NJ Has Cut its COVID-19 Rate of Spread by Six Times Since March

By Jim Pytell, Assistant Editor On Jun 2, 2020

At today’s COVID-19 press briefing, Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled key data showing the estimated rate of virus reproduction, or “a gauge of how fast contagions spread.”

The information revealed that on March 21, when Murphy issued his stay-at-home order, each infected person was spreading COVID-19 to an average of 5.31 people, which the governor described as a “nearly unstoppable pace of spread.”

Within three weeks of the stay-at-home order, the rate of spread was cut to roughly 1 to 1 (1.02).

On May 30, the rate of spread was at 0.88, meaning that for every one person infected, they are spreading COVID-19 to less than one other individual.

“Flattening this curve has been just as important as flattening the curve of new cases,” Murphy said. “From a data perspective, this curve has been perhaps even more valuable, and shows the importance and the impact of social distancing.”

Law Enforcement and Protests

Also at the press briefing, Attorney General Gurbir Grewal addressed the death of George Floyd, saying, “To the thousands of New Jerseyans protesting peacefully this week, we hear you, we see you, we respect you, we share your anger and we share your commitment to change.”

He then highlighted some of the work that has been done, and will continue to be done, to ensure all law enforcement officers conduct themselves with integrity throughout the state, such as, for example, a database to report and track the use of force by officers, and an update to the statewide policy on the use of force by law enforcement. 

“These haven’t been words, but [instead] actions, that have brought about a sea change in law enforcement, increased accountability, transparency, and professionalism,” Murphy added.

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