Health & Fitness
NJ Coronavirus Reopenings: What's Open Now, What's Opening Next
Here's what you can – and can't do – now that Gov. Murphy has announced several NJ reopenings amid the coronavirus. And here's what's next.
NEW JERSEY – Wanna go to the beach? Please do. Just get a beach badge before they run out.
Looking forward to graduation? You'll have to look forward to July, at the earliest.
Need a haircut? You have a choice: Cut it yourself, or wait another two weeks.
Find out what's happening in Newarkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
New Jersey is reopening, albeit slowly, as the economy is finally restarting after a nearly three-month quarantine sidelined the state's economy as coronavirus cases reached 160,000. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know
Many businesses have finally reopened, or they're set to reopen within weeks. Others are still sitting on the sideline, awaiting word (see the list below).
Find out what's happening in Newarkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Unlike other states that have opened by using color-shaded maps, Gov. Phil Murphy has bucked the trend in the coronavirus outbreak. He's not telling what's opening until pretty close to the last minute.
And, instead, Murphy's exercising a truly piecemeal approach, deliberately, that some find maddening, but one that he says won't create "false hope."
And while there have been some protests to his approach, Murphy's strategy has largely worked with the public if you look at the recent polls, one of which showed him with a 77 percent approval rating.
Every day, many of New Jersey's 8 million people are waiting with bated breath, usually at mid-day, for Murphy to speak so they can find out what they can do besides sit in their house and watch T.V.
Here's the latest on what you will be able do, and when, now that stage two of his reopening plan has started:
- Guidance and rules on reopening public and private pools will be provided on Monday, June 8th.
- The Motor Vehicle Commission will begin later in June. Read more: NJ's In-Person Driver's License, MVC To Restart Amid Coronavirus
- Churches could resume inside services as early as June 12th
- Outdoor dining will begin on June 15th Read more: Here's What You'll Do At NJ Bars, Restaurants Under Coronavirus Rules
- Limited in-person, indoor retail begins on June 15th. Read more: NJ Issues New Rules For Indoor Retail, Shopping Amid Coronavirus
- Hair salons and barber shops begin on June 22nd
- Youth summer programs begin on July 6th
- In-person graduations can begin on July 6th
- Right now, gatherings are limited to 25 people, but it's expected to be much higher by July 6th.
- In-person clinical research/labs and limited fitness/gyms will open soon after, but Murphy didn't give a date.
Murphy said museums, libraries and casinos will also soon reopen, but he didn't give dates for those, either.
Here is what still needs to reopen as part of "stage three," but Murphy hasn't given any indication when these will begin:
- Allowing people to work at their physical locations
- Allowing entertainment with limited capacity
- Allowing indoor seating in bars and restaurants with limited capacity
- Opening schools, but with limited capacity
- No longer discouraging public transit
Murphy said precautions apply across all stages of reopening, including:
- Clinically high-risk individuals who can stay at home should continue to do so.
- All residents and businesses should follow state and federal safeguarding guidelines:
- Wash hands
- Wear masks in public
- Respect social distancing
- Minimize gatherings
- Disinfect workplace and businesses
- Minimize gatherings
- No mass gatherings
Murphy said New Jersey will move toward subsequent stages based on data that demonstrates improvements in public health and the capacity to safeguard the public, including:
- Sustained improvements in public health indicators, including new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, individuals in intensive care, and ventilator use;
- Substantial increase in testing and contact tracing capacity;
- Sufficient resilience in New Jersey’s health care system to include adequate bed capacity, ventilators, personal protective equipment, and workforce;
- Widespread safeguarding of workplaces;
- Widespread safeguarding and capacity of child care, schools, and mass transit;
- Continued public compliance.
If public health indicators, safeguarding, or compliance worsen on a sustained basis, New Jersey will be prepared to move back to more restrictive stages as well, Murphy said.
Here's what else you can do now that Murphy has announced several reopenings amid the coronavirus crisis:
- Murphy got the restart process rolling on Wednesday, May 13, announcing that he's reopening non-essential retail stores for curbside pickup, as well as non-essential construction and drive-through operations. Read more: Gov. Phil Murphy To Reopen More NJ Businesses In Coronavirus Crisis
- Murphy announced on Thursday, May 14 that New Jersey beaches can reopen and he issued guidelines and rules amid the coronavirus outbreak. Read more: Gov. Murphy: NJ Beaches Will Reopen Amid Coronavirus Crisis
- Murphy announced plans on Friday, May 15 to allow more businesses and services to resume, including elective and invasive surgeries. Read more: Gov. Murphy Reopens More Businesses, Services Amid Coronavirus
- Murphy announced on Saturday, May 16 that he's allowing more businesses to reopen, such as watercraft rentals and charter fishing. Read more: Gov. Murphy Signs 4 NJ Coronavirus Bills Into Law, Allows More Reopenings
- Murphy announced on Monday, May 18 that he was reopening batting cages and other businesses and activities, and he expanded golfing opportunities. Read more: Gov. Murphy Reopens More NJ Business, Activities Amid Coronavirus
- Murphy announced on Tuesday, May 19 that he was allowing in-person automobile and motorcycle sales to return. Read more: In-Person Car, Motorcycle Sales To Resume Wednesday In NJ
- Murphy lifted the limit on outdoor gatherings on Friday, May 22 and also allowed for more reopenings, such as recreational campgrounds. Read more: Gov. Murphy Allows Bigger Gatherings, NJ Coronavirus Reopenings
- New Jersey released rules and guidelines on Wednesday, May 27 for districts and colleges to follow for in-person graduations. Read more: NJ In-Person Graduations: Here Are The New Rules Amid Coronavirus
- Murphy announced on Friday, May 29 that he's allowing camps, child care, horse racing and organized sports to resume amid the coronavirus outbreak. Read more: NJ Issues Rules On Youth Sports, Daycare, Horse Racing Reopenings
- Murphy said on Monday he plans to open gyms, hair and nail salons, indoor retail and outdoor dining in New Jersey. Read more: Gov. Murphy To Reopen NJ Dining, Gyms, Salons Amid Coronavirus
Here is Murphy's plan:
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