Governor Phil Murphy just announced that New Jersey will join New York and Connecticut in eliminating a variety coronavirus restrictions on May 19. This will include capacity limits at restaurants, as well as outdoor gathering caps. Indoor mask and social distancing rules will still be in effect — which of course includes our Essex County area and the Montclair and Bloomfield communities.
BREAKING: Effective May 19th, we will REMOVE the 50% capacity indoor dining limit.
Restaurants will be allowed to operate at whatever capacity allows them to continue to ensure a minimum six-foot distance between groups. pic.twitter.com/TmN2HSxAu7
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) May 3, 2021
Restaurants, museums, amusement parks, gyms, personal services, stores, and movie theaters are just some of the businesses in NJ that will be allowed to operate without set capacity limits. This is the first time since March 2020 that this is instated.
Because of the 6-foot requirement, some establishments may not be able to operate at full capacity — including restaurants and movie theaters.
Social distancing will still be in effect, with masks worn indoors and groups still needing to be separated by six feet in restaurants and beyond, Governor Murphy shared. For outdoor gatherings, there will no longer be a capacity requirement, but there will be a mask requirement for times when social distancing isn’t possible. Stadium limits will also increase.
The announcement came today in a joint manner with both New York and Connecticut Governors Andrew Cuomo and Ned Lamont. Governor Cuomo just announced that NYC will restore 24/7 subway service on May 17, according to a press release.
We’ll share more updates as we have them!
