Dr. Fauci: NJ Can Now Reopen 'Competently' Amid Coronavirus

NEW JERSEY — Dr. Anthony Fauci told Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday that New Jersey has made enough progress to safely and "competently" reopen its economy and schools, and he addressed why. Murphy also spoke about what steps the Garden State may take next (you can watch it here, below).

Fauci spoke to Murphy as New Jersey announced 588 new coronavirus cases and 10 more deaths on Thursday. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, School Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

Fauci has served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and he has worked with — and often clashed with — the Trump administration's coronavirus task force.

Fauci said New Jersey's baseline of cases and community spread — despite getting "hit really very badly" in March and April — is so low that the state's situation is "positioning you well to do a number of things."

New Jersey's daily case number has hovered in the 400-500 range, but Fauci noted that the number is small compared with the rest of the country that, in total, is seeing 35,000 to 40,000 new cases a day (see New Jersey's daily case numbers since March below).

"Even as we face the challenge of the fall and winter, you're positioned to do two things: to continue to gradually, carefully and prudently open your economy in a careful way, (and) at the same time, to avoid the challenging difficulty of what happens when a lot of things go indoors versus outdoors," Fauci said.

Fauci said his office has color designations for areas of the country — with red and orange indicating that states are in rough shape, and dark green meaning they're good shape. He said New Jersey is dark green because its rate of positive cases, based on testing, is lower than 3 percent.

Murphy has been releasing "hard dates" and more specifics on New Jersey's plans to reopen its economy, schools, day care, camps and public transit during the coronavirus crisis. And he was expected to provide more details over the course of the year. Read more: Gov. Murphy: 'Hard Dates' In NJ Coronavirus Reopening Blueprint

Unlike much of the country, Fauci said, New Jersey should also be well prepared to handle a possible second wave of the virus when people move indoors as the weather gets colder. He noted that New Jersey's infection rate has sunk to around 1.1 and should be able to handle possible case increases and hospitalizations.

Fauci said the nation, as a whole, will likely not be able to "get back to normal" until vaccines are available to 100 percent of the country, which he doesn't see happening until the end of 2021 — if then. He said he'd be happy if the United States was 75 to 80 percent vaccinated by the end of 2021.

"When we end it, then you can get back to your normal life, but we’ve got to end it first," Fauci said.

People shouldn't expect that a vaccine, however, is going to solve all of New Jersey's and the nation's coronavirus troubles right away because the initial dosages — which could be available by the end of 2020 — will likely be around 70 to 75 percent effective, he said.

He also noted that many people will refuse to get vaccinated, which will also slow the whole process of cracking the curve of the virus down.

The chat came as Murphy said he'd like to consider expanding indoor dining — from 25 to 50 percent capacity — as long as there is "a sustained period of time without spikes or incidents."

"Even at 50 percent, it's hardly nirvana," Murphy said during a news conference Wednesday.

Murphy said he realizes that New Jersey restaurant owners are at a crossroads now that the weather is getting colder, and outdoor dining may not work so well.

For restaurant owners, he said, they have to make a decision: Should they buy more space heaters if they're still forced to continue having seating outside, or should they order more plexiglass so they can expand their indoor capacity?

Murphy noted that reopening indoor dining earlier in September "is a step that we took with great trepidation" because it led to outbreaks in other states.

Since reopening indoor dining and gyms earlier this month, however, New Jersey has had no problems, Murphy said.

"It's something we're looking at, and we hope sooner than later," Murphy said about expanding indoor dining.

Murphy also took the federal government to task for not doing more to help restaurants and small business owners get through the crisis.

He questioned why Congress has felt compelled to rush through approving a Supreme Court nomination while taking no action on legislation that could provide financial aid to businesses.

"It would go to the industries — especially small business, especially hospitality — that desperately need help," he said.

