On Thursday November 19th, the Governor revised the State's Phase 3 Re-Opening Plan guidance (Executive Order 20-98), and announced an upcoming "Two-Week Pause" with a number of new restrictions in response to the State's increasing COVID-19 numbers. Watch the full Press Conference online. The Governor announced the following:
Changes to Current Guidance
"We’re extending our current guidance — including early closing times for bars and restaurants and capacity restrictions in venues and big box stores — another week, through Sunday, November 29. And for the next 10 days, we’re making two additional changes:"
- Indoor & Outdoor Social Gatherings: "Effective immediately, we’re lowering the social gathering limit to a SINGLE HOUSEHOLD. This means you should not be spending time socially with anyone you don’t live with in the next 10-days, including on Thanksgiving."
- Big Box Stores: "In addition to the stricter capacity limits on stores over 30,000 sq. ft., we’re also requiring box stores to develop a plan for handling the increased volume of shoppers this season, including for Black Friday, and post that plan in the store."
Two-Week Pause Beginning November 30th
"Just after Thanksgiving, we’ll be entering a two-week pause. This is the crux of our winter strategy. In just a two-week period, we have the ability to prevent overwhelming our hospital system without the need for a total lockdown. The image below lists the rules that will be in effect during the statewide pause from Monday, November 30 through Sunday, December 13."
"None of this is easy. I know how difficult it's going to be over the next few weeks, especially on Thanksgiving. But the loss of life we face if we don't follow the rules is far too great. If we take the next few weeks seriously and pause our activities and our social lives for a short time, then we can get through this without the need for a full lockdown."