As the United States is rapidly getting vaccinated through Operation Warp Speed, businesses in the Garden State are chomping at the bit to get firm dates on reopening. Having suffered grievously through extensive lockdowns, the New Jersey businesses that have survived are ready to recoup losses and get back to serving their customers. Many other States have already announced relaxed rules with some now waiving mask requirements and allowing certain classes of business to open up 100%. Having stumbled early and often with nursing homes and long term care facilities, the highest per capita death rate in the country, and a hodge-podge vaccine distribution system that slowed New Jersey’s vaccination rate compared to other States with less resources, New Jersey would be well-served to follow the science on re-opening businesses and schools. Perhaps New Jersey can make up for its earlier mistakes by engineering a safe and strong reopening so that the Garden State can get back to work and normalcy. States in the region are already announcing faster openings and New Jersey should not be left behind once again.
“The New Jersey Business Coalition — saying struggling businesses need certainty and time to plan — sent a letter to Gov. Phil Murphy this weekend encouraging him to announce a reopening plan with specific target dates. The letter, sent Saturday, references one of Murphy’s long-used slogans: Data determines dates, something the governor has said hundreds of times since the pandemic took grip on the state — but something he never actually has provided specifics on, much to the frustration of business owners. “We recognize data determines dates,” the group said in the letter. “Therefore, we request definitive thresholds be established for the data you are using to drive reopening decisions. Further, those thresholds should only result in restrictions that are narrowly tailored and rationally related to the goals they are seeking, given the current circumstances.”
Read: Business groups to Murphy: Give us specific data points, dates on reopening at ROI-NJ