On Feb. 3. Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order rolling back some restrictions bars and restaurants have been under due to COVID-19.
The executive order. allows restaurants and bars to operate during their normal business hours starting Feb. 5. Previously they could not offer in-person services indoors between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
The executive order increases indoor capacity limitations from 25 percent to 35 percent for restaurants and bars as well as gyms, barbers, and nail salons, to name a few.
All other limitations, such as no bar seating, remain in effect.
Better stats, fewer restrictions
According to the executive order, the rollback is due in part to a better understanding of the activities that are most conducive to the spread of the virus, expanded access to testing and personal protective equipment, and the ongoing COVID-19 Vaccination Plan. The executive order states that the statewide rate of transmission and the number of new hospital admissions, ventilator use, and patients in intensive care units have either decreased or remained stable over the past few weeks.
“Given the decrease in these key statistics, the State can take cautious, incremental steps to lift certain restrictions that were designed to limit person-to-person contact,” states the executive order.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, my Administration has used science, data, and facts to guide our decision-making process,” Murphy said. “The downward trend of COVID-19 cases in our hospitals, coupled with the state’s decreasing rate of transmission, allows us to confidently expand our indoor capacity limits without leading to undue further stress on our health care systems. I am incredibly grateful to the millions of New Jerseyans who have been vigilant in practicing social distancing and wearing face coverings, and I urge everyone to continue their efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.”
According to the mayors of Jersey City and Hoboken, neither municipality will continue to have a local curfew, though the executive order allows for municipalities to do so.
“Based on guidance provided by Governor Murphy and the State of New Jersey, we have made the joint decision to allow bars and restaurants to operate during normal, regular business hours without a local curfew,” said Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop in a joint statement. “Businesses must continue to follow the capacity restrictions and social distancing requirements put forward by the State. We trust that if Governor Murphy believed a curfew was necessary, it would still be in effect. But, recent analysis from our health departments, as well as information provided by the New Jersey Health Department, suggests that a curfew at this time may no longer be necessary. ”
They noted that bars and restaurants will be monitored to ensure compliance with COVID-19 regulations.
“This time around, we believe that a coordinated regional approach is the best way to implement safety measures, when necessary,” said the mayors. “Our public safety officers and City staff will be aggressively monitoring all bars and restaurants during overnight hours, to ensure COVID-19 safety precautions are being taken at all times. If not followed, any bar or restaurant will be subject to immediate penalties, including but not limited to closure. We thank the large majority of business owners for continuing to take the necessary precautions to keep our residents and visitors safe when patronizing their establishments.”
Assemblyman Nicholas Chiaravalloti, who represents Bayonne, praised the governor for the rollbacks.
Prior to the announcement he had written the governor requesting that the indoor hour restrictions for bars and restaurants be lifted due to the Superbowl on Feb. 7. In the Jan. 14 letter, he cautioned that if bars were closed during the game, people would gather in their homes or throw house parties which could become super spreader events. He noted that allowing bars to remain open for more hours would have an economic benefit.
“This is amazing news for our small businesses, and I trust that they will do what is right to keep their employees and customers safe,” Chiaravalloti said. “I would like to send my heartfelt thanks to Governor Phil Murphy and Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli who heard our requests and worked to make it happen.”
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