Hoboken Gets Ready For Limited Indoor Dining

HOBOKEN, NJ — Gov. Phil Murphy announced early Monday morning that limited indoor dining would be allowed in the Garden State starting this coming Friday, in time for Labor Day.

The state originally had intended to allow it back in July, but pulled back following temporary spikes in coronavirus numbers.

One Hoboken restaurant, Urban CoalHouse Pizza on 14th Street, sent out an email Monday, "We are so excited to welcome you back inside our dining rooms at all three locations this Friday, September 4th! We are following all procedures and protocols to ensure our guests feel safe and comfortable, and we look forward to seeing you!"

They noted, "We have lots of space for outdoor dining at each location! Reservations are recommended, but not required. We are currently offering 90-minute seatings. Please call us or reserve via urbancoalhouse.com!

Hudson Table, which offers cooking classes, has been offering rooftop and outdoor dining, and shared its schedule this week.

(Do you own a restaurant that's reopening for indoor dining? Or expanding your outdoor dining? Send information and a photo, and we can compile them into a story! Email carenlissner@patch.com.)

Gov. Murphy said Monday that indoor dining would be allowed Friday with 25 percent occupancy. Here are more of the rules:

• Parties must capped at eight people, and tables must be 6 feet apart.
• Staff must wear masks all times.
• Diners must wear masks when not in their seats.
• Food and beverages can only be consumed while seated.

For a complete list of rules, click here.

And to read about outdoor dining in Hoboken, click here.

Hoboken also closes off certain blocks so that restaurants can offer outdoor dining in the street. Read the schedule here.

Gyms and amusements

Gov. Murphy also recently signed an executive order allowing gyms, health clubs, and indoor amusement facilities to reopen at 25 percent capacity effective Sept. 1.

Equipment must be adjusted to allow a minimum of six feet of distance, and must be sanitized between uses. Everyone must wear masks. More details can be found here.

Here are some other Hoboken coronavirus updates on numbers, testing, and more:

LOCAL AND NATIONAL TRENDS

• Mayor Ravi Bhalla said a week ago that Hoboken has suffered 31 fatalities, and 693 residents have tested positive for the virus since the beginning of the pandemic.
• On Saturday, New Jersey's total death toll climbed to 14,153 after four confirmed deaths were announced since the day before. The state also announced 388 new confirmed positive cases, bringing the total cases since the beginning of the pandemic to 191,611.
• However, this daily death rate has declined since back on April 30, when it reached a peak of 460 residents in 24 hours, or one person every three minutes.
• Many other states' death rates reached records in July (see the daily totals in each state here), and had to pull back on some of their reopenings. New Jersey has asked people to quarantine if returning from 31 states.
• More than 176,000 Americans have now died of coronavirus, and more than 5.6 million have tested positive.
• More than 900 health care workers have died of the virus nationally. Others are simultaneously fighting misinformation as they try to fight the virus.

SCHOOLS

• The Hoboken public schools are slated to reopen Monday, Sept. 14 remotely, and then Sept. 21 on-site for those who requested it.
• The district has offered a reopening plan giving parents a choice of either full-time on-site learning (until 3 p.m.) or full-time distance learning. In the buildings, there will be restrictions, such as kids wearing masks and maintaining a 6-foot distance.

HOW TO GET HELP WITH HEAT, RENT, AND MORE

• During the State of Emergency in New Jersey, no tenant is permitted to be evicted from their home or apartment for the inability to pay rent. Talk to your local mayor's office if you are experiencing difficulties.
• The CARES act has made money available to help with rent in each city. More information is here.
• New Jersey residents can get help with heating and energy bills. Information is here.
• Various other avenues of relief and benefits have also been made available, including family leave for 12 weeks if you can't work due to your child's school or camp being closed, and changes to unemployment rules to help those who were at a job for a short time, or freelancing.

LONG-TERM CARE

• New Jersey residents have become alarmed at the high number of residents who have passed away in nursing homes, rehabs, and similar facilities. The state announced plans in May to increase testing at some long term care facilities and to bring in the National Guard to help make changes.
• The state released death toll statistics for long-term care facilities like rehabs and nursing homes. See the list here.
• You can report problems with long term care facilities here, or if you suspect coronavirus related misconduct, here.
• Some New Jersey long-term care facilities reopened for limited visits, with precautions, in July.
• Other states have been dealing with nursing home deaths more recently, including a recent outbreak in a Texas nursing home.

Here are statewide coronavirus resources:

• NJ COVID-19 Information Hub: https://covid19.nj.gov/
• General COVID-19 questions: 2-1-1
• NJ COVID-19 hotline: (800) 222-1222

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