New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) vented on Monday that residents are generally not working with state officials to trace infections of COVID-19.
Murphy said at a press conference that a large majority of New Jerseyans are not responding to government contact tracers trying to identify all the people who may have come into contact with someone infected by the coronavirus, according to CBS 3 Philly.
“The rate of noncooperation with our contact tracers is now up to a whopping 74% of cases. Quite frankly, this is unacceptable and we need folks to turn that around,” Murphy said. “It is extremely critical for contact tracers to get in touch with the close contacts of those who test positive to help us stop the spread of this virus.”
He implored residents to work with contact tracers in a tweet the same day. The state reported more than 3,500 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday.
“We now have more than 30 contact tracers on the ground for every 100,000 residents. The rate of non-cooperation is now up to a whopping 74%,” Murphy wrote. “This is not a witch hunt. We’re only trying to stop the spread of this virus. Work with our contact tracers.”
Contact Tracing Update:
We now have more than 30 contact tracers on the ground for every 100,000 residents.
The rate of non-cooperation is now up to a whopping 74%.
This is not a witch hunt. We’re only trying to stop the spread of this virus.
Work with our contact tracers. pic.twitter.com/ZL79FkiWst
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) December 7, 2020
The statistic is the latest sign that New Jersey residents are growing fed up with Murphy’s plan to combat the coronavirus across the state. Murphy’s policies have already contributed to a massive hit to the state’s economy as nearly a third of businesses across the state remain closed. A crowd of protesters marched to Murphy’s house at the end of November to protest his coronavirus response, though police kept the demonstrators from getting close.
Last month, the Democratic governor was confronted by angry residents at a restaurant. People continued to harass the governor and his family until Murphy put on a mask. As The Daily Wire reported:
Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy was accosted by angry residents while he ate dinner with his family until he put a mask on, according to footage that went viral Sunday.
“Oh my God, Murphy, you are such a d***,” one woman says in a video posted on social media. Murphy does not respond.
“You’re having fun with your family, in the meantime, you’re having all kind of other bulls*** going on…,” another woman says.
Murphy’s son then suggests the women might have had too much to drink and asks them to put their masks on, to which one of the women says, “You can go f*** yourself, how’s that? I don’t need a f***ing mask. You know why I don’t need a mask? Because there ain’t nothing f***ing wrong with me.”
When Murphy’s son points out how one of the women has a Trump phone case, he claims Trump likes his dad. “No, he doesn’t like your father,” the woman responds. Murphy then puts a mask on, and the women leave as one of them says, “You know what? You suck!”