‘We’ll get there’: Gov. Murphy says NJ isn’t ready yet to reopen churches

While President Donald Trump says he wants to move forward with reopening churches. Gov. Phil Murphy says New Jersey is not ready.

News 12 Staff

May 24, 2020, 7:38 PM

Updated 1,604 days ago

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While President Donald Trump says he wants to move forward with reopening churches. Gov. Phil Murphy says New Jersey is not ready.

Tension between the White House and New Jersey's governor arose this weekend over a disagreement between when houses of worship should open. Gov. Murphy says the state still needs more time before that can happen.

"I actually spoke to the president late in the day Friday—we'll get there on houses of worship. We have opened outdoor limits to 25 people. We will get to indoor activities probably sooner than later and that…probably at the top of this list. I want to do that, I personally want to do that. But we've got to do it right and at the right pace," Murphy said.
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Murphy added that day care is on the top of the list as well. Parents across the state have still been working from home without child care. Some day cares have been allowed to be open, but many others have not.

"We understand we can't open up our economy—as we have begun to do already and continue to do and not give working parents an opportunity to have their kids looked after. Right now, we only have it limited to health care workers and first responders, my guess is we will have to open that up sooner than later," Murphy said.

Most beaches across the state opened this weekend. Gov. Murphy said it's still too early to tell, but people in New Jersey have mostly been following social distancing guidelines.

"For the most part, people in New Jersey have been extraordinary for going on 2.5-plus months. And I fully expect them to continue on the beaches. Even when mother nature begins to cooperate with weather," said Murphy.
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