TRENTON, N.J. – Anyone following today’s news out of Trenton could rightly claim confusion; Governor Phil Murphy imposed a new indoor occupancy limit which he alluded to last week, but the Governor also suggested he’s moving ahead with permitting in-person instruction for state schools.
“Until we begin to see the numbers of cases decrease – not just for one day, but over at least a 7-day trend – and our rate of transmission drop appreciably over a sustained period of time, these new restrictions on indoor gatherings will remain in place,” Murphy tweeted.
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The new indoor capacity limit is 25% of capacity up to 25 individuals. Murphy’s unilateral new executive fiat is the first significant “rollback” of recent loosened of restrictions pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. The maximum capacity had been 100, but the new directive exempts weddings, funerals, and political activities (including protests).
Murphy simultanesouly confirmed face coverings would be required for all students whenever in-person instruction resumes. It’s unclear why the Administration believes schools with potentially hundreds of individuals passing through a single building over the course of a week is safer than a house party with 36 or even 26 guests, and no concrete explanation was offered on Monday.
At present, the Murphy Administration has favored at least some in-person instructions this fall but continues to get pusback from some quarters.
The Governor warned last week that changes in underlying indicators (like spot positivity) could lead to new restrictions, but some believe that documented deceptive case counting practices may begin to undermine faith in the Administration’s policies…
UPDATE: We are retightening the restriction on indoor gatherings.
Until further notice, indoor gatherings are now limited to 25% of a room’s capacity – with a MAXIMUM of 25 persons, down from 100.
To be clear, this tightening caps indoor house parties at 25 people – period. pic.twitter.com/MWt4YtNQHI
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) August 3, 2020
UPDATE: Face coverings will be required for all students at all times while inside a school building, regardless of social distancing, unless doing so would inhibit the individual’s health. pic.twitter.com/wqNLgBfku1
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) August 3, 2020
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