N.J. restaurants and bars that can open up 2 walls can reopen for indoor dining, Murphy says - NJ.com

kotortopo.blogspot.com

While New Jersey still has a sweeping ban on eateries offering indoor dining during the coronavirus pandemic, bars and restaurants that can open up two of their four walls will now be allowed to serve patrons inside, under an executive order Gov. Phil Murphy signed Wednesday.

Technically, the order clarifies that eateries offer indoor — or quasi-indoor dining — if they have no roof or a fixed roof or temporary cover with at least two open sides that allows 50% of their wall space to open.

That would appear to benefit some restaurants with open-air settings at the Jersey Shore and other areas.

“If you’ve got a restaurant that can open up two sides of your restaurant, you can have 50% of your wall space open,” the governor said during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “We’re gonna allow you to have that under that roof, which is another step hopefully to help out our restaurants.”

Speaking later in the day at a coronavirus briefing in Trenton, Murphy said this loosening of restrictions was possible because having half of a building’s wall space open allows for ample air flow. Still, he acknowledged that not every restaurant will benefit from the new policy.

“Are there winners and losers based on how the restaurants configured? Sadly, probably yes,” Murphy said. “There are some that can do this and some that can’t.”

Diane Weiss, executive director of the New Jersey Licensed Beverage Association, applauded Murphy for the move.

“This is welcomed news to our industry, which has been so severely impacted due to the pandemic,” Weiss said. “It is our hope greater measures will be taken to allow our businesses to recover and avert filing for bankruptcy.”

The governor added that indoor dining at traditional four-walled bars and restaurants will remain on hold until the pressure from the virus eases. Outdoor dining, takeout, and delivery are still allowed.

“I am pleased that many of our peer states are now following our lead in pushing back the resumption of indoor dining,” Murphy said. “We have made many very difficult decisions based on the metrics and public heath guidelines, and this certainly was one of the most difficult. I have nothing but sympathy for the business and employees impacted, but we’re not ready to open indoor dining.”

Murphy gave no indication about when indoor dining will be allowed.

“We’re doing everything that we can,” he said. “And, God willing, we’ll get to indoor dining, I hope, at some point in a reasonable future.”

Murphy’s new order also requires people in New Jersey wear face masks not just indoors but also outdoors in public when they can’t practice social distancing.

Even though the state’s number of new COVID-19 cases, deaths, and hospitalizations have dropped significantly, Murphy announced two weeks ago he was canceling plans to allow indoor dining at 25% capacity starting July 2. He cited fear over rising cases in other states and packed crowds at eateries that have reopened for outdoor dining in New Jersey.

But many restaurant owners and lawmakers have sharply criticized Murphy for postponing indoor dining, saying they have lost untold revenue and other money they spent to prepare for the reopening.

During his MSNBC appearance, Murphy was also asked why it makes sense that casinos have been allowed to reopen at 25% capacity while indoor dining is still off-limits.

“A fair question,” the governor said. “But at the end of the day, I think you’ll see there’s a difference here. No. 1, huge footprint on a casino floor. No. 2, face masks required at all times. There are a whole series of social distancing steps that have been taken. And capacity limitations.”

“Remember: Indoor dining or a bar, you’ve got a very bad data set,” he added. “That’s not to say we won’t get there. But you’re indoors, lacking ventilation, you’re sedentary, close proximity, and by definition, you’re taking your mask off to eat or drink. That last piece in particular is not the case in a casino. That’s being strictly enforced.”

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

Officials have also warned New Jersey’s rate of transmission is once again exceeding the key figure of 1 after falling below that mark for 10 weeks. That means, on average, every newly infected resident is now passing COVID-19 to at least one other person.

The rate has ticked up slightly again, from 1.05 to 1.10, Murphy said Wednesday.

The governor said with that rate rising, it’s unlikely he’ll lift more restrictions in the coming days.

“We’re gonna be in a holding pattern for the time being,” Murphy said. “If we have to go back, we will. I hope we don’t.”

Meanwhile, the state is calling on people traveling from 19 states with rising cases to self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving in New Jersey, including residents returning home. Murphy’s administration added three states to the list Tuesday, including neighboring Delaware.

New Jersey, a densely populated state of 9 million residents, has reported 15,423 known deaths attributed to COVID-19 — 13,476 lab-confirmed and 1,947 probable — with 174,039 known cases in a little more than four months since the state’s first case was announced March 4.

Officials on Wednesday reported 53 new deaths related to the virus and 335 new cases.

About 1.3 million Garden State residents have filed for unemployment benefits as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the economy. But the number of workers who filed last week dropped by 15%.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com.

Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

"can" - Google News
July 09, 2020 at 08:14AM
https://ift.tt/3gGihhD

N.J. restaurants and bars that can open up 2 walls can reopen for indoor dining, Murphy says - NJ.com
"can" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2NE2i6G
https://ift.tt/3d3vX4n

Bagikan Berita Ini