NJ Lowers Indoor Capacity Once Again, As Coronavirus Cases Rise

Citing concerns of a growing trend that house parties have led to an increase in COVID-19 cases, New Jersey’s Governor Phil Murphy has expanded the restrictions on ALL indoor gatherings in the state.

Indoor gatherings are now limited to just 25% of the room’s capacity. Indoor gatherings are capped at a maximum of 25 persons, which is down from a previously allowed 100 persons.

“To be clear, this tightening caps indoor house parties at 25 people - period," Murphy said.

There are exceptions to the rule. Governor Murphy says that select events can continue under the “current rules” - which caps indoor events at 25% of a room’s capacity, with a maximum of 100 persons.

Those events are "weddings, funerals, religious services, and religious and political actives protected under the First Amendment."

"Over the last week, we saw numbers of new cases that we hadn’t seen in eight weeks. Our rate of transmission is now more than double where it was a few weeks ago," Governor Murphy said on Monday. "Everyone needs to get it together and fast. This is not yet past us."

The updated guidelines remain in effect "until further notice" when the rate of transmission goes down over at least a seven-day period, the governor said during Monday's COVID-19 press conference.

Murphy also called out those who have been violating the guidelines from state and federal officials as the reasons for today's cutbacks.

"Unfortunately, the actions of a few knuckleheads leave us no other course. We have to go back and tighten these restrictions," he said.