Read all of ROI-NJ’s March articles on how coronavirus, or COVID-19, is affecting business — and everyday life — in New Jersey, from the first presumptive case (and even a little before) to the first fatality and the latest announcements from the Governor’s Office.
To subscribe to our newsletters — including Breaking News and Coronavirus in New Jersey roundups — click here.
For the latest coverage, click here.
Editor’s Picks (our best stories of March)
- Fairfield distillery isn’t producing spirits, it’s boosting spirits — by making hand sanitizer for first responders (and giving it away)
- Even with coronavirus disrupting Passover plans, kosher food business Kayco finds its specialty products selling well
- Are we taking this seriously enough? No … Expert’s data bears that out (Editor’s Desk)
- Suspend all rent payments? This might be a better idea
- EDA approves 7 programs to help businesses who have suffered from COVID-19 crisis
- Price gouging: AG during Sandy explains what is being looked for — and how businesses can protect themselves
- Horizon letting employers maintain furloughed workers’ health coverage
- Murphy makes additions to essential retail allowed to operate
- ‘I’m just as worried about the economy collapsing as I am of this virus’
- When Withum’s Ferrare warned of bear market in January, he couldn’t have predicted this
- Murphy issues stay-at-home order for all residents not involved in essential services (INCLUDES LIST)
- NJMEP is updating its emergency database (and, if you’re a manufacturer, you’ll want to be on it)
- Do young people care about COVID-19? They do. (We took a survey.) But not as much as Murphy would like
- Life inside a grocery store: Restocking, staying clean, handling the rush — and changing its business model on the fly
- For small businesses like sauce-maker Hoboken Farms, coronavirus is causing unexpected, unprecedented issues
- Coronavirus outbreak forces board game maker to think outside the box
- Life at the epicenter of N.J.’s coronavirus outbreak (Editor’s Desk)
- The announcement: How HMH responded internally to news of coronavirus case
Scroll down for our complete archive.
The complete March stories
March 31 stories
- Ask the Experts: Do employees have to use PTO if they can’t work?
- Businesses behaving badly: Task force to investigate misconduct
- Murphy on strong relationship with Trump, U.S. government: ‘We need them and they need us’
- Managing contracts in the time of the coronavirus pandemic (Op-Ed)
- Cross River partners with Operation HOPE to provide free financial literacy programming
- Fitness studio proves flexible, transitioning to web-based wellness amid COVID crisis
- Applauding N.J., federal governments for coming to rescue of small businesses (Op-Ed)
- N.J. breaks down fatalities by age group as number of deaths rise rapidly
- Life after COVID-19: No details, but Murphy hints N.J. may bar others from entering state to prevent 2nd outbreak
March 30 stories
- Why we need commercial lease relief and payroll stimulus package (Op-Ed)
- Fairfield distillery isn’t producing spirits, it’s boosting spirits — by making hand sanitizer for first responders (and giving it away)
- Even with coronavirus disrupting Passover plans, kosher food business Kayco finds its specialty products selling well
- J&J expects to do human trials on potential COVID-19 vaccine this fall with hopes of early 2021 availability
- Pru waives rent on 21 storefronts in Newark where it serves as landlord
- Murphy announces 3,347 new COVID-19 cases (new single-day high); N.J.’s total now 16,636
March 29 stories
- Are we taking this seriously enough? No … Expert’s data bears that out (Editor’s Desk)
- Divorce during COVID-19: Are lawyers getting more calls? Yes. But not necessarily why you might think
- N.J. announces 2,316 new COVID-19 cases, increasing total to 13,386
- How small medical groups are trying to alleviate pressure on hospitals
March 28 stories
- Murphy announces 90-day mortgage grace period — and asks banks to help consumers on credit card bills, too (UPDATED)
- 8 days: All it took for N.J. to soar from 1,000 COVID-19 cases to 10,000
March 27 stories
- Coronavirus outbreak is changing how primary care physicians treat — and interact — with patients
- Prism Capital donates critical safety gear to Hackensack Meridian
- Sullivan hopes EDA’s new loans and grants (yes, grants) can be a 1st step back
- New Jersey American Water to continue infrastructure work amid COVID-19 emergency
- Survey: Financial uncertainty rises among N.J. residents amid COVID-19
- Suspend all rent payments? This might be a better idea
- Clinical trial solutions company WCG is prioritizing efforts to combat coronavirus
