On Monday Governor Murphy unveiled his multi-stage approach to reopen businesses and activities. The stages will be driven by the following: health indicators such as new cases, hospitalizations and ICU and ventilators usage; availability of testing and contact tracing capacity per 100,000 residents; healthcare system resiliency with beds, healthcare workers and personal protective equipment; ability to effectively safeguard work places; safe guarded childcare, education, transit ability; and compliance of individuals and employers. To resume in person work for all there must be widespread use of vaccine or life-saving treatment. The Governor noted that measures from previous stages may be “swiftly reinstated” if health conditions deteriorate.
The stages are as follows:
Maximum Restrictions
- Most individuals stay at home and activity is limited to essential tasks.
- Permitted activities and businesses include:
- Emergency health care
- Essential construction
- Manufacturing
- Essential retail, including grocery stores and pharmacies
- K-12 and Higher Education engaged in distance learning
- Child Care open for essential workers only
Stage 1 (New Jersey is currently in stage 1)
- Relaxation of restrictions on low-risk activities, if appropriately safeguarded
- Phased-in businesses may include:
- Non-essential, but easiest to safeguard work activities at physical location if they meet safeguarding and modification guidelines. For example, non-essential construction with protections.
- Some non-essential retail may open with significant modification, such as curbside pick-up
- All workers who can work from home continue to work from home even if their industry is reopening.
- Phased-in activities include:
- State and county parks
- Non-essential construction
- Curbside retail
- Drive-in activities
- Beaches
- Elective surgeries
- K-12 and Higher Education engaged in distance learning
- Child Care expanded with capacity restrictions
Restrictions are relaxed on additional activities that can be easily safeguarded.
Stage 2
- Relaxation of restrictions on additional activities that can be easily safeguarded
- Phased-in businesses may include:
- More work activities allowed at physical locations only if they adhere to safeguarding and modification guidelines. For example,
- Expanded retail
- Safeguarded restaurants with outdoor seating
- Possibly included could be
- Limited personal care
- Indoor dining
- Museums
- Libraries
- All with significantly reduced capacity
- All workers who can work from home continue to work from home even if their industry is reopening.
- Some personal care services may be provided on a limited basis
- K-12 and Higher Education potential for some in-person learning with modifications
- Child Care expanded with capacity restrictions
- Summer schools and summer camps may have limited in-person engagement if health conditions improve
Stage 3
- Relaxation of restrictions on most activities with significant safeguarding
- Phased-in businesses may include:
- More work activities allowed at physical locations only if they adhere to safeguarding and modification guidelines. For example,
- Possibly included could be
- Expanded dining
- Critical in-office work
- Limited entertainment
- Expanded personal care
- Bars with limited capacity
- All workers who can work from home continue to work from home even if their industry is reopening.
- Personal care services may be provided on a more extended basis
Across all stages the following precautions may include:
- Continue to work from home for work than can be done from home
- 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 which include
- Washing of hands
- Wearing of mask in public
- Respecting social distancing
- Minimizing of gatherings
- Disinfecting workplace and businesses
- No mass gatherings
- K-12 and Higher Education may operate in-person learning with reduce capacity
- Child Care likely open for most
- Day and summer camps likely open for all with safeguards and modifications
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.
Contact: Lori Buckelew, Sr. Legislative Analyst, lbuckelew@njlm.org, 609-695-3481 x112.