Watch Murphy and Fauci here:

Here is a look at new coronavirus cases by day:

• September 26: 760
• September 25: 612
• September 24: 588
• September 23: 430
• September 22: 457
• September 21: 396
• September 20: 457
• September 19: 489
• September 18: 519
• September 17: 617
• September 16: 447
• September 15: 498
• September 14: 346
• September 13: 306
• September 12: 487
• September 11: 518
• September 10: 507
• September 9: 356
• September 8: 284
• September 7: 344
• September 6: 360
• September 5: 370
• September 4: 478
• September 3: 455
• September 2: 329
• September 1: 365
• August 31: 352
• August 30: 306
• August 29: 388
• August 28: 372
• August 27: 374
• August 26: 288
• August 25: 346
• August 24: 225
• August 23: 288
• August 22: 427
• August 21: 313
• August 20: 302
• August 19: 399
• August 18: 400
• August 17: 316
• August 16: 329
• August 15: 464
• August 14: 585
• August 13: 699
• August 12: 484
• August 11: 498
• August 10: 258
• August 9: 378
• August 8: 379
• August 7: 384
• August 6: 411
• August 5: 378
• August 4: 416
• August 3: 264
• August 2: 331
• August 1: 393
• July 31: 699
• July 30: 261
• July 29: 489
• July 28: 565
• July 27: 446
• July 26: 512
• July 25: 547
• July 24: 488
• July 23: 344
• July 22: 390
• July 21: 424
• July 20: 177
• July 19: 144
• July 18: 309
• July 17: 202
• July 16: 254
• July 15: 396
• July 14: 423
• July 13: 231
• July 12: 349
• July 11: 438
• July 10: 367
• July 9: 354
• July 8: 335
• July 7: 310
• July 6: 216
• July 5: 398
• July 4: 303
• July 3: 386
• July 2: 539
• July 1: 423
• June 30: 461
• June 29: 156
• June 28: 354
• June 27: 347
• June 26: 524
• June 25: 406
• June 24: 317
• June 23: 382
• June 22: 359
• June 21: 411
• June 20: 446
• June 19: 516
• June 18: 442
• June 17: 330
• June 16: 470
• June 15: 274
• June 14: 305
• June 13: 523
• June 12: 495
• June 11: 539
• June 10: 611
• June 9: 375
• June 8: 356
• June 7: 426
• June 6: 606
• June 5: 864
• June 4: 603
• June 3: 652
• June 2: 708
• June 1: 509
• May 31: 868
• May 30: 910
• May 29: 1,117
• May 28: 1,261
• May 27: 970
• May 26: 703
• May 25: 965
• May 24: 1,065
• May 23: 443
• May 22: 1,394
• May 21: 1,304
• May 20: 1,670
• May 19: 1,055
• May 18: 1,735
• May 17: 1,272
• May 16: 1,239
• May 15: 1,297
• May 14: 1,216
• May 13: 1,028
• May 12: 898
• May 11: 1,453
• May 10: 1,503
• May 9: 1,759
• May 8: 1,985
• May 7: 1,827
• May 6: 1,513
• May 5: 2,494
• May 4: 1,621
• May 3: 3,144
• May 2: 2,912
• May 1: 2,651
• April 30: 2,633
• April 29: 2,481
• April 28: 2,887
• April 27: 2,146
• April 26: 3,730
• April 25: 3,457
• April 24: 3,047
• April 23: 4,427
• April 22: 3,551
• April 21: 3,644
• April 20: 3,528
• April 19: 3,915
• April 18: 3,026
• April 17: 3,250
• April 16: 4,391
• April 15: 2,625
• April 14: 4,049
• April 13: 3,219
• April 12: 3,733
• April 11: 3,599
• April 10: 3,627
• April 9: 3,748
• April 8: 3,088
• April 7: 3,361
• April 6: 3,663
• April 5: 3,482
• April 4: 4,331
• April 3: 4,372
• April 2: 3,489
• April 1: 3,649
• March 31: 2,196
• March 30: 3,347
• March 29: 2,316
• March 28: 2,289
• March 27: 1,982
• March 26: 2,492
• March 25: 736
• March 24: 846
• March 23: 935
• March 22: 590
• March 21: 442
• March 20: 155
• March 19: 318
• March 18: 162
• March 17: 89
• March 16: 80
• March 15: 31
• March 14: 19
• March 13: 21
• March 12: 21
• March 11: 8
• March 10: 4
• March 9: 5
• March 8: 6
• March 7: 1
• March 6: 1
• March 5: 1
• March 4: 1

