New Jersey 'Several Weeks Away' Before Potential Reopening, Gov. Phil Murphy Says

TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — Gov. Phil Murphy said Sunday that New Jersey is likely "several" weeks away from even a phase one reopening of the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"I think the best understanding of the data right now is that we are still a number of weeks away. The fatalities continue to be significant each and every day. Our positive test curve has flattened and that's a good thing. More importantly hospitalizations have started to come down, ICU and ventilator use down a little bit. Those are good signs, but we're not out of the woods yet. I think we're several weeks away," Murphy said.

"The mandate to stay at home and stay away from each other is still very much in effect until we can break the back of this curve," he added.

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Murphy said the counties in the northeast region of the state have been "absolutely crushed" by COVID-19. He said a reopening plan would likely be statewide.

"While we haven't made a decision on that, we're going to move as one state, recognizing, you've got density issues in the north that you just don't have in the south," he said.

Murphy was asked what services would have to be cut first if the federal government does not come through with financial support for states and local governments coping with the pandemic. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell recently suggested states undergoing financial hardship should instead declare bankruptcy, which legally they can not do.

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"I have to reiterate what Senator McConnell said about letting states go bankrupt was both irresponsible and not factual," Murphy said. "We won't go bankrupt, but we'll gut the living daylights out of things like educators, first responders, the very folks we desperately need. This is the healthcare crisis of all time in our country's history, we need states to be fully funded at the point of attack, being there for our residents. And so we need a big slug."

Murphy said New Jersey and other states need a combined infusion of $500 billion. He called that "exactly what the doctor ordered."

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Murphy announced there were 3,730 new positive cases of COVID-19, for a statewide total of 109,038. An additional 75 people died, for a total of 5,938.

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• New Jersey
• COVID-19
• Phil Murphy
• Mitch McConnell