Today’s Coronavirus News for New Jersey Business

Today’s Coronavirus News for New Jersey Business
Indoor malls open today. Rules for indoor dining released. Guidance for K-12 schools is 104 pages long. Legislature to vote on a state ‘mini-budget’ today. 

Malls in New Jersey Open Today – New Jersey’s indoor malls may reopen to shoppers today for the first time in months. Masks are mandatory and malls have to adhere to 50% capacity limits. Communal seating and food courts must remain closed. (nj.com)

The Motor Vehicle Commission is on the Road Back – New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission inspections stations reopen today and driver’s license road tests may resume, though plans to offer in-person services at agency offices have been delayed due to technical problems. (nj.com)

The Rules for Indoor Dining at Restaurants are Released – On Friday, the state issued rules for indoor dining – to begin July 2 – and it limits the number of people inside to 25% of the maximum capacity, excluding staff members. Tables must be six feet apart, and patrons can’t walk around with drink or food. (nj.com)

The Fine Print – Rules for indoor dining, indoor recreational facilities, and individualized instruction at gyms and fitness centers.

Back to School – State education officials released a 104-page plan on Friday with dozens of rules and recommendations for schools to reopen in the fall. The guidelines include rules about teachers wearing masks and guidance on students sitting six feet apart. Specific reopening plans must be issued by each district. (nj.com)

The ABC’s of Schools Reopening – For the state’s summary report on reopening schools, click here.

Testing Costs Money. Who Is Paying? – COVID-19 testing is free for residents at 250 sites around New Jersey. But for how long, and what about workers? The state provided initial testing for staff at health care facilities like nursing homes – where the virus spread rapidly. But who will pick up the ongoing tab? (NJTV News) 

A New Kind of State Budget – A nearly $8 billion “mini budget” covering state operations for another three months is slated for approval in both houses of the Legislature today. It defers some big spending items, including a public-worker pension contribution and an aid payment to K-12 schools. (NJ Spotlight)

Join Our Webinar Today at Noon on Equality of Opportunity – Join Tom Bracken of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and John Harmon of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey for an important recap of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce National Summit on Equality of Opportunity. To register, click here.

New Federal Loan Program Is Coming – The federal government’s soon-to-open Main Street Lending Program will provide a total of $600 billion in financing for small and medium-sized businesses. See this guide for the latest info. (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)

Buy From New Jersey Businesses – To promote the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Buy NJ’ campaign, put this ‘postcard’ on your website and share it on social media with the hashtags #BuyNJ and #BuyLocalNJ.

Get Counted – New Jersey residents can respond to the 2020 Census to ensure the state gets its fair share of federal funding. The Census provides valuable data for businesses, including population trends, growth projections and demographic information. Spread the word! Respond to the Census.

N.J. Coronavirus Cases – New Jersey Residents
(Source: N.J. Health Department) 

Total Confirmed Deaths Reported: 13,121, up from 13,018 yesterday.

Total Positive COVID-19 Tests Reported: 171,182, up from 170,196 yesterday.

For data on hospitalizations and discharges, click here.