Murphy administration — No singing, loud talking at Thanksgiving

Governor Phil Murphy is doing his best to discourage Thanksgiving dinners in New Jersey as COVID-19 cases surge past where we were last April, and hospitalizations reach their highest level since the summer.

If you were envisioning your family all around a big table laughing and sharing family stories, think again. Building off guidance from the CDC and the NJ Health Department, the recommendations include not only limiting contact with no hugs and handshakes, but to avoid loud talking or singing. That, health officials warn, can spread airborne particles, especially if you are trying to shout over a crowd or loud music.

State Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli also warned to leave grandma in the nursing home. Long-term care facilities are tracking who comes and goes, and anyone leaving for a holiday dinner will have to quarantine for 14 days. If they don't have a private room, they might not be allowed back in at all.

Indoor gatherings are now capped at 10, including inside private homes. There has been tremendous pushback from the public, but Murphy says these restrictions are needed now more than ever. Murphy says there is no "magic door" that when you enter your home you are safe. He also continued to blame teens and 20-somethings for being careless and spreading coronavirus to others.

Murphy also announced a "sustained," coordinated effort at enforcement of his executive orders. Agents with the State Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control visited more than 100 bars and restaurants in the last few days, citing 15 of them. It remains unclear, however, how — or if — there will be widespread enforcement of gathering rules in private homes.

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