Day one of Phase 2 of New Jersey’s multi-phased reopening plan was successful, with the “overwhelming majority” of New Jersey residents abiding by the various health and safety requirements enforced by the state to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Phil Murphy said Tuesday.
“From business owners to customers, there was overwhelming compliance … with social distancing and wearing face coverings,” Murphy said during his daily coronavirus press briefing.
As the pandemic continues, social distancing of at least six feet must be practiced at all reopened businesses and institutions. Frequently touched surfaces must be increasingly sanitized and hand washing more consistently performed. Face coverings are required within indoor settings like churches and temples as well as nonessential retail businesses, and remain strongly recommended elsewhere.
In light of the governor’s positive feedback, questions may be popping up across the state not only in regard to what exactly is open, but what will be open next as the state moves forward while trying to continue to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Most of these establishments are allowed but not required to reopen, so individuals should contact local businesses prior to visiting.
Here is an overview of where the state stands in its restart and recovery:
What has reopened this week?
Shoppers browse at Another Man's Treasure vintage clothing store on Montgomery Street in Jersey City on Monday, June 15, 2020, the first day nonessential retail stores are allowed to let customers inside at half capacity since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
New Jersey entered Phase 2 of Gov. Phil Murphy’s Road Back recovery plan Monday, which allowed restaurants and bars across the state to reopen for outdoor dining, while nonessential retail stores could permit shopping at 50% capacity.
New Jersey State Police Superintendent Colonel Patrick J. Callahan shared that one restaurant in Paterson had “hundreds of people both inside and out” of its premises, and was accordingly cited for violating the state’s executive order.
Child daycare centers were also given the green light to reopen at limited capacity Monday, as was the state’s Motor Vehicle Commission offices for pick-up and drop-off services, and libraries for curbside pick-up. Outdoor special events like fireworks were also allowed to resume Monday.
Places of worship have been allowed to host indoor gatherings since June 9, six days prior to the official initiation of Phase 2.
All indoor gatherings are currently limited to 50 people, or 25% of a building’s capacity — whichever number is less. The limit for outdoor gatherings is currently 100 people, although this could increase to 250 by June 22 and double to 500 by July 3.
The full list and details of what reopened in New Jersey on Monday can be found here.
What’s next?
New Jersey hair and nail salons, barbershops, massage and tattoo parlors and other personal care services will be allowed to reopen next Monday, June 22. Pools and outdoor, non-contact organized sports will also be allowed to reopen Monday.
Debbie Megahan puts the finishing touches on Jeff Hasher's haircut at Joe's barber shop. Barbershops around the state are closed because of coronavirus, so we talked to barbers about how to cut your own hair. (David Gard | For NJ Advance Media)
Beyond the requirement to wear masks and comply with social distancing, there are a number of health and safety procedures that must be followed by all salons, shops and parlors. These include appointment-only services, the screening of customers and staff no more than 24 hours before a scheduled appointment, and immediately prior to or upon arrival at the business, and the checking of temperatures of clients and staff prior to entry.
Other restrictions can be found here.
Person-to-person contact or the routine involvement of players and officials interacting within six feet of each other will be prohibited when outdoor organized sports resume next week. Teams must also comply with whatever the state’s limitations on outdoor gatherings is on June 22.
More details regarding the limitations that will be in place can be found here.
Looking forward, beginning July 6 youth day camps and in-person summer schools will be allowed to operate, and outdoor in-person graduations can officially resume.
Gyms and fitness centers are among the businesses still expected to reopen in Stage 2, but as of Tuesday Gov. Murphy had not announced dates or restrictions. He has said reopening Atlantic City’s casino gaming floors remains a priority but has not provided a date beyond hinting that they could reopen by the weekend of July 4.
How long will it be until we enter Stage 3?
Gov. Murphy has not yet established a date for Stage 3, which encompasses the reopening of indoor dining, bars, entertainment services and critical in-office work, as well as the pulling back of restrictions at gyms and fitness centers and personal care businesses.
This stage represents the final step in reopening before what Murphy’s administration has described as a “new normal” once a vaccine or treatment for coronavirus becomes widely available.
He stated Monday that New Jersey could move forward in its coronavirus reopening plan within “weeks and not months” if the number of coronavirus cases in the state continues to slow. But, on Tuesday he reminded New Jersey residents that reopening indoor services is “harder” — especially because a second wave of the coronavirus is likely inevitable.
“If you bat 1,000, this virus, by its very nature, is going to come back," Gov. Murphy said. "It’s not forever. It’s going to be soon, I promise you. ... But I do worry we’ll get flare-ups.”
More than 20 states in the U.S. have reported an increase rate of confirmed COVID-19 cases as their businesses and public facilities begin to reopen over the past two weeks, according to an article published by Healthline Media.
As of Tuesday, the number of patients being treated at hospitals in New Jersey dropped to a three-month low. Nonetheless, 470 new cases and 51 new deaths in the Garden State were reported, increasing the coronavirus death toll to at least 12,727 in the nearly 15 weeks since the outbreak began.
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Caroline Fassett may be reached at cfassett@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.