TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey bars and restaurants must halt indoor dining from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. beginning Thursday in an attempt to control a resurgence of the coronavirus, Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday.
Outdoor dining and take-out services can continue past 10 p.m. Casinos must also stop food and drink services at 10 p.m., but can keep gambling going.
“We need to change our mindset, we have to shake off the pandemic fatigue that we all feel,” the Democratic governor said during a news conference in Trenton.
Takeout and outdoor dining may continue past 10 p.m., Murphy said. Another change allows restaurants to seat tables closer than 6 feet (2 meters) apart if they erect a barrier. Seating at bars will also be prohibited, the governor said, pointing to Health Department officials citing outbreaks among bartenders.
He also said that all indoor interstate athletic events will be prohibited.
“This is not forever and always. We basically have a six-month window to beat the virus into the ground,” he said, noting that the state is entering a second wave of the outbreak.
It comes as the coronavirus rate of infection and number of cases climbs higher in New Jersey and across the country.
Over the past seven days, an average of about 2,000 people per day have been infected by the virus, up from a rate of about 370 per day in August. There have been 14,640 deaths and about 256,000 virus cases in the state since the pandemic started.
