Non-essential retail business can resume, but customers won’t be allowed into shops under Murphy’s latest order. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
With non-essential retail operations permitted to partially re-open Monday, Red Bank officials plan to host a Zoom session for merchants “to clarify the evolving guidelines and restrictions” in the COVID-19 pandemic, the borough announced Wednesday night.
On Wednesday, Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order partially rescinding his unprecedented March 21 “stay home” order issued to contain the spread of the coronavirus that causes the disease.
The new order permits curbside commerce at non-essential retail businesses. Customers will not be permitted into stores, and must instead order goods in advance for pickup, he said.
At an information session organized by Councilman Hazim Yassin and scheduled to be held via online Monday at 9:30 a.m., Business Administrator Ziad Shehady will review the borough’s efforts undertaken to assist businesses with implementation of the order.
In addition, Health officer David Henry of the Monmouth County Regional Health Commission will provide “an overview and highlight of safety measures and best practices that should be instituted,” according to the borough’s announcement.
A Q&A will follow.
Among the topics like to come up: reserved parking spaces near the doors of shops so customers can make quick pickups. Under a program organized by Red Bank RiverCenter, downtown restaurants have had temporary signs out front to expedite pickups of takeout orders.
The session is restricted to Red Bank restaurants and retail businesses. Advance registration is required, and those who sign up will receive a link to the meeting via email Sunday, Shehady said. Any registrant who has difficulty joining the meeting is asked to call 732-530-2748.
