Outdoor dining, indoor retail shopping returns as NJ enters Stage 2
LONG BRANCH, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 14: People gather outside of Avenue restaurant at Pier Village on June 14, 2020 in Long Branch, New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy reopened beaches on May 22nd and is staged to set up Stage 2 of his “Road Back”
NEW JERSEY - Outdoor dining at restaurants and bars and nonessential in-person retail was allowed to resume in New Jersey on Monday as the Garden State moves into stage 2 of its reopening plan following months of closures due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Restaurants and nonessential retail stores had been limited to curbside pickup and delivery.
Malls must remain closed. Stores within malls can open as long as the store has a separate, front entrance.
Mitigation requirements for retail businesses and health and safety protocols for restaurants and bars must be followed. Some of those measures include hand washing and social distancing of at least six feet. Face coverings must be worn. Businesses must sanitize frequently-touched surfaces.
"Social distancing will continue to be the watchwords of the day. This virus is among us," Gov. Phil Murphy said earlier this month. "Saving lives is still priority No. 1. We cannot move forward blind to the reality around us."
In Stage 2, moderate-risk activities restart. Childcare centers, Motor Vehicle Commission agencies can reopen for pick-up and drop-off services. Libraries can reopen for curbside pickup.
The state's coronavirus outbreak trends continue heading in the right direction. Last week, Gov. Murphy signed an executive order lifting the stay-at-home order which had been in effect since late March as the coronavirus pandemic began to ravage the region.
On Sunday, Murphy said that there were 305 new confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in the state, pushing the total to 166,881. Forty new deaths were reported bringing the total to 12,625 lives lost.