By Anthony Payero
(NEW JERSEY) The Garden State reached its goal of fully vaccinating 4.7 million residents, or 70% of the state population, against COVID-19, two weeks before Gov. Phil Murphy's estimated completion date, according to ABC 7.
Murphy issued the following statement regarding the milestone:
We stand right now depending on the metrics, as the number 5 or number 4 state in America in terms of vaccinations of our populations; we are by a significant amount the largest state. So there's Connecticut, Vermont, Hawaii, Massachusetts. Only Massachusetts comes close in terms of population. It's about two-thirds the size of New Jersey.
Murphy is scheduled to host an event at Rutgers Medical School at University Hospital to commemorate reaching the goal on Friday at noon where he will address what the vaccination status means for New Jersey.
Meanwhile, MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford will open at full capacity for the upcoming National Football League season, the New York Giants revealed Thursday.
The stadium will not enforce face coverings, proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test for all patrons.
Following suit, New Jersey Transit commuters are no longer required to wear face masks while waiting for transportation on outdoor train and bus platforms.
The company reached this decision after guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claimed outdoors is now safe to be without a mask.
According to ABC 7, NJ Transit could be the first transit system in the Northeast to implement the revised mask policy.
Passengers are still expected to wear face masks on NJ Transit trains and buses.