Governor Phil Murphy announced Monday increased indoor capacity limits for events in the state. The expansion includes proms, weddings and performances. Starting May 10, indoor room capacities for private catered events, including weddings and school proms, political events, funerals, memorial services and performances will increase to 50% with a maximum of 250 individuals.
“This is an increase from the current 35%, 150 person limitation,” said Murphy, according to 6 abc Acton News.
He added that dance floors will be allowed to open at private catered events with masking and social distancing requirements in place, Murphy said. “However, a reminder, that the requirement for wearing a face mask and keeping a social distance from other groups on the dance floor will be maintained and enforced.”
NEW: Effective May 10th, indoor room capacities for the following will increase to 50% with a maximum of 250 individuals:
☑️Private Catered Events – including Weddings and School Proms
☑️Political Events
☑️Funerals
☑️Memorial Services
☑️Performances pic.twitter.com/9th4UDlIhx— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) April 26, 2021
Also effective May 10, the general outdoor gathering limit will increase to 500 individuals, Murphy announced. Outdoor capacity at large facilities, those with 1,000 or more fixed seats , will increase to 50%, according to the Governor. However, six feet of distance between seated groups must be kept.
You can read: N.J. relaxes lockdown on programs for people with disabilities
Outdoor carnivals and fairs will also be permitted to operate at 50% capacity, together with other amusement businesses.
Future increase
The announcement considered also an optimistic projection for future increase of indoor capacity limits. “And should our public health metrics continue to trend as they had been, we would hope to increase this yet again before Memorial Day perhaps substantially.”
The ease of indoor capacity limits occurs as hospitalizations keep going down. Murphy stated last week, that reopening in the Garden State would be gradual. “We’re going to continue to open up incrementally, and if we think there’s an opportunity to do something bolder than increments, we’ll do it; our reality does not suggest that at the moment.”