New Jersey's coronavirus numbers are starting to even out, but the state has "about as aggressive a set of policies" in place as anywhere else in the country and they'll remain, Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday.
"In fact, we tightened it even further this week, and I would just beg people, if they're watching from New Jersey, stay home," Murphy said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." "Please stay home and stay away from others. Again, it's a glimmer of hope, but it is way too early to declare any sort of victory here."
The war against the virus is being fought by both the "few," led by "heroic healthcare workers, first responders, and others who are building out bed capacity and more, and the "many," of the state's residents, who are staying home.
"It is a two-front war, and we're trying to get the lines to cross at a manageable level," Murphy said. "That's the name of the game every minute of the day."
Bed capacity is "expanding dramatically," thanks to "a lot of creativity" by the state's hospitals, said Murphy, and the Army Corps of Engineers has been "huge."
"We're sourcing PPE literally around the world," he said. "I spend most of my time talking to folks outside the United States for PPE. Ventilators, we've gotten a bunch out of the federal strategic stockpile. We need more. We put a call to arms out for our website for health care volunteers."
Later in the day, Murphy, during his daily briefing, noted that the state's fatalities now total 1,700, or more than twice the number of people from New Jersey who died in the 9/11 attacks reports NPR affiliate WYYY.
Murphy also signed a separate order Thursday that creates a grace period for residents who are not able to pay their insurance premiums due to hardship caused by the pandemic, allowing an extra 60 days for health and dental insurance and 90 days for home, renters, auto, and life policies. All claims must still be paid out, however.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.