New Jersey Restaurants Hit Hard After Indoor Dining Is Postponed

Alecia Reid reports.

GET DATA SUPPORTING THEEFFECTIVENESS OF ITS VACCINEEARLY NEXT YEAR.SOME NEW JERSEY RESTAURANTOWNERS WHO PLAN TO WELCOME INDINERS THIS WEEK WILL HAVE TOWAIT AND THAT'S HITTING SOMEVERY HARDY.ALICEA REID IS IN TRENTONWHERE THE GOVERNOR EXPLAINSHIS REASONING THIS AFTERNOON.ALICEA.Reporter: UKEE, GOVERNORPHIL MURPHY SAYS HE WANTS TOSTAY AHEAD OF THE VIRUS.AFTER SEEING THE INCREASE INCOVID-19 CASES OVER THEWEEKEND, HE DECIDED IT WASIMPORTANT TO PUSH BACK THEDATE INDOOR DINING CAN RESUME.NOW, THAT HAS AFFECTEDRESTAURATEURS SOME OF THEMLOSING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARSBECAUSE OF THAT DECISION OVERIN NEW JERSEY, HERE THE OWNERAT SHANNON'S WILD FIG WHO ONLYHAD BEEN IN BUSINESS A FEWWEEKS BEFORE COVID-19 HIT WENTALL IN FOR ANTICIPATED GUESTSNEWS INDOOR DINING IS NOWPOSTPONED INDEFINITELY HITSHARD.RIGHT NOW SHE SAYS EVEN WITHOUTDOOR DINING AND TAKEOUTREVENUE FOR THE HIGH ENDDOWNING REST VAUGHT DOWN 93%.THE FEAR IS THAT THEESTABLISHMENT WON'T BE ABLE TOSURVIVE MUCH LONGER WITH NOCLIENTELE AND FUNDING FROM THESTATE.NOW GOVERNOR MURPHY SAYSALTHOUGH FRUSTRATING HISDECISION IS TO HELP SAVELIVES.INDOORS LACKINGVENTILATION, SEDENTARY CLOSEPROXIMITY THAT'S A LETHALCOMBINATION.WE'LL TRY TO GIVE FOLKS --WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THESECALLS -- I MEAN THINK OF THEOTHER SIDE WHY WOULD I WANTRESTAURANTS NOT TO BE OPENEDOTHER THAN WE'RE TRYING TOSAFE LIVES.WE WANT TO GET THERE.AND SO I HAVE ENORMOUSSYMPATHY FOR THE CHALLENGESTHAT OUR RESTAURATEURS AREGOING THROUGH AND THETHOUSANDS OF DOLLARS I DON'TTAKE LIGHTLY FOR ONE SECONDBUT THERE'S ALSO 15,000 LIVESTHAT WE'VE LOST AND WE'RETRYING TO SAVE EVERY SINGLEONE GOING FORWARD.AND THAT IS OUR -- THAT'S JOBNUMBER ONE.Reporter: THE GOVERNORSAYS THIS ISN'T A LIFESENTENCE AND HOPES TO GIVEMORE OF A HEADS UP WHEN THETIME COMES FOR INDOOR DININGTO RESUME.NOW, COMING UP AT 5 O'CLOCK,WE'LL TALK TO A RESTAURATEURWHO IS NOW EVEN FURTHER INDEBT AFTER SPENDING MONEY TOPREPARE TO OPEN THIS WEEK.