Westfield Responds As New NJ Dining Rules Start

WESTFIELD, NJ — Officials and restaurateurs around Union County had mixed feelings this week when New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced new rules for indoor dining amid a statewide rise in coronavirus.

Starting Thursday:

• Restaurants in New Jersey cannot offer indoor dining after 10 p.m. However, they can continue to serve outdoors until their regular closing time, and takeout and delivery can also continue after 10 p.m.
• People can no longer be seated at a bar, in order to maintain social distancing.
• Outdoor tables can be placed closer than 6 feet — but only if there are plexiglass barriers separating tables
• The rules are part of the new Executive Order 194.

On Monday, Murphy gave updated statistics and said that some establishments have become "sloppy" with the rules.

Right now, restaurants can only maintain 25 percent capacity indoors as it is.

In Westfield, Mayor Shelley Brindle made local business owners aware of the new restrictions in her address to the council Tuesday night, without offering additional comment. Other rules include:

• No indoor dining between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. at restaurants, bars, clubs, and lounges.
• Individual fully-enclosed dining bubbles may be set-up for outside use.

Brindle also apprised the public that phase II of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s PPE Access Program is now open, allowing New Jersey-based businesses and non-profits to receive a 10 percent discount on PPE. For more information, visit covid19.nj.gov/ppeaccess.

If you're a Westfield business owner or manager who wants to comment on these issues in the future, post below or email caren.lissner@patch.com.

Statistics

This past Friday night, Mayor Brindle said that Westfield had confirmed eight new cases among residents in town since her last update a week earlier, but that there were 28 cases under investigation that hadn't been officially confirmed by the state yet. Tuesday, Brindle said that two more cases had been confirmed since Friday.

The number of coronavirus fatalities among town residents remains at 43, with the most recent death on June 3.

Approximately 30,000 people live in Westfield.

More than 235,000 Americans and 16,400 people in New Jersey have died from the virus.

At the height of the crisis in New Jersey on April 30, 460 people passed away in 24 hours. READ MORE: 'I Cannot Get Air': When Local Woman Begged For Coronavirus Test

Here are some other recent Westfield coronavirus and reopening updates:

HOW TO GET TESTED

• Union County has added mobile walk up test sites in addition to the testing site located at Kean University. Testing is free for Union County residents and is by appointment only with no car required; participants must wear masks and observe social distance. Any Union County resident can make an appointment for a test, whether they have symptoms. To pick a location, date and time, and to make an appointment online, visit ucnj.org/coronavirus-update/walk-up.
• Union County residents who need to make an appointment by phone can call 908-518-4307 for assistance. Non-profit organizations and other community groups can call the Union County Office of Emergency Management at 908-654-9881 to request a visit from the Mobile Test Unit.

• To find out more, you can also contact your doctor, visit covid19.nj.gov/testing, or call 211.

ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT/DINING

• Read about updated Quimby Street events, rules, and street closings here.
• Indoor dining is allowed at 25 percent capacity, until 10 p.m. For a list of rules, click here.
• To read about outdoor dining in Westfield, click here.
• Gov. Murphy signed an executive order allowing gyms, health clubs, and indoor amusement facilities to reopen at 25 percent capacity effective Sept. 1. Equipment must be adjusted to allow a minimum of six feet of distance, and must be sanitized between uses. Everyone must wear masks. More details can be found here.

SCHOOLS

Westfield High School has gone remote twice over coronavirus cases. Currently, it will stay remote until the end of Thanksgiving weekend.

NATIONAL TRENDS

• More than 900 health care workers have died of the virus nationally.
• Others are simultaneously fighting misinformation and hoaxes as they try to fight the virus.

HOW TO GET HELP WITH HEAT, RENT, AND MORE

• During the State of Emergency in New Jersey, no tenant is permitted to be evicted from their home or apartment for the inability to pay rent. Talk to your local mayor's office if you are experiencing difficulties.
• The CARES act has made money available to help with rent in each city. More information is here.
• New Jersey residents can get help with heating and energy bills. Information is here.
• Various other avenues of relief and benefits have also been made available, including family leave for 12 weeks if you can't work due to your child's school or camp being closed, and changes to unemployment rules to help those who were at a job for a short time, or freelancing.

LONG-TERM CARE

• Recently, there were 159 long term care facilities with active outbreaks, the state Department of Health said last month. The state announced that deaths at the facilities had more than doubled since May 1.
• New Jersey residents became alarmed at the high number of residents who have passed away in nursing homes, rehabs, and similar facilities. The state announced plans in May to increase testing at some long term care facilities.
• The state released death toll statistics in spring for long-term care facilities like rehabs and nursing homes. See the list here.
• You can report problems with long term care facilities here, or if you suspect coronavirus related misconduct, here.
• Some New Jersey long-term care facilities reopened for limited visits, with precautions, in July.

Here are statewide coronavirus resources:

• NJ COVID-19 Information Hub: https://covid19.nj.gov/
• General COVID-19 questions: 2-1-1
• NJ COVID-19 hotline: (800) 222-1222

Got news? Email caren.lissner@patch.com. To be the first to get news alerts with breaking stories in Westfield, or to get a free local newsletter each morning, sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.