Mendham Township Now Requires Masks In Its Municipal Building

MENDHAM, NJ — Mendham Township has changed its procedures to now mandate people mask up before entering the municipal building.

The township’s Mayor Sarah Neibart announced the change this past Saturday on the township’s website and Facebook Page.

Neibart wrote that the change is based on the CDC updated guidelines from July 27 that advocate even the fully vaccinated should wear a mask indoors in sections of the country with high transmission rates, because of the Delta variant.

“Morris County has evolved from a county experiencing ‘moderate’ COVID-19 transmission to that of a ‘substantial’ COVID-19 transmission,” Neibart wrote.

“In an effort to keep residents, township employees and volunteers safe, in Mendham Township, we have updated our operating protocols,” Neibart continued, citing that people must be masked in the building as long as Morris County remains in the “substantial” category.

She based the classification on the CDC’s “county view” tracker, which placed Morris as being in the CDC’s orange-colored zone, with a substantial level of community transmission, between Aug. 1 and Aug. 7. The majority of counties in New Jersey are within that level, with the remainder in a “high” transmission status, according to the CDC's tracker.

In her message, Neibart provided residents with resources for vaccination locations, quoting statements made by Governor Phil Murphy that about 42 percent of the state’s residents are not fully vaccinated yet, including children under the age of 12 who are ineligible; and that 80 percent of all positive COVID tests originated from those not fully or not vaccinated at all, she said.

Neibart also quoted:

• New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli’s announcement about COVID outbreaks in 38 of New Jersey long-term-care facilities as of Aug. 2.
• Murphy signing Executive Order 252 that orders healthcare workers in certain and high-risk facilities are fully vaccinated by Sept. 7 or they undergo COVID-19 testing each week.
• Murphy’s announcement of mask requirements for all staff and students, regardless of vaccination status, as the 2021-2022 school year begins.

For Neibart’s full message, click here.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.