions would certainly be in place.

Murphy made those remarks as he offered a broad reopening plan, providing a six-point outline to “restart New Jersey and put the state on the road to recovery.” Read more: Gov. Murphy Issues 6-Point NJ Reopen Plan In Coronavirus Crisis

Murphy had previously identified three ways for the schools and economy to reopen:

Social distancing everywhere, especially at schools: Murphy said New Jersey still needs to “break the back” of the upward curve, and he’s pleased that the state is showing some signs that its new cases are “plateauing.” But even if kids go back to school May 15, Murphy said during a Record question-and-answer session, classroom dynamics will have to be reconfigured — especially in the way children sit — and he “can’t envision large congregations.” And they’ll likely have to wear masks, he said.Testing, testing, testing: Murphy says no reopening can happen without a “robust” testing program. The governor said New Jersey is fourth in the nation in testing, but he told PIX11 during an interview that “we’re not nearly where we need to be, and it needs to be a rapid turnaround.” He expressed hope that New Jersey can reach that point now that Rutgers University has new technology that can test as many as tens of thousands of saliva samples in one day for coronavirus. Read more: Rutgers Launches Fast-Results Saliva Testing For CoronavirusContact tracing: If testing can be ramped up, Murphy told PIX11, New Jersey can work more quickly to identify “hot spots” and quarantine and treat people who test positive. He told the Record that New Jersey is interested in Massachusetts’ contact tracing program, which is “low-tech” and basically involves “hiring 1,000 people at $20 an hour and they’re going to work the phones.”

This is a developing story. Patch will have more information as it comes in.

Health officials also have said they may discuss the discrepancies in nursing home reported cases and deaths by Friday. Read more: Mystery Remains As NJ Nursing Home Coronavirus Deaths Keep Rising

Watch Murphy here:

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don’t miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

Here’s what else you should know:

Murphy offered a broad reopening plan on Monday, April 27, providing a six-point outline to “restart New Jersey and put the state on the road to recovery.” Read more: Gov. Murphy Issues 6-Point NJ Reopen Plan In Coronavirus CrisisMurphy issued a stay-at-home order on Saturday, March 21, closing all non-essential business. Read more: Gov. Murphy Announces NJ ‘Stay-At-Home’ Order Due To CoronavirusMurphy announced on Monday, May 4 that schools will close for the rest of the academic year because of the coronavirus outbreak. Read more: New Jersey Schools Closed For Rest Of Academic Year: Gov. MurphyMurphy ordered stores across New Jersey on Wednesday, April 8 to require shoppers to wear face coverings or masks. Here’s how you can get yours, and how the new rule will be enforced. Read more: NJ Shoppers Must Wear Masks: Where To Get Them, How It’s EnforcedHere are 10 resources for you and your family to utilize as you navigate through the outbreak: Unemployment, Tests, Food: 10 NJ Resources In Coronavirus CrisisNew Jersey’s courts suspended all new jury trials until further notice, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner said on Thursday, March 12. Read more: Coronavirus Throws Monkey Wrench Into New Jersey Court SystemMurphy said during a live press conference on Wednesday, March 25 that he’s ordering many day care centers to shut amid the coronavirus outbreak. Read more: Gov. Murphy To Shut Many Day Care Centers Amid Coronavirus CrisisThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a travel advisory for New Jersey. Read more: CDC Travel Advisory For NJ: No Coronavirus Travel Ban From Trump

How It Spreads

The virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading from person-to-person. Someone who is actively sick with COVID-19 can spread the illness to others. That is why CDC recommends that these patients be isolated either in the hospital or at home (depending on how sick they are) until they are better and no longer pose a risk of infecting others.

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