Gov. Murphy Allows More NJ Reopenings, Raises Limit On Gatherings

NEW JERSEY – Gov. Phil Murphy announced a series of reopenings on Monday, saying indoor catering halls and racetracks can soon resume operations and he raised the limits on public gatherings. He made the announcement as he reported 359 additional coronavirus cases in New Jersey and 27 more deaths (you can watch it here, below).

Murphy, as he promised weeks ago, raised the limit on outdoor gatherings to 250 on Monday.

Effective immediately, indoor gatherings are now limited to 25 percent capacity of the rooms in which they will take place, with a maximum of 100 persons.

Racetracks may also reopen for in-person bets on July 2nd, and indoor capacity at catering halls will also resume on the same day.

Murphy also announced major reopenings earlier on Monday, including indoor dining and casinos. Read more: NJ Announces More Reopenings Amid COVID: Indoor Dining, Casinos

Murphy said New Jersey has made good progress on its efforts to curb the outbreak, allowing more reopenings to happen. "We have stayed true to our two overarching principles that public health determines economic health and data determines dates," Murphy said.

The update also comes as the number of cases has risen to 169,415, and 12,895 people have died. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

Murphy said that despite New Jersey's progress, he's been a bit worried by viral videos that show people not social distancing on beaches and at parties in the state.

"Folks have let their hair down a bit too much," Murphy said, warning that people should continue to social distance.

Many big parts of New Jersey are reopening on Monday. Here's what you can do now (and what you couldn't do for three months) in the coronavirus crisis. Read more: Another Big NJ Reopen Day: Here's What You Can Do Now Amid COVID

Watch Murphy here:

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