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'Outdoors Safer Than Indoors': New Jersey Enters Stage 2 Of Reopening Process

New Jersey is officially in Stage 2 of reopening from the coronavirus lockdown.

The Emerson Hotel has reopened for outdoor dining.

The Emerson Hotel has reopened for outdoor dining.

Photo Credit: The Emerson Hotel Facebook

Outdoor dining at restaurants, non-essential indoor retail, childcare centers, libraries for curbside pick-up and drop off, and pickup for services at MVC centers were allowed to reopen Monday with restrictions. Social-distancing measures, limited capacity and face coverings were mandatory.

Reopening indoor environments will be a slow and careful process, Gov. Phil Murphy noted.

"Our goal is to not experience the spikes that other states are now seeing because they rushed to open too much too soon," he said Monday. "We want to get this economic restart going, but our ultimate goal remains to save lives. That will not change."

Murphy urged anyone currently working from home to continue to do so, adding that indoor office environments and indoor dining are two of the more "dangerous" places in terms of transmission.

"Indoor environments where it’s challenging to wear masks – such as gyms – or where people remain sedentary for long periods of time – such as restaurants – remain the most dangerous in terms of transmission," Murphy said.

"We will get there – based on data and health and metrics."

The state's health department finalized guidelines for outdoor sports, which can resume Monday, June 22. On that day, low-risk sports can resume competitions, while medium- and- high-risk sports can resume non-contact drills and practices.

Low-risk sports may resume competitions

Competition for medium-risk sports can likely resume July 6, while full practices and competitions for high-risk sports can resume July 20, Murphy said.

Personal care businesses can also reopen June 22 with some restrictions.

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