Assistance is available to help you pay your utility bills. All New Jerseyans with outstanding balances are encouraged to apply for utility assistance programs now to lower their balances and also contact their utility company to request a flexible repayment plan. You may be newly eligible for financial assistance programs to help you pay your bills. You can learn more and apply for utility help now using a new screening tool from the NJ Department of Community Affairs at nj.gov/dca/dcaid.

New Jersey announced new incentives to encourage COVID-19 vaccinations. Vaccinated New Jerseyans can receive a free “State Parks Vax Pass” for free access to State parks and can enter to win dinner with a guest with the Governor and First Lady. New Jerseyans who get their first vaccine dose in May are eligible for free wine and beer from participating wineries and breweries.

Masks are no longer required in most outdoor settings. Those who are unvaccinated should continue to exercise caution and businesses have the right to insist on stricter mask policies.

In New Jersey, all vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals must continue to wear face coverings in indoor public spaces and workplaces. Individuals at indoor gatherings numbering fewer than 50 people in a private residence are not required to wear masks.

Getting vaccinated is easier than ever with walk-in availability for vaccines across the state. All six megasites have walk-in availability or use the Vaccine Appointment Finder to find a site that may have walk-in availability near you.

Help is available. Call the Vaccine Help Line at 855-568-0545 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week to get your questions answers and to get help finding a vaccine near you.

As of this week, more than 4.7 million New Jerseyans have received at least one dose and more than 3.8 million are fully vaccinated.

Schools will be required to provide full-time, in-person instruction beginning Fall 2021. All students will be back in school for the 2021-2022 school year and the full-time remote learning option for families will be removed. Summer school programs and summer camps will not be impacted and will still be required to follow relevant health and safety guidance.

Participate in the “Your Voice, Your Shot!“ video contest to show why YOU are getting vaccinated and encourage others to do the same. Show off your creativity and get behind and in front of the camera for an important cause. Your videos can make a difference in helping others get vaccinated. The winner will be used in the State’s COVID-19 public health campaign.

On May 26th at 4:15 p.m., Governor Murphy is hosting another virtual town hall. The Governor is looking forward to providing you the latest updates on getting New Jerseyans vaccinated, combating the pandemic, our state budget, and more. If you want to attend, please complete a brief form to sign up and be notified if a spot is available.

In case you missed it, we sent out this note yesterday – if you've been looking for something to forward to friends and family with some info on why one should get the vaccine and how to sign up for one, it might be just the thing. We'll be sending out some other notes like this in the next few weeks, in the hopes that they are helpful to you and your loved ones.