coronavirus new jersey

Coronavirus News: New actions in NJ designed to stop the spread of COVID-19

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

This is the first of what Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is calling Be Still Mondays. while NJ Transit employees and passengers must wear face masks starting today.

NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- This is the first of what Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is calling Be Still Mondays.

He wants everything closed including essential businesses every Monday until May 11.

There's also changing happening at New Jersey Transit.

Over the weekend, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy ordered all NJ Transit employees and passengers to face masks, which should be any sort of homemade cloth covering over your mouth and nose.

NJ Transit says more than 604,000 gloves and 162,000 masks have been distributed to employees for use on the job since March 1, 2020.

Train capacity is also now limited to 50 percent.

These actions are happening as Murphy tries to decide when and how to reopen the state.

"We've got to do this in concert with our neighbors. And, frankly, it is still early stage partly because the house is still on fire, and job number one is to put the fire out in the house. But any sort of reopening and recovery depends first and foremost on a complete health care recovery, getting that sequencing right," Murphy said.

The governor is also ordering anyone going to a store or grabbing take out to also put on a mask.