By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
The regional economy will get a boost when casinos in Atlantic City reopen July 2 and restaurants will get a little more breathing room the same day when they can open their indoor service, albeit at 25 percent capacity.
On Monday at his daily press conference, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that indoor dining would be allowed as of July 2 and that the casinos that have been completely shuttered since mid-March would also be open in time for the big July 4 weekend.
The governor has been slowly opening up various parts of the economy that have been closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, personal care businesses such as barbershops and hair salons were allowed to reopen and a week earlier nonessential retailers were allowed to allow customers back into their stores.
All of the businesses are still under restrictions for capacity to limit the spread of the coronavirus and have to undertake more rigid hygiene measures.
The governor also raised the limit on outdoor gatherings from 100 people to 250, with no limits on outdoor religious or political events, but he asked that if people are being part of large gatherings that they still wear face masks, practice social distancing, wash their hands and get tested.
Indoor gatherings can now be at a maximum of 100 people or 25 percent capacity of the facility, whichever is lower.
Murphy acknowledged the “enormous frustration” individuals and businesses have been feeling because of the steps his administration has taken since mid-March and also said he couldn’t help but notice the viral videos showing events where “people have let their hair down a little too much” by congregating without face masks or social distancing.
There have been 12,895 deaths from the coronavirus in New Jersey during the COVID-19 pandemic and positive cases have reached 169,415 in the state.
However, he pointed out as the health metrics have improved, he has been easing the restrictions. He quoted Rutgers University football coach Greg Schiano in saying there is pain that comes with discipline, but that the alternative is the pain of regret.
“This hasn’t been a lot of fun,” he said, but “we don’t want to look like other states that went through hell and are now going back through hell” because they lifted the restrictions too quickly.
The reasons for easing the restrictions have been because new hospitalizations are down 93 percent from the peak, patients in the hospital are down 87 percent, patients in the ICU are down 86 percent and the number of patients on ventilators (the worst COVID-19 cases) are down 87 percent.
He said the non-profit group Covid Act Now has shown only four states in the U.S. are on track to contain the coronavirus – New Jersey, New York, Michigan and Massachusetts. Murphy said that is why he preferred the pain of discipline of restrictions over the pain of regret if the coronavirus surged again.
Because restaurants were allowed to begin serving customers outdoors, the combination of the outdoor dining and the 25 percent indoor dining should allow them more customers. Murphy said he hoped those limits would be increased “over time.”
Racetracks also will be allowed to reopen for in-person bets on July 2.
Talking about the casinos, he said they will mandate face coverings, health screenings for visitors and staff and the density limits for social gathering. If any visitor refuses to comply with the simple safeguards, he said, they will be escorted out.
“We won’t tolerate any knuckleheads trying to ruin it,” Murphy said.
He pointed out reopening the casinos will allow thousands of workers to get back on the job, something that affects not only Atlantic City, but the entire region.
Amusement parks
The governor said he would be making more announcements in the coming days about other parts of the economy reopening. As of Monday he had not given any guidance for when amusement parks, water parks and arcades could reopen or how they would operate under restrictions. That is something Ocean City, with its large Boardwalk that attracts tens of thousands of visitors daily, has been waiting for. Merchants groups have been petitioning the governor to allow these entertainment venues to reopen. So far, only miniature golf courses and go-kart tracks have been allowed.