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TRENTON – New Jersey restaurants will, after several months, finally have what they’ve hoped for.
In a tweet Aug. 31, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that indoor dining can resume Sept. 4, at 25% capacity. Included in the restriction is the need for social distancing between tables.
“Reopening responsibly will help us restore one of our state’s key industries while continuing to make progress against #COVID19,” the governor’s tweet read.
Indoor dining was to resume in July, but the governor opted to postpone it because of an uptick in reported COVID-19 cases and an increased rate of transmission.
During his COVID-19 press briefing Aug. 31, Murphy also announced that movie theaters and indoor performance venues would also be permitted to reopen, at 25% capacity.
Requirements for indoor dining to help fight the coronavirus’ spread vary between patrons and staff. Employees, such as servers and bartenders, must continue to wear masks at all times, but patrons have leeway, as they are only required to wear them when not seated at a table. Patrons can’t yet enjoy venturing around restaurants with their food or beverages, as they must be consumed only at a table.
The governor is also mandating strict ventilation requirements for indoor dining, with windows being required open, allowing outdoor airflow into indoor dining areas. Air conditioning units must also allow outdoor air to flow into the indoor areas to prevent indoor air from circulating inside.
Movie theaters must abide by similar restrictions, with masks, social distancing, and 25% capacity. If a theater has four screens, the governor said, in a tweet outlining the requirements, each screen will be held to the lesser of 25% capacity, or 150 people.
Indoor performance establishments and restaurants weren’t alone in receiving new mandates, as the governor also tweeted that he, through an executive order, will raise indoor gathering limits to the less of 25%, or 150 people, for religious services, weddings, funerals, memorial services, and political activities.
“We’re able to take so many steps forward today because of the hard work millions of you have done to keep pushing down our health metrics,” a tweet from Gov. Murphy read, “but, we can’t let up on our vigilance even one bit. Let’s all be safe and responsible.”
To contact Eric Conklin, email econklin@cmcherald.com.
