TRENTON, NJ – Today, amid media reports speculating an impending statewide closure, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said those reports are rumors, but more moves are on the board going forward.
“The rumors we’ve begun hearing about some impending statewide shutdown and lockdown are just that – rumors,” Murphy said. “We’re not in the same situation we found ourselves in this spring – when we had to take drastic actions to save lives. Today we see more moves on the board that we can take. We’re no less committed in our approaches today.
Murphy said as the second wave of COVID-19 sweeps through New Jersey, he will be taking surgical actions in response to containing the spread of the virus. Other Democrat mayors and governors throughout America have already begun lockdowns, including California and Oregon.
“We now have the ability to be more focused and surgical,” Murphy said. “We have much better data and science to draw from now than eight months ago, and can focus restrictions on activities that have proven to have the greatest risk of transmission.”
Murphy said the increase in testing, a better understanding of the virus, treatment options and better data will allow Murphy to respond in smaller doses as cases, hospitalizations, and deaths increase statewide.
“Those rumors told you by a friend or on social media are just that, rumors,” Murphy said. “Just because we say all options are on the table, that doesn’t mean we’re about to exercise any of those options.”
After saying he will not impose a lockdown, Murphy announced he is shutting down indoor sports training statewide until January and capping outdoor gatherings at 25 people.
“We are retightening the limit on outdoor gatherings to 25 individuals – effective 6:00 AM on December 7th,” Murphy said.
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