New Jerseyans across the state today are suffering from lockdown anxiety after Governor Phil Murphy announced he will be mandating face masks for students in K-12 education.
Phil Murphy’s election opponent Jack Ciattarelli today warned that the governor’s decision is a precursor to a second round of business lockdowns, closures and mask mandates for the general public. Ciattarelli fears Murphy’s decision is only the first step toward a looming second statewide lockdown.
“Our children, business, and taxpayers cannot afford it and they’re not willing to accept it,” Ciattarelli said.
Across New Jersey, the topic of conversation online and in-person was what comes next from a governor who has been drunk off pandemic power since March of 2020? Many business owners say they barely made it through the first round of shutdowns and restrictions and would not be able to survive if Murphy engages in a second round of quarantine for New Jersey residents.
Others fear that a New York City-style mandate that would force business owners to exclude 50% of their clientele or a forced vaccination pass would also cripple their businesses as they continue their struggle out from beneath Murphy’s last lockdown.
Online rumors swirled that Murphy and the state Democrats are already in discussion about the Governor’s next step that could affect businesses.
“Rumor has it, formal announcements will be made next week by most Democratic states regarding lockdowns,” one Facebook user posted, however, those rumors could not be substantiated.
“This was his plan the whole time and he didn’t even try to hide it at all. When he pressured the state legislature to extend his emergency powers you all knew what was coming,” another speculated. “Just wait for the illegal vaccine mandate through government coercion against businesses just like in New York City, there will be threats of shutdowns based on whether or not the business will enforce a vaccinated only policy.”