All New Jersey schools will be ordered to close, Gov. Phil Murphy says

TRENTON, N.J. — All public and private schools will be ordered to close down to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Phil Murphy said Sunday. Details are scheduled to be announced Monday once a plan is reached with the state Department of Education.

Murphy made the announcement during a Sunday afternoon phone briefing with reporters.

He said more than 210,000 students rely on schools for their food while 259,000 students do not have a home setup to take classes online.

Most of New Jersey schools have already closed or announced they will close Monday.

"Not enough is being done," Murphy said. "This is something none of us can be cavalier about.”

Murphy later tweeted that everyone needs to practice social distancing, "Even if you are young and feel entirely healthy, you can still spread #COVID19.”

The state received 31 new positive test results, bringing the total virus cases in New Jersey to 98, he added.

He requested that the federal government open an emergency enrollment period to give people the opportunity to get health coverage.

Earlier Sunday, Murphy said officials are considering a statewide curfew. Hoboken already implemented one — from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. — starting Monday.

Murphy was asked about curfews and also self-quarantine on New York City radio station WBLS after Teaneck Mayor Mohammed Hameeduddin called for a citywide self-quarantine for the Bergen County town hit hard by COVID-19.

Murphy on Saturday night announced the second death in the state from coronavirus, a woman in her 50s who was being cared for at CentraState Medical Center in Monmouth County.

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