- Teaching teachers (how to teach online) is latest way Centenary’s prospective educators cope with coronavirus disruption
- Murphy: Ruling on mortgages to come Saturday
March 26 stories
- $2T stimulus bill includes tax credits to pay salaries, delay in payroll tax, individual direct payments
- Murphy happy for $2T stimulus bill — even though it’s much lower than he wanted
- ‘I’m just as worried about the economy collapsing as I am of this virus’
- COVID-19 and your remote operation: Establishing, maintaining secure workspace (Op-Ed)
- Another shocking risk for health care workers treating coronavirus that needs to be protected (Op-Ed)
- EDA approves 7 programs to help businesses who have suffered from COVID-19 crisis
- Price gouging: AG during Sandy explains what is being looked for — and how businesses can protect themselves
- N.J. reports 2,492 new cases — nearly triple the previous one-day high
March 25 stories
- Grocery stores appealing to laid-off restaurant workers with jobs-on-demand link
- Visikol CEO: Companies get reminder of dangers of razor-thin margins
- Rutgers launches COVID-19 center to aid pandemic
- Want to help? NJHA offers New Jerseyans ways to volunteer, donate during COVID-19 crisis
- Impact of COVID-19 cuts global IPO momentum short in Q1 2020
- 10 tips on video conference preparedness — and etiquette (Op-Ed)
- Murphy makes additions to essential retail allowed to operate
- Rutgers pathogen expert shares opinion of social distancing — and handwashing tips
- Murphy orders closing of child care centers — except those servicing children of essential personnel (Updated)
- Horizon letting employers maintain furloughed workers’ health coverage
- When is COVID-19 peak? (2-3 weeks) When will things start to get better? (No time soon)
March 24 stories
- Tammy Murphy launches New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund
- Wakefern, Cooper helping their vital workers during coronavirus crisis
- State freezes nearly $1B in spending amid COVID-19 uncertainty
- NJ Bankers exec: Lenders don’t want to foreclose on commercial loans
- When Withum’s Ferrare warned of bear market in January, he couldn’t have predicted this
- Jerseyans flying to Florida face mandatory 14-day self-quarantine
- Food Council head: Limiting grocery stores would not allow residents to get food they need
- Murphy announces sites of field hospitals — and 17 more fatalities, bringing total to 44
- Rental company may have answer for more airtight rooms in hospitals
- Field hospitals, hotels: Here’s what they will be used for … how they will be staffed isn’t as clear
- Murphy (politely) pushes back on Trump’s desire to get things back to normal quickly
March 23 stories
- N.J.’s manufacturers are eager and ready to help — but face many obstacles
- Monmouth County’s Little Rockers is hitting right notes in online transition
- Merck donates 500K PPE masks to support coronavirus response in NYC
- Quest Diagnostics implements patient service program amid COVID-19
- What could have been: Seton Hall makes simulated Final Four
- Nearly 1,000 new cases of coronavirus in N.J.; overall total (2,844) is second-highest in U.S.
- SBA enacts auto-deferment on existing disaster loans through 2020
- Social workers organization offers free online mental health resources
- Americans respond to nation’s handling of COVID-19 crisis
- NFIB survey results illustrate skyrocketing impact of coronavirus on small businesses
- Here’s how your organization can donate PPEs — and a tip of the hat to some who have
- N.J. to release low-level inmates in county jails, hoping to hold off corrections outbreak
- Notebook: Trump promises N.J. four field hospitals
March 22 stories
- Murphy slams racism against Asian Americans: ‘Repugnant and repulsive’
- Sweeney urges feds to put 2-month halt on mortgage, utility, insurance payments (and more)
- Is it time to limit number of people in grocery stores? (Editor’s Desk)
- Courts are closed and you have business dispute … what are your options? (Op-Ed)
- COVID-19 now in all 21 counties, with death toll at 20; more testing sites open this week
Murphy orders shutdown of non-essential businesses (March 21)
- Murphy issues stay-at-home order for all residents not involved in essential services (INCLUDES LIST)
- ‘We’re basically saying, unequivocally, stay at home’ (Editor’s Desk)
March 21 stories
- NJMEP is updating its emergency database (and, if you’re a manufacturer, you’ll want to be on it)
- Head of one of N.J.’s largest health systems called for severe restrictions three days ago — here’s why
- How does someone self-quarantine — especially now, when others have been ordered to stay in?
- About that text … the one about the impending federal shutdown …
- Why Murphy hasn’t been tested — and why the state isn’t building COVID-19 hospitals
March 20 stories
- What do employers have to know about employee leave, income rights tied to coronavirus? (Op-Ed)
- Bed Bath responds to COVID-19: Limits hours, closes nonessential stores
- Is it safe to eat take-out food? Infectious disease expert says ‘Yes’
- Survey: N.J. residents feeling financial uncertainty amid COVID-19 outbreak
- Bracken: Let’s pause — and recognize how much N.J.’s political, business leaders have done (Op-Ed)
- Why passing Permit Extension Act now will pay off in the future
- Why businesses should expect more closures, stay-at-home orders — and to wait for federal grants
- COVID-19 legislative roundup: Looking at top bills impacting business
- Murphy: N.J. part of request for $100B from feds; 155 new coronavirus cases announced
- Bergen testing facility opens — and more sites are coming soon (SLIDESHOW)
- Holy Name CEO has coronavirus
- Murphy: All non-essential businesses are going to be shut down Saturday
The ROI-NJ survey (March 19)
March 19 stories
- For small businesses like sauce-maker Hoboken Farms, coronavirus is causing unexpected, unprecedented issues
- Life inside a grocery store: Restocking, staying clean, handling the rush — and changing its business model on the fly
- Small Business Administration offering disaster loans — here’s how to apply
- Bayer donating drug, Resochin, which has shown ‘some’ potential to fight COVID-19
- Coronavirus concerns in underserved communities grow
- Murphy thrilled N.J. has access to loans, but urges small businesses to hold out (if they can) for grants
- Thursday coronavirus notebook: Murphy closes ‘personal care’ businesses, hints 50-person gathering limit could be reduced
March 18 stories
- O’Scanlon: Coronavirus pandemic proves need for science, vaccines
- RWJBarnabas Health’s Ostrowsky: It’s time for N.J. to shelter in place (Editor’s Desk)
- Can I tell employees if a coworker has tested positive for coronavirus? No (Op-Ed)
- Necessity of remote work: What you need to know about cybersecurity
- Cross River offers borrowers assistance, gives employees $500 stipend
- University Hospital gets $2.25M donation for COVID-19 resources
- Bergen testing site to open Friday; hospital in Woodbury to reopen soon
March 17 stories
- Early shopping at Stop & Shop — for seniors only — is one of many feel-good coronavirus stories (Editor’s Desk)
- Here’s how National Guard will help in COVID-19 crisis
- N.J. unemployment filing moves to online only
- Murphy on building temporary facilities and potential state lockdown: Not yet, but we reserve right to revisit all of this
- Coronavirus outbreak forces board game maker to think outside the box
- Hudson Regional Hospital announces new COVID-19 testing facility in Secaucus
- Rutgers cancels in-person instruction for rest of semester; graduation to be determined at later date
- Hoboken mayor orders residents to self-isolate for a week, sick or not
- Murphy requests help from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to potentially build more structures to treat cases
- Perschilli: Risk of contracting COVID-19 still remains low despite rising numbers
- State confident significant aid packages are coming for employers
March 16 stories
- Questions businesses need to ask themselves (and their clients) right now (Op-Ed)
- Five considerations for pandemic event preparedness (Op-Ed)
- Murphy announces 8 p.m. restrictions on businesses and public gatherings — and discourages travel
- New York City to close nightclubs, theaters and limit bars, restaurants to takeout
- N.J. Chamber survey: All member businesses expect to feel negative impact of coronavirus
- Online course expert has lesson for professors affected by coronavirus measures
- NJBIA survