Recent cases of COVID-19 in the Garden State are in decline, and soon students riding New Jersey school buses will not be required to wear face masks for protection.

With school mask requirements about to reach voluntary status, Governor Phil Murphy is welcoming districts to also end a mandate requiring kids who take buses to school to wear masks along their ride.

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That measure will officially go into effect on Monday, March 7th. It's one less item for kids to worry about not having in their book bag.

The mask suspension, however, does not yet extend to public transportation.

A mask mandate requiring students to cover up in the classroom is also set to expire on March 7th with the threat of coronavirus lessening in the last few weeks.

Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash
Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash
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In a statement, the governor's office said, 'We are pleased that the federal government has taken action that will align bus protocol with the mask requirement for New Jersey schools.'

According to Governor Murphy's official Facebook page, more than 6.5 million New Jerseyans have completed their COVID-19 vaccine course.

Wil you be asking your kids to still wear a mask on the school bus or in the classroom? Let us know.

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