Non-essential travel in New Jersey has "strongly discouraged" between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., per an order by Governor Phil Murphy.
The statewide curfew comes among many unprecedented measures as the state attempts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Governor Murphy's order corresponds with measures taken by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont ordering all casinos, restaurants, bars, theaters and gyms to shut down at 8 p.m. until further notice.
"Everyone needs to stay in and be safe," Gov. Murphy said during a Monday morning phone call with his counterparts.
The Bergen County town of Teaneck, which is home to the highest concentration of novel coronavirus cases in the state, enacted a citywide self-quarantine over the weekend. Teaneck Mayor Mohammed Hameeduddin complained that some residents were not taking the pandemic seriously.
Gov. Murphy echoed that sentiment Sunday afternoon, when he acknowledged to the media that he was considering a curfew.
"I saw too many videos last night of packed bars, people passing bottles, drinking from the same bottle, literally globbed on top of each other," he said, before noting that the curfew will have a "meaningful, positive outcome in terms of social distancing."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Sunday that gatherings of 50 people or more should not take place for at least eight weeks.
Public schools in the Tri-State area have been shut down, with school districts attempting to enact remote learning for students, who may not return to school this semester.
Over the weekend, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans to ban restaurants from offering anything beyond takeout or delivery during the coronavirus outbreak. New Jersey and Connecticut announced that they would adopt the same measure.
Bars that do not serve food have been told to close.
Gov. Cuomo said Monday that "regional coordination" during the pandemic is crucial to flattening the curve and preventing area hospitals from being overwhelmed by new cases.
Photo: Getty Images