Here is a look at coronavirus deaths by day:

• September 26: 6
• September 25: 7
• September 24: 10
• September 23: 7
• September 22: 7
• September 21: 2
• September 20: 3
• September 19: 3
• September 18: 5
• September 17: 3
• September 16: 9
• September 15: 9
• September 14: 3
• September 13: 4
• September 12: 4
• September 11: 9
• September 10: 5
• September 9: 7
• September 8: 5
• September 7: 2
• September 6: 4
• September 5: 7
• September 4: 7
• September 3: 9
• September 2: 11
• September 1: 7
• August 31: 8
• August 30: 4
• August 29: 4
• August 28: 9
• August 27: 7
• August 26: 11
• August 25: 5
• August 24: 3
• August 23: 3
• August 22: 3
• August 21: 13
• August 20: 8
• August 19: 11
• August 18: 10
• August 17: 4
• August 16: 4
• August 15: 7
• August 14: 10
• August 13: 8
• August 12: 9
• August 11: 14
• August 10: 4
• August 9: 5
• August 8: 9
• August 7: 12
• August 6: 8
• August 5: 8
• August 4: 11
• August 3: 10
• August 2: 6
• August 1: 11
• July 31: 10
• July 30: 16
• July 29: 18
• July 28: 24
• July 27: 17
• July 26: 11
• July 25: 16
• July 24: 36
• July 23: 23
• July 22: 24
• July 21: 21
• July 20: 9
• July 19: 11
• July 18: 16
• July 17: 20
• July 16: 32
• July 15: 27
• July 14: 28
• July 13: 22
• July 12: 16
• July 11: 49
• July 10: 31
• July 9: 28
• July 8: 53
• July 7: 52
• July 6: 20
• July 5: 23
• July 4: 25
• July 3: 58
• July 2: 27
• July 1: 45
• June 30: 47
• June 29: 18
• June 28: 30
• June 27: 36
• June 26: 44
• June 25: 26
• June 24: 48
• June 23: 57
• June 22: 27
• June 21: 17
• June 20: 25
• June 19: 37
• June 18: 38
• June 17: 47
• June 16: 51
• June 15: 52
• June 14: 40
• June 13: 103
• June 12: 48
• June 11: 70
• June 10: 74
• June 9: 91
• June 8: 40
• June 7: 79
• June 6: 60
• June 5: 79
• June 4: 92
• June 3: 112
• June 2: 51
• June 1: 27
• May 31: 66
• May 30: 113
• May 29: 131
• May 28: 66
• May 27: 148
• May 26: 54
• May 25: 16
• May 24: 52
• May 23: 96
• May 22: 146
• May 21: 98
• May 20: 168
• May 19: 162
• May 18: 83
• May 17: 107
• May 16: 116
• May 15: 201
• May 14: 244
• May 13: 197
• May 12: 198
• May 11: 59
• May 10: 140
• May 9: 166
• May 8: 162
• May 7: 254
• May 6: 308
• May 5: 334
• May 4: 45
• May 3: 137
• May 2: 205
• May 1: 311
• April 30: 460
• April 29: 329
• April 28: 402
• April 27: 106
• April 26: 75
• April 25: 249
• April 24: 253
• April 23: 307
• April 22: 314
• April 21: 379
• April 20: 177
• April 19: 132
• April 18: 231
• April 17: 323
• April 16: 362
• April 15: 351
• April 14: 365
• April 13: 94
• April 12: 168
• April 11: 251
• April 10: 233
• April 9: 198
• April 8: 275
• April 7: 232
• April 6: 86
• April 5: 71
• April 4: 200
• April 3: 113
• April 2: 182
• April 1: 91
• March 31: 69
• March 30: 37
• March 29: 21
• March 28: 32
• March 27: 27
• March 26: 19
• March 25: 18
• March 24: 17
• March 23: 7
• March 22: 4
• March 21: 5
• March 20: 2
• March 19: 4
• March 18: 3
• March 17: 0
• March 16: 1
• March 15: 0
• March 14: 1
• March 13: 0
• March 12: 0
• March 11: 0
• March 10: 1

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