TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy today told New Jersey, “Stay at home until we say otherwise.”
Murphy shed little light on his process of reopening the Garden State or how and when that reopening might happen. He shared bits and pieces of a plan that he said balances public heath with public wealth, putting an emphasis on the health part. The Governor envisioned his reopening strategy to coincide with New York State and perhaps Pennsylvania, stating that it must be done in concert with our neighbors and when asked if New Jersey regions would be treated differently, he said no.
Reopening, according to Murphy will be statewide whether you live in the urban areas of Newark, Camden or rural areas like Salem County and the southern Jersey Shore. Murphy used an example of a bar opening in Jersey City and how that would affect out of state travelers from New York City. So if New York city isn’t reciprocating, essentially, all of New Jersey will remain shut down.
New Jersey’s regions have had varied exposure and infection rates to COVID-19. Densely populated have had a higher rate of infection while the southern portion of the state has escaped the high rates of the urban areas, but under Murphy’s plan so far, those areas will have to wait for the domino effect which begins in New York City.
Reporters in the room aggressively questioned Murphy’s plan, one stating that if each state is using different metrics, there appears to be no synergy between the states, yet he’s relying on them to act before he acts. Murphy offered no real answers to the questions asked by the pool reporters.