In order to fight the spread of Covid-19, Governor Phil Murphy has enacted new mandatory guidelines for “non-essential” stores and businesses in New Jersey. 

Effective Monday night, all non-essential retail, recreational, and entertainment businesses must close after 8 PM. These businesses may be open during daytime hours, but only if they limit their occupancy to no more than 50 people in the store and adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Essential businesses which are necessary for the public’s health, such as supermarkets and grocery stores, pharmacies, medical offices, and gas stations, may remain open past 8 PM.

Governor Murphy said that he doesn’t take any of these new steps lightly.

“We know that these will impact residents and families, communities, and businesses,” Murphy wrote on Twitter. “But our paramount concern is to #FlattenTheCurve – these steps will ensure we do not overload our health care system.”