Philadelphia to restore indoor mask mandate as COVID-19 cases rise. What does it mean for New Jersey?

Philadelphia has become the first major U.S. city to reinstate its indoor mask mandate after reporting a sharp increase in coronavirus infections – but what does it mean for New Jersey?

News 12 Staff

Apr 12, 2022, 9:19 AM

Updated 984 days ago

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Philadelphia has become the first major U.S. city to reinstate its indoor mask mandate after reporting a sharp increase in coronavirus infections – but what does it mean for New Jersey? 
In New Jersey, the state’s seven-day average for confirmed cases increased Monday to 1,419 -- up 42% from a week ago and 83% from a month ago.    
Monday’s case total marks seven consecutive days of more than 1,000 new confirmed positive tests.
SEARCH FOR A CURE: Statistics and State Resources
In Philadelphia, the city's top health official says she wants to forestall a potential new wave driven by an Omicron subvariant. Confirmed COVID-19 cases have risen more than 50% in 10 days in the city.  
Health officials there believe the recent spike is being driven by the highly transmissible BA.2 subvariant of Omicron, which has spread rapidly throughout Europe and Asia, and has become dominant in the U.S. in recent weeks.
Health inspectors will begin enforcing the mask mandate this Monday at Philadelphia businesses.  
There is no word from Gov. Phil Murphy on that type of decision being made in New Jersey yet.