Moorestown Mayor Urges Caution As State Continues To Reopen

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Moorestown Mayor Nicole Gillespie is urging residents to be cautious about the spread of the coronavirus as New Jersey enters the next step of its reopening plan.

She's also hoping the next phase of the plan can bring local businesses much needed revenue after being shut down by state executive order for the last three months.

“It was to be expected. We knew it was coming soon,” Gillespie said of the latest reopening measures. “ … We can do this and continue to be safe.”

Earlier this week, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that indoor retail and outdoor dining will be permitted to reopen June 15, and that barbers and salons can reopen on June 22. Read more here: NJ Coronavirus Reopenings: What's Open Now, What's Opening Next

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Gillespie is hoping retail stores can conduct business the same way grocery stores have, with limited capacity and while adhering to social distancing guidelines.

She fears that as more businesses reopen, people will become less concerned about the virus’s spread. Outdoor dining might be of particular concern.

“If people are eating, the masks are coming off, so we’ll have to figure that out,” Gillespie said. “We have to continue to be cautious. The virus is still spreading and it’s still dangerous.”

Coronavirus has been of particular concern in Moorestown.

The township has the seventh highest number of coronavirus cases in Burlington County with 280, according to numbers provided by the county on Tuesday night. The township has the second highest death total due to the virus at 51. Burlington Township has 62 confirmed deaths.

While many of the cases have been reported in the township’s nursing homes, Gillespie knows there are cases that occur outside that setting.

It is difficult to tell how many cases there are, as municipal reporting tends to lag behind state reporting, and numbers reported by nursing homes have been inconsistent with the state’s data.

According to numbers posted online by the state on Wednesday, 218 nursing home residents have tested positive for the coronavirus, with 56 deaths. Another 161 cases have been identified among nursing home staff members with one confirmed death.

But with the number of cases dropping statewide, New Jersey is entering the second phase of Murphy’s reopening plan.

Here's the latest on what you will be able to do, and when, now that stage two of his reopening plan has started:

• Churches could resume inside services as early as June 12th
• Outdoor dining will begin on June 15th
• Limited in-person retail begins on June 15th
• Hair salons and barber shops begin on June 22nd
• Youth summer programs begin on July 6th
• In-person graduations can begin on July 6th
• Right now, gatherings are limited to 25 people, but it's expected to be much higher by July 6th.
• In-person clinical research/labs and limited fitness/gyms will open soon after, but Murphy didn't give a date.

Murphy said limited in-person government services, such as the Motor Vehicle Commission, and museums/libraries will also soon reopen, but he didn't give dates for those, either.

He also said he would give guidance on pools, but he's held back because the situation, he said, is "complicated."

Moorestown Patch has set up a directory business owners can use to let people know they are open. Details on the directory and the form to enter your business can be found here.

Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know