Hoboken Responds As New NJ Dining Rules Start Thursday
HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken officials and restaurateurs had mixed feelings this week when New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced new rules for indoor dining amid a statewide rise in coronavirus.
The restaurant industry is an important one in mile-square Hoboken, where at times, more than 130 liquor licenses have been in use.
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 (in Hoboken, that's presently midnight on weekends and 11 p.m. other nights). 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 said that some establishments have become "sloppy" with the rules.
The changes didn't sit well with Hoboken restaurant owner David Carney, the general manager of the popular Madison Bar and Grill uptown.
"These new regulations are going to be the nail in the coffin for a lot of small businesses," he said. "I truly wish the politicians would actulaly put together a task force of business owners from each county in the state and communicate directly with us before they make decisions that can put us out of business."
Mayor Ravi Bhalla, who instituted the midnight curfew two weeks ago, accepted the change but said he will look for ways to help businesses.
"Our Hoboken rules and regulations regarding outdoor dining remain unchanged," he said Tuesday. "While we thought midnight was a fair compromise for a closure in Hoboken, I appreciate the governor’s willingness to make an unpopular decision statewide in a situation that is far from ideal, designed to limit the spread of COVID-19 during a time period where cases are expected to rise."
He added, "I understand how difficult this is for our bar and restaurant owners, and I will do everything I can to communicate the need for financial relief for bars and restaurants to our federal elected officials — Senator Menendez, Senator Booker and Congressman Sires. The next stimulus bill must have substantial funding to help offset some of the revenue losses suffered by our small businesses."
He said that the governor announced Tuesday that all businesses and nonprofits in New Jersey are eligible for at least a 10 percent discount on PPE purchases through approved online vendors. Small businesses with 100 employees or under could be eligible for up to a 25 percent discount. For more information, click here.
Restaurant employees can get free tests
Bhalla said, "During contact tracing for certain cases, the Hoboken Health Department has reported that some staff at restaurants and bars have tested positive for COVID-19. We strongly encourage staff members who are regularly working and serving a number of people each week to proactively get tested regularly, once every two weeks."
He said, "The city is making COVID-19 testing available for all business employees through Prompt MD’s testing site at our 605 Jackson gymnasium, on Mondays and Thursdays. All business employees (as well as all Hoboken residents) can sign up for a test at http://www.hobokennj.gov/promptmd. If an employee of a Hoboken bar or restaurant, or Hoboken resident does not have health insurance, the city will pay for the cost of the test."
To find out about testing for residents, see below.
Statistics
On Tuesday, the Hoboken Health Department has reported 35 new cases of coronavirus confirmed from Saturday through Monday, bringing the total resident cases to 1,127 since the beginning of the pandemic.
A total of 31 Hoboken residents have passed away from coronavirus, with the last in May.
A spokesman for Hoboken University Medical Center said Tuesday that the building has now reserved the fourth floor for coronavirus patients, and visitors are not allowed on that floor.
Bhalla said that as of Tuesday, Hoboken University Medical Center is treating 12 patients for the virus, including one Hoboken resident.
Bhalla said that Monday, "Gov. Phil Murphy reported 11 new covid-19 related fatalities and 2,075 new, known COVID-19 cases in New Jersey, the sixth straight day with at least 2,000 new cases. [And] 1,537 patients with COVID-19 are currently hospitalized in New Jersey, the highest total since June 9. We are now in the middle of the second wave of this pandemic."
Hoboken, a mile-square city of 53,000 people across the river from Manhattan, was one of the first cities in the region to begin closing facilities when the virus began spreading in the U.S.
In June, after months of closures and isolation, the city went a week with only one case, and in August, there were only six cases in one week. But cases began rising in fall with more gatherings.
Last Wednesday, the city passed a $1,000 fine for large indoor house parties.
Here is more information on Hoboken coronavirus testing, statistics, schools, and more:
CORONAVIRUS TESTING IN HOBOKEN
Prompt MD has added additional testing. Proof of residency or employment at a Hoboken business is required at the time of testing. Results are anticipated within 24-48 hours of testing. http://www.hobokennj.gov/promptmd.
Riverside Medical is also continuing testing for Hoboken residents at the pop-up site under the 14th Street Viaduct six days a week. Appointments can be scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis by visiting http://www.hobokennj.gov/riverside. If a resident has signed up for a test with Riverside but can no longer make it, please call 201-863-3346 to cancel the appointment.
A covid-19 test is recommended at least 5-7 days after a potential exposure, and that many who have contracted the virus do not have symptoms. Receiving a COVID-19 test prior to the 5-7 days after a potential exposure may yield inaccurate results.
If returning from a state on New Jersey's quarantine list or have had a high-risk exposure, which includes contact of over 10 minutes to someone who has tested positive, living in the same household as someone with COVID-19 or attending a large indoor gathering without face masks, residents should self-quarantine for the full 14 days, even with a negative test result, the city says.
If a resident or Hoboken business employee does not have insurance, the city will pay for the cost of a test through both testing sites.
LOCAL BUSINESS
More than 50 of the city's restaurants opened the week of June 15 for outdoor dining. READ MORE.
Some of those have added "streateries" for outdoor dining. READ MORE.
Hoboken's restaurants are now allowed to have outdoor heating so they can remain open through winter.
Two of the city's weekly farmers' markets reopened in June. READ MORE.
The city has been closing off certain blocks for businesses to expand and draw foot traffic. READ MORE.
Restaurants in New Jersey can allow indoor dining at 25 percent capacity. Read about Hoboken indoor dining here.
The city of Hoboken is making it easier for restaurants to continue to offer outdoor dining through the winter months.
HOBOKEN SCHOOLS
Hoboken's Wallace Primary School recently closed temporarily after two student cases were confirmed.
Mayor Bhalla wrote a week ago, "Our Health Department has confirmed that our schools are taking every possible safety measure to keep our children safe, and that there is little evidence that the schools themselves are the reason for covid-19 spread, as opposed to behavior outside the school."
Recently, one of the city's charter schools, Elysian Charter, closed temporarily because a student tested positive for the virus.
The Hoboken public schools reopened Monday, Sept. 14 remotely, and reopened on-site Sept. 21 for those who requested it.
The district offered a reopening plan giving parents a choice of either full-time on-site learning (until 3 p.m.) or full-time distance learning. In the buildings, there are restrictions, such as kids wearing masks and maintaining a 6-foot distance.
HOBOKEN LIBRARY
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.
Programs are being added constantly, so don't think you can't get help. Reach out to your local mayor's office to find out what kind of funds may be available to help you get through this time.
LONG-TERM CARE
Recently, there were 159 long term care facilities with active outbreaks, the state Department of Health said this month. The state also announced that deaths at the facilities had more than doubled since May 1. The state has stopped updating the numbers at facilities without current outbreaks.
New Jersey residents were already 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 and to bring in the National Guard temporarily to help make changes.
The state released death toll statistics late 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.
PAST HOBOKEN STATISTICS
Bhalla had said last Tuesday, Oct. 20, that 22 Hoboken residents had been confirmed as testing positive for coronavirus in a four-day period from Friday to Monday inclusive, for a total of 890 cases in residents since the start of the pandemic. Bhalla said that cases are rising again partly due to indoor social gatherings.
More than 235,000 Americans and 14,500 people in New Jersey have died from the virus.
The mayor recent cautioned residents about indoor birthday parties and traveling to Ocean and Monmouth counties. Story here.
For an earlier story about Hoboken coronavirus statistics and updates, click here.
See earlier data here.
Here are past statistics on Hoboken residents under 16 testing positive for the virus.
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
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This article originally appeared on the Hoboken Patch
