"As you start to make your holiday plans, please recognize that the gathering limits are back to what they were in May and June - when we all came together and crushed the curve as much as any state in the nation," Murphy said. "Keep gatherings as small as possible."
Youth and high school indoor sports will be put on hold from Friday through at least January 2.
The high school indoor sports ban appears to most directly affect the NJSIAA ice hockey season.
Dates announced on restrictions for outdoor gatherings, indoor sports in NJ
High school hockey practice was scheduled to start on Dec. 14, followed by competition on Jan. 4.
If the indoor sports pause ends on Jan. 2, no other NJSIAA indoor sport will be impacted.
Murphy joined governors of six other northeastern states earlier this month in a youth hockey interstate travel ban, in effect through at least Dec. 31. State officials said at the time that youth hockey was in their crosshairs, because of the spread associated with the activities surrounding the games, not the playing of the games themselves.
NJ increases restrictions on outdoor gatherings, youth sports
On Monday, Governor Murphy reported that the state had 3,199 new positive cases for a total of 337,304 cases.
There were 15 new confirmed deaths for a total of 15,164 since the pandemic began.
Murphy also stated his concerns for hospitals statewide.
"Maintaining the stability of our health care system and ensuring the ability of our frontline medical workers to treat patients starts with implementing restrictions that will keep people from becoming a hospital patient," he said.
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