New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced a statewide “stay at home” order on Saturday in an effort to curb the spread of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus.
The order will take effect Saturday at 9 p.m. and will remain in effect until revoked or modified by the governor.
“We know the virus spreads through person-to-person contact, and the best way to prevent further exposure is to limit our public interactions to only the most essential purposes. This is a time for us all to come together in one mission to ‘flatten the curve’ and slow–and eventually halt–the spread of coronavirus,” he said.
The New Jersey order exempts people who work in many essential services, including grocery stores, pharmacies, medical supply stores, gas stations, convenience stores, banks, and laundromats.
The order also does not affect anyone working in health care or medical services, operations of the media, access to essential services for low-income residents, law enforcement agencies, or the operations of the federal government.
Businesses or non-profits are also ordered to accommodate their workforce, wherever practicable, for telework or work-from-home arrangements.
Meanwhile, the order continues existing bans on recreational and entertainment businesses, the requirement that restaurants can only operate by delivery and takeout only, and the directive that all pre-K, elementary, and secondary schools close and all institutions of higher education are required to cease in-person instruction, according to the statement.
