Reopening New Jersey: Outdoor dining, indoor retail as NJ enters Stage 2

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Outdoor dining, indoor retail as NJ enters Stage 2 of reopening

Lucy Yang has more on New Jersey's return to outdoor dining and indoor retail.

NEW JERSEY (WABC) -- New Jersey moved into Stage 2 of its reopening plan on Monday with outdoor dining and nonessential retail resuming.

Phase 2 reopening means non-essential retails stores can let customers back inside rather than just curbside.

Stores are limited to 50% of approved capacity, customers and employees must wear face coverings and areas used by employees must be regularly sanitized.

Restaurants can also offer "outdoor" dining along with takeout. Tables must be six feet apart and other safety and sanitization protocols must be followed.

The governor says with this Stage 2 reopening, the state has launched an initiative to help small businesses called "One Jersey Pledge."

Motor Vehicle Commission restarts drop-off and pick-up services.

Childcare centers can reopen. Libraries can do curbside pickup and open outdoor spaces to the public.

"Libraries are an important resource in normal times, but are even more critical now as many New Jerseyans utilize the numerous and often free resources that they have to offer," said Governor Murphy. "Reopening our libraries for curbside pickup will ensure that families in our state can continue to have access to literature, arts, and so much more that these institutions provide."

Other notable items:

Restaurants and indoor recreational and entertainment businesses are permitted to allow individuals to tour their facilities for event-planning purposes, but such individuals must wear face coverings at all times and the facility may not provide food or drink tastings or samplings;

Students, who may be accompanied by parents or guardians, may enter school premises to retrieve personal belongings from lockers, classrooms, or other areas;

Open houses to view real estate are permitted, provided they comply with the restrictions on indoor gatherings, including the requirement that attendees wear face coverings;

Bicycle shops, boat dealerships, car and used car dealerships, farming equipment stores, federal firearms licensees, livestock feed stores, mobile phone retail and repair shops, motorcycle dealerships, and nurseries and garden centers can operate according to the requirements placed on essential retail businesses;

All car washes can operate according to the requirements placed on essential retail businesses;

Yard and garage sales are permitted subject to the requirements on indoor gatherings, but municipalities shall have the discretion to impose additional restrictions on these sales;

Special events, including fireworks displays, at public and private beaches, boardwalks, lakes, and lakeshores are permitted, subject to the restrictions on outdoor gatherings

Shared space tutoring service facilities remain closed to students and clients.

Many churches in New Jersey opened their doors to parishioners for mass and services on Sunday, limiting to 50 people or 25 percent, whichever number is smaller.

Even though services looked a little different with a much smaller gathering than before, it's a start as face masks and social distancing is required.

Archdiocese of Newark will also resume public weekday masses, funerals, baptisms and weddings on Monday.

The first church-based COVID-19 testing site will also open at St. Matthew AME in Orange. Testing will be available from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM by appointment only.