Outdoor dining, indoor retail returning on June 15; salons and barbershops, June 22

Gov. Murphy's restart plan for New Jersey.
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New Jersey is poised to enter stage two of its pandemic recovery, with outdoor dining and non-essential indoor retail re-opening on June 15, 2020.

You will have to wait another week for a legal haircut or perm; barbershops and salons may reopen on June 22.  Gyms and health clubs are likely to follow–as long as the coronavirus numbers continue trending downwards.

Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli listens as Gov. Phil Murphy speaks at press briefing, June 1, 2020. Pool photo by Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

“Our economic restart must instill confidence among our residents and visitors that their safety, and that of their families, is our number one priority,” Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement on Monday.

As of Sunday, 2,344 people across New Jersey were hospitalized with COVID-19, a decrease of more than 1,000 from two weeks ago.

Some 646 were in critical or intensive care, with 469 on ventilators. That marked the third straight day below 500.

The pandemic has killed 11,721 people in the Garden State, including 616 in Morris County.

In Morristown, 563 residents have tested positive for the coronavirus, reported Mayor Tim Dougherty.  Morris Township has 281 confirmed cases, and Morris Plains, 56.

EXPAND OUTDOOR DINING ON SOUTH STREET?

Dougherty said he had hoped to help local restaurants by closing part of South Street, for expanded outdoor dining. But it’s a state roadway, and the Department of Transportation has declined permission, he said during his daily video message.

The mayor said he intends to press the governor to allow the street closure on Saturdays between 4 pm and 10 pm.

New Jersey’s economy has been shut down since March to slow the spread of the virus. The next round of modified re-openings requires strict adherence to state and federal health guidelines, including social distancing and no mass gatherings, according to the governor’s office.

Youth summer programs may open on July 6, the same date when limited outdoor graduations may commence.

Re-openings of museums, libraries and government services such as the motor vehicles commission also are anticipated, with the same caveats.

Here is more.

From Gov. Phil Murphy’s office:

Governor Murphy Announces New Jersey to Enter Stage Two of Restart and Recovery on June 15th
Outdoor Dining and Indoor, Non-Essential Retail Allowed as of June 15th
Hair Salons and Barber Shops May Reopen on June 22nd

 

TRENTON – As part of his restart and recovery plan, The Road Back: Restoring Economic Health Through Public Health, Gov. Phil Murphy today announced that New Jersey will enter Stage Two on June 15, 2020.

Guided by strict protocols from the New Jersey Department of Health, as well as input from the Governor’s Restart and Recovery Commission and complementary Advisory Councils, Stage Two will include outdoor dining for restaurants and indoor, non-essential retail as of June 15th.

Beginning on June 22nd, barber shops and salons will be able to reopen. In the period to follow, New Jersey will work toward the gradual opening of personal care, gyms, and health clubs, at reduced capacities as the stage progresses.

All of these activities will be allowed pursuant to strict health and safety guidelines that will be issued in the coming days. New Jersey ended maximum restrictions and moved to Stage One on May 18, 2020.

“As we move through Stage One of our strategic restart and recovery process, public health data continues to demonstrate our collective success in flattening the curve of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations,” said Governor Murphy.

“It is with these favorable metrics, coupled with expanded testing capacity and contact tracing, that we can responsibly enter Stage Two of our multi-stage approach to recovery. Our economic restart must instill confidence among our residents and visitors that their safety, and that of their families, is our number one priority.

“I encourage all New Jerseyans to continue their vigilance in keeping themselves and their communities safe by social distancing, wearing face coverings, washing hands frequently, and limiting gatherings.”

STAGE 2:

Restrictions are relaxed on activities that can be easily safeguarded.

  • Phased-in businesses and activities, with adherence to safeguarding and modification guidelines, include:
  • Outdoor dining (beginning on June 15th)
  • Limited in-person retail (beginning on June 15th)
  • Hair salons and barber shops (beginning on June 22nd)
  • Youth summer programs (beginning on July 6th)
  • In-person clinical research/labs
  • Limited fitness/gyms
  • Limited in-person government services (e.g. – Motor Vehicle Commission)

Museums/libraries

All workers who can work from home should continue to work from home.

Precautions that apply across all stages include:

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

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.

For a one-page summary of Governor Murphy’s multi-stage approach to restart New Jersey’s economy, click here.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Will the Famished Frog be allowed to participate in outdoor dining, or is the Council still concerned about “possible” noise, negatively impacting “possible” residents of an apartment building that may or may not be built sometime in the future?

  2. Finally. Morristown should block off some expanded road/parking areas to allow restaurants to offer more tables outside. Should also allow some tents to be put up on select sidewalk areas. Reopening restaurants with only a couple tables outside is not going to justify bringing a lot of staff back, especially when the weather isn’t nice.

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