NJ day cares closed except for children of essential workers

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (Office of Gov. Phil Murphy)

Gov. Phil Murphy says New Jersey day care providers have until Friday to certify they can and will serve only the children of workers deemed essential during the COVID-19 emergency or face closure.

Murphy said a lack of child care “cannot be a barrier” for essential workers. Murphy's earlier orders have said that grocery stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations among others are considered essential.

Health care workers are also considered essential, along with law enforcement, fire and emergency personnel.

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Murphy issues stay-at-home order for New Jersey, bans gatherings

Day cares that don't serve only essential workers must close by April 1 under the executive order Murphy signed Wednesday. 

Gov. Murphy on Saturday ordered residents to stay home, banned all gatherings and told nonessential retail businesses to close in order to slow the spread of the coronovirus. 

Murphy expressed anger Sunday at reports of people in New Jersey ignoring his stay-at-home order and warned “We’re going to take action.”

Saying he wanted “no gatherings of any kind,” Murphy acknowledged the difficulty of enforcing such an order in every part of the state but said he wanted people to “stay home, period.”

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