NJ Clarifies Live Graduation, 'Wave Parades' In Coronavirus Order

NEW JERSEY – The Murphy administration now says it will allow some forms of "wave parades," including those for birthday and graduation celebrations, as long as they don't involve large gatherings.

Also on Monday Gov. Phil Murphy said the state is not completely ruling out live graduations, but they can't happen while the current coronavirus restrictions remain. He said he's not even sure June 1 is feasible because he doesn't believe the state will be completely safe for large gatherings by then.

"Can we do it on Aug. 1? I would put more money on that. I still wouldn't make it non-refundable," he said.

Col. Patrick J. Callahan, superintendent of the State Police, also clarified what he said in a letter to schools that said in-person ceremonies, including graduations, and all parades, including “wave parades,” violate Murphy's "stay-at-home order."

Callahan said people can drive vehicles by a graduate's house and have a wave parade, saying: "We would never and could not prevent vehicles from driving by."

What he was trying to prevent, he said, were wave parades in front of large gatherings of "50 people standing on top of each other" in front of a high school, a football field or town hall.

"It's a great gesture to give that sense of solidarity but when there's 50 people standing on top of each other on the curb of a hospital or in front of a high school that's where the problem comes in," Callahan said.

Callahan said he had received word that people were planning large gatherings summoning people to gather together for graduation or wave parade.

That prompted him to write a letter, saying: "In the best interest of the health and safety of the public, in-person ceremonies, including graduations, all parades, including 'wave parades,' that invite people to gather at a certain location, proms and other similar celebrations violate the enumerated conditions of the order."

As a result, he said, those events "should therefore be canceled or postponed until such time as these restrictions are lifted."

"Until such time, virtual celebrations and other remote forms of recognition should take the place of any in-person or public ceremonies," Callahan wrote.

The update comes as Murphy has extended the state's public health emergency order to June 7, and schools were closed for the rest of the academic year. His stay-at-home order, however, is indefinite, and it's not clear when he plans to lift that. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

Callahan said the stay-at-home order directs New Jersey residents "to remain at home except to obtain goods and services from identified essential businesses, to obtain takeout food/drink from dining establishments, to seek medical attention/law enforcement services, to visit family, report to work, exercise under specific guidelines, or leave home for educational, religious, or political reasons."

"It is also permissible to leave home for fear of health/safety concerns, or to leave home at the direction of law enforcement/government," he said. "But even when someone is leaving their home for a permissible reason, they are not allowed to participate in any gatherings."

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