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Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday laid out a six-point reopening plan for New Jersey -- but no concrete timeline.
"I don't know when we'll be able to formally start this journey," Murphy said. "Hopefully if we keep at it, it will be soon."
In order to reopen, New Jersey residents must continue social-distancing measures and focus on taking the steps necessary in decreasing the number of new coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and COVID-19 related deaths, the governor said.
The number of new hospitalizations and patients on ventilators was down across New Jersey Monday, when there was a total of 111,188 coronavirus cases. Those numbers will serve as the measuring stick against COVID-19, Murphy said.
Here's the plan (see corresponding slides above).
- 1. See a sustained reduction in new cases. For New Jersey to move out from the stay-at-home order, there must be a sustained reduction in new cases, hospitalizations and other metrics.
- 2. Ramped up diagnostic testing plan, diagnostic testing capacity must be doubled. kits and lab capacity must be in place to ensure quick turnaround of results
- 3. Robust contact tracing
- 4. Provide those who do test positive with a safe and free place to isolate. Murphy said New Jersey will see cases in the future -- "it is the nature of the reality... even a structured reopening." The goal is to prevent new cases from reopening.
- 5. Responsible economic restart
- 6. Ensure our resiliency for the next outbreak. Ensure hospitals and healthcare centers have PPE and ventilators.
The first four points are critical to giving residents confidence that New Jersey is in front of the coronavirus crisis.
"The most important thing you can do right now is to keep doing what you're doing," Murphy said during Monday's briefing. Stay home, stay away from each other."
The guiding principle for putting New Jersey on the road back is: "Public health creates economic health," the governor said.
"Before we reopen non-essential businesses, parks, restaurant dining, people need to know that their health will be safeguarded from COVID-19."
After reopening, residents can expect to see a continuation of social distancing measures and masks in certain locations, the governor said.
"If we follow this road, we give ourselves the best possible chance to succeed in the month ahead," Murphy said.
"This is a plan for how we move forward -- not if we move forward."
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