By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
OCEAN CITY — At 1 p.m. Saturday, Gov. Phillip Murphy signed an executive order directing nearly all New Jersey residents to stay home until further notice and to cancel gatherings. The order closes all nonessential retail businesses as of 9 p.m. Saturday, March 21.
“All gatherings are canceled,” Murphy said. “This means no weddings, funerals or birthday parties. I don’t take this action lightly, but my goal is to make sure we can all gather safely with family and friends later.”
All schools have been closed until the order is lifted.
“Further,” he continued, “all nonessential retail businesses must indefinitely close their physical stores to the public at 9 p.m. tonight. Only businesses critical to our response may remain open.”
Murphy listed “places like grocery stores and food banks, pharmacies, medical supply stores, gas stations, banks, pet supply stores.” He added that includes restaurants and bars providing take-out and delivery only.
The governor banned eat-in dining at restaurants and bars last week.
He said all businesses must move to “100 percent work-from-home where possible.”
Hospitals and health care facilities, along with “essential” public health, safety and social services remain open.
The governor said people can take walks outside, buy groceries or get take-out, but he urged them to continue to practice social distancing. “But otherwise, we need you to stay at home. This is no time for business as usual.”
He added, “This is a time for all of us to come together to flatten the curve and slow, and eventually halt, the spread of coronavirus.”
When the governor refers to “the curve,” he means a graph curve that reflects a steep curve showing a spike with peak infections. Flattening the curve would limit the spread or would allow a slower infection rate, hence a flatter curve.
According to the state website, covid19.nj.gov, the stay-at-home order “provides for certain exceptions, such as obtaining essential goods or services, seeking medical attention, visiting family or close friends, reporting to work, or engaging in outdoor activities.”
Businesses allowed to stay open, according to the site, are:
• Grocery stores, farm markets and farms that sell directly to customers, and other food stores, including retailers that offer a varied assortment of foods comparable to what exists at a grocery store;
• Pharmacies and medical marijuana dispensaries;
• Medical supply stores;
• Gas stations;
• Convenience stores;
• Ancillary stores within healthcare facilities;
• Hardware and home improvement stores;
• Banks and other financial institutions;
• Laundromats and dry-cleaning services;
• Stores that principally sell supplies for children under five years;
• Pet stores;
• Liquor stores;
• Car dealerships, but only for auto maintenance and repair, and auto mechanics;
• Printing and office supply shops;
• Mail and delivery stores.
As for employees who need to be present at work site, they include, but aren’t limited to: law enforcement officers, firefighters, other first responders, cashiers or store clerks, construction workers, utility workers, repair workers, warehouse workers, lab researchers, IT maintenance workers, janitorial and custodial staff, and certain administrative staff.
More information is available at covid19.nj.gov.