About a week after Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced his 3-stage color-coded plan to eventually reopen Pennsylvania, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy today announced his 6-part plan to eventually reopen the garden state.
Murphy cautions however, that the stay-at-home order will remain in effect in its entirety until further notice.
Here is Murphy's 6-part plan, per 6ABC:
Principle 1: Demonstrate Sustained Reductions in New COVID-19 Cases and Hospitalizations
-14-day trendiness showing appreciable and sustained drop in cases, hospitalizations and other metrics
-Hospitals stepping down from functioning under crisis standards of care
Principle 2: Expand Testing Capacity
-At least double current diagnostic testing capacity
-Prioritize testing for health care workers, essential personnel, and vulnerable populations
-Create a flexible testing plan accessible to all residents
-Expand partnerships with institutions of higher education, private-sector labs, and the federal government
-Ensure that those who test positive are linked to a health care provider
Principle 3: Implement Robust Contact Tracing
-Recruit and deploy an army of personnel who will identify and follow-up with contacts
-Leverage technological data and innovative solutions to increase efficiency
-Coordinate the approach of local and state health officials, which will have a coordinated county/regional component
Principle 4: Secure Safe Places and Resources for Isolation and Quarantine
-To the greatest extent possible, provide individuals who do test positive in the future with a safe and free place to isolate and protect others from COVID-19
-Ensure that quarantined contacts are provided supportive services, if needed
Principle 5: Execute a Responsible Economic Restart
-Create a Governor's Restart and Recovery Commission to advise on the process and recommend possible and equitable decisions
-Plan for a methodical and strategic return to work based on level of disease transmission risk and essential classification
-Continuation of social distancing measures were feasible and appropriate
-Leverage any available federal funds and programs to support health care, individual and small business recoveries
Principle 6: Ensure New Jersey's Resiliency
-Learn from the lessons of COVID-19 and prepare for the possibility of resurgence
-Ensure hospitals, health care systems, and other health delivery facilities have inventories of protective personal equipment and ventilators
-Build our own state personal protective equipment and ventilator stockpile
-Create a playbook for future administrations for the next pandemic