All Around Pennsauken

The Freeholder Board has amended and reissued its state of emergency declaration in response to the rapidly evolving situation presented by the global coronavirus pandemic.

Effective immediately, all playgrounds, public bathrooms, and water fountain locations within the Camden County Parks System shall be closed until further notice. Parks locations will remain open as outdoor-only facilities during regular operating hours.

Additionally, all convenience and grocery stores must discontinue self-serve beverage and food offerings, including coffee and cappuccino bars, fountain drinks and soda, roller grills, bakery cases, soup and salad bars, nacho/chili cheese machines, and condiment bars. Retailers may continue to sell food and beverage items; however, an employee must dispense the beverage or food along with any necessary condiments directly to the customer.

“As this situation continues to evolve, we will continue to update our proactive mitigation measures as necessary to protect the public and stop the spread of this deadly virus,” said Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. “In the past week, we have not seen people taking this threat seriously enough. Crowded playgrounds and shoulder-to-shoulder lines pouring coffee at Wawa and 7/11 are not acceptable if we are going to get through this. We want to remind everyone that they should be staying home as much as they can and avoiding contact with others when possible.”

At close of business on March 16, Camden County and its agencies activated emergency measures to reduce governmental operations to only essential functions. All essential employees, such as law enforcement, corrections, public safety, and others as dictated continue to report to work as usual.

Non-essential employees are no longer reporting to work but will remain on call to work remotely as needed.

State Directives

Since Monday, Governor Phil Murphy has announced several additional mitigation measures to further reduce the spread of coronavirus statewide. All of these measures apply to Camden County schools, businesses, and residents. Measures announced since Monday have been listed in bold.

• Effective March 18, all pre-K, K-12 schools, and institutions of higher education must close.
• Beginning tonight, all non-essential and non-emergency travel in New Jersey is strongly discouraged between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.
• Beginning tonight, all non-essential retail, recreational, and entertainment businesses must close each night after 8 p.m., until further notice. These businesses must limit occupancy to no more than 50 persons during daytime hours.
• Effective at 8 p.m. tonight, all bars and restaurants must close for eat-in services. Bars and restaurants may stay open for takeout and delivery orders only until further notice.
• Effective at 8 p.m. tonight, all racetracks, casinos, theaters, and gyms must close until it is deemed safe for their re-opening.
• Effective at 8 p.m. tonight, all public events of 50 persons or more are to be cancelled.
• All indoor portions of retail shopping malls. Restaurants and other stores located within shopping malls that have their own external entrances open to the public, separate from the general mall entrance, may remain open as long as they comply with prior directives on operating hours and takeout or food delivery services.
• All places of public amusement, whether indoors or outdoors, including but not limited to, locations with amusement rides, carnivals, amusement parks, water parks, aquariums, zoos, arcades, fairs, children’s play centers, funplexes, theme parks, bowling alleys, family and children’s attractions.