Tuesday Marks 100 Days Since Nonessential Businesses Shutdown In NJ

Howard Monroe reports.

CONFIDENT WE'LL HAVE A VACCINEBY THE END OF THIS YEAR OREARLY NEXT YEAR.TODAY MARKS 100 DAYS SINCENEW JERSEY GOVERNOR PHILMURPHY SIGNED AN EXECUTIVEORDER SHUTTING DOWNNONESSENTIAL BUSINESSES.IT WAS AN EFFORT TO FLATTENTHE CURVE AND PREVENT COVID-19CASES FROM OVERWHELMING HEALTHSYSTEMS.BUT WHERE DO WE STAND RIGHTNOW?

"EYEWITNESS NEWS"REPORTER HOWARD MONROE JOINSUS FROM CAMDEN WITH THAT PARTOF THE STORY.HOWARD.Reporter: UKEE, MANYBUSINESSES HERE IN NEW JERSEYHAVE SINCE REOPENED SINCE THATORIGINAL SHUTDOWN ORDER.HOWEVER, MANY MORE REMAINCLOSED AND ARE NOW AT RISK OFFAILING.BUT I WANTED TO BRINGATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT,YOU KNOW, BUSINESSES ARE DYINGAND A LOT OF PEOPLE'S FUTURESARE EXTREMELY UNCERTAIN.Reporter: NEW JERSEY GYMOWNER MATT ON A RECENT250-MILE RUN FROM FULL TIMEFITNESS IN MORRIS COUNTY TOWASHINGTON, D.C.I CERTAINLY LEARNED MOREABOUT MYSELF IN THOSE NINEDAYS THAN I DID IN THE 41YEARS PRIOR.Reporter: HUSBAND ANDFATHER OF THREE RAN 50 MILESTO TRENTON.THE RUNS ARE HIS WAY OFPROTESTING THE SHUTDOWNORDERS.HE SAYS HE DIDN'T WANT TO RISKHIS BUSINESS LICENSE ANDREOPEN LIKE THE OWNERS OF ATATI LIS DID.THERE'S NO LIGHT AT THE ENDOF THE TUNNEL FOR US.Reporter: MEANWHILE INHADDONFIELD THE STREETS ARESTARTING TO FILL BACK UP.WE'RE EASING BACK TO OURNEW NORMAL HERE.Reporter: ANDREA IS THEOWNER OF THE PAPER TRAIL OFTHE AFTER BEING CLOSED FOROVER 90 DAYS THEY WERE ALLOWEDTO REOPEN LAST WEEK.IN THE MEANTIME THE STATIONARYSTORE STARTED DECORATING THETOWN WITH BALLOONS.THERE'S A SILVER LINING INEVERYTHING AND WE TRY TO STAYPOSITIVE AND JUST ALWAYS LOOKFOR WHAT THAT SILVER LININGIS.WE'RE ADJUSTING ANDADAPTING AND WE'RE HEADING INA POSITIVE DIRECTION.Reporter: AS THE FOLKS ATPASSARELLI'S CONTINUE TOADJUST THE STATE REPORTED ASLIGHT INCREASE IN CASES.GOVERNOR MURPHY EARNED PEOPLETO CONTINUE TO WEAR MASKS ANDTO KEEP YOUR DISTANCE FROMOTHERS.DON'T BE THE KNUCKLEHEADWHO RUINS IT FOR EVERYONEELSE.THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DOIS PUT THE RESTART ON HOLD.Reporter: GOVERNOR MURPHYSAID TODAY THAT THE DEATH RATEIS NOW AT 12,949.HE SAYS THAT'S TWICE AS MANYRESIDENTS THAT HAVE DIED FROMTHE FLU IN THE LAST FIVE YEARSCOMBINED.