New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy recently discussed his decision to step up restrictions in his state by ordering non-essential businesses in Hoboken, Newark, and Paterson—the three largest cities in New Jersey—to close by 8 p.m. every day. But when Yahoo Finance recently asked Murphy about issuing a second round of non-essential business closures across the state similar to what occurred in the spring, the governor said nothing was out of the question depending on how the situation developed. “We’re not there yet, but all options are on the table,” he said. “If we have to shut the whole place down we will. We were one of the first, if not the first state to do that in March. I just hope we can avoid it again this time.” But New Jersey is far from the only state to begin rolling back on its reopening. Read on for other places that are starting to lock down once again, and for more on metro areas taking action, check out These Major Cities Are Showing Signs of Another Lockdown. Read the original article on Best Life. Massachusetts has lately seen a strong uptick in new COVID cases, posting a 92 percent increase to 1,131 average new daily cases, as of Nov. 1. To combat this, Gov. Charlie Baker announced “targeted interventions” during a Nov. 2 press conference. The changes include beefing up face mask mandates in the state to include requirements to wear them at all times in public both indoors and out, as well as instituting an overnight “stay at home” advisory that urges citizens not to leave their homes between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. “We want to do everything in our power to avoid reverting to phase one or phase two of our reopening plan,” Baker said. “But that requires us all to step up and make some changes.” Wisconsin has seen significant increases in positive coronavirus tests and new cases over the past few weeks, prompting Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers to implore his constituents to stay home. “Help us protect our communities from this highly-contagious virus and avoid further strain on our hospitals,” Evers pleaded on Oct. 21. The increase in new cases has also led Evers to reimpose an order that restricts indoor businesses to operate at just 25 percent capacity. And for more on how to avoid catching coronavirus from the places you likely go most often, check out Chances Are High Your Grocery Store Clerk Has Silent COVID, Study Says.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb The news keeps getting worse for the Lone Star State, with the city of El Paso serving as the host of one of the worst outbreaks in the United States. On Oct. 25, El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego issued a two-week stay-at-home order for all citizens that instates a daily curfew for the public from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., with a potential fine of up to $500. The mandate was made as local hospitals became overwhelmed by new cases, with Gov. Greg Abbott ordering 50 additional hospital beds be set up at a local convention center to help cope with the surge. In response to an increasing spike of COVID-19 cases, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker confirmed that most of the state’s 11 regions should be tightening restrictions, which includes a ban on indoor dining and bar service in cities like Chicago. After a weekend that saw large Halloween parties broken up by authorities, Pritzker pleaded with citizens to take the new precautions seriously for the good of the state. “Just like driving a car, when someone blows through a stoplight they not only risk their own life, but also the lives of all the other drivers around them,” Pritzker said in a Nov. 2 press conference. “Right now, the stoplight is red. Please act accordingly.” And for more coronavirus news you should be aware of, know that 80 Percent of Hospitalized COVID Patients Are Deficient in This Vitamin. As the Midwest bears the brunt of much of the latest wave of the pandemic, the White House coronavirus task force has warned that the Sunbelt could be the next area to become overwhelmed with new cases. This includes New Mexico, which has seen its worst numbers of the pandemic in recent days, showing an average new daily case count of 742 on Nov. 1—a 41 percent increase over two weeks. But New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has been tackling the virus head-on, issuing a statement on Oct. 8 saying that “all New Mexicans have been instructed to stay home except for outings absolutely necessary for health, safety and welfare. These additional restrictions have been enacted to aggressively minimize person-to-person contact and ensure spread is mitigated.” She also ordered that hotels must reduce their maximum hotel occupancy rates; gatherings of more than five people are prohibited; and bars, restaurants, and retail businesses must close by 10 p.m. every night. “When the community spread of the virus becomes uncontrollable—and we are fast approaching that point—our only option is to simply shut down those opportunities for the virus,” Grisham said in a statement on Oct. 13. And for more advice on how to avoid the virus, check out The Worst Thing You’re Doing as COVID Surges, Doctor Warns.
