New Jersey to Ease COVID-19 Restrictions on May 19

New Jersey continues to gradually ease COVID-19 related restrictions. Governor Phil Murphy announced on Monday that businesses such as casinos, restaurants, gyms, and other venues will be allowed to operate at 100% capacity, effective from May 19.

COVID-19 Related Restrictions to Be Lifted on May 19 in New Jersey

Governor Phil Murphy announced on Monday that New Jersey is lifting some COVID-19 related restrictions, effective from May 19. Starting from that date, businesses such as casinos, gyms, restaurants, and barbershops will be allowed to operate at 100% capacity. Furthermore, theaters, temples, and other places of worship, as well as entertainment facilities will also be allowed to increase their capacity to 100%. However, social distancing rules remain in place, meaning that a 6-foot distance is required between visitors. Furthermore, masks remain mandatory as well.

Additionally, effective from May 19, there will be no limit on outdoor gatherings and no restriction to the number of people allowed sitting at one table. A 30% capacity restriction remains in place for all indoor events in places featuring 1,000 or more seats. New Jersey would also remove the current 250-person limit which is valid for commercial meetings, political rallies, memorials, funerals, and other events.

NJ’s Decision to Lift Restrictions Is Based on Public Health Metrics Not on Politics

During the regular COVID-19 briefing on Monday this week, Governor Murphy said that if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revise the 6-foot social distancing requirement, so will the state. Furthermore, he added that he is expecting that this distancing requirement to come down.

“These are the most aggressive steps we have taken to reopen to date.”

Governor Phil Murphy

Additionally, the Governor deemed these steps as “the most aggressive” ones taken so far. Furthermore, he assured everyone that New Jersey’s legislature has done exactly what it said all along, which is to take such decisions based on “public health metrics and not on politics”.

The latest move, lifting COVID-19-related restrictions in New Jersey comes after New York made a similar announcement. Before Governor Murphy’s announcement on Monday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo assured that soon most capacity restrictions for the tristate area will end.