Thousands of people flocked to Jersey Shore beaches and amusement parks for the weekend of July 4, just after Governor Phil Murphy increased the limit of people allowed in outdoor gatherings from 250 to 500.
Still, Murphy called on residents to continue using face covers and social distance. COVID-19 tweeted “it doesn’t take off on holiday weekends.”
The warning came after Murphy gave the green light to many of the state’s businesses, including casinos, bowling alleys, attractions, and water parks, to reopen with current social distancing guidelines.
Despite the large crowds, the weekend was not a celebration for everyone, especially restaurant owners in the state who say they spent money on food in anticipation of dinner indoors, which the governor abruptly postponed in early week.
The state reported 58 new deaths from coronavirus and 386 new positive tests on Friday, the continuation of a steady decline in the impact the disease has had on the Garden State.
Here is a summary of the news about coronavirus:
Large crowds and social distancing. How the 4th of July weekend started on the Jersey Shore. The crowd was gathering on Jersey shore beaches on Friday when the state kicked off this rare socially estranged weekend of July 4.
Punch in the stomach. New Jersey restaurants were left with excess food, worried after indoor meals were postponed. The meal inside was originally scheduled to start on Thursday. Now, there’s no news of a restart date, causing anxiety among restaurant owners across the state.
These 3 charts show how far NJ has come in the battle against the coronavirus. New Jersey is currently evaluating about 19,500 people per day, or 220 per 100,000 people. Authorities say that is well above the mitigation threshold, 7,346, and approaching what the suppression level would be for a New Jersey population state, 25,113.
I spent a day at socially distant Six Flags, and I felt pretty safe. NJ Advance Media reporter Jeremy Schneider reviewed the scene at Six Flags Great Adventure when it opened its doors to season pass holders for the first time this season, and this is what it found.
NJ hospitals close to contractual agreements with the nurses union despite stress over pandemic safety. The 1,200 nurses and other employees at Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune have reached a tentative contractual agreement with management, according to an announcement from allied health professionals and employees.
South Jersey County has the highest rate of coronavirus cases for the third consecutive week. See how your county compares. For the third consecutive week, Cumberland County had the highest spread of the disease, adding 4.7 cases per 10,000 residents in the week of June 24-31, data analysis from NJ Advance Media showed.
After months apart, the family reunited with the cub from which they were separated by the coronavirus. A Belleville family separated from their Mamba puppy for months after they were affected by the coronavirus and were reunited with their dog.
College football rumors: The expert has grim projections for the 2020 season amid the coronavirus. Rutgers new president Jonathan Holloway expressed skepticism that there will be a fall season in the midst of the pandemic, even when the Scarlet Knights and other programs have returned to campus for voluntary training.
NJ Advance Media writers Matt Arco, Nick Devlin, Caroline Fassett, Peter Genovese, Brent Johnson, James Kratch, Sue Livio, Lori Nichols, Jeremy Schneider and Chris Sheldon contributed to this report.
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Anthony G. Attrino can be reached in [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
