New Jersey indoor high-school and other youth sports are being put on hold till at least early January because of the state’s COVID-19 surge, Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday.
Many outdoor gatherings in the state also will be drastically reduced in size — from 150 to 25 people, the governor said.
The sports ban begins at 6 a.m. Saturday and continues at least through Jan. 2, Murphy said.
The move does not affect indoor college or professional sports, and outdoor sports can continue.
But indoor high-school and youth sports such as basketball, ice hockey and swimming will be halted.
“We do not take this step lightly,” Murphy said. “As folks probably know, I’m a huge sports fan, and all of our kids play sports. I hope and intend to see the winter sports season in January.”
Meanwhile, the tighter limit on general outdoor gatherings starts at 6 a.m. Dec. 7.
Outdoor dining at restaurants and outdoor events such as weddings and funerals are exempt from the restriction.
On Monday, New Jersey’s daily coronavirus hospitalization rate hit nearly 3,000 — a figure not seen in the state since May.
Two weeks ago, Murphy had to move to restrict gatherings to fight the alarming local rise in COVID-19 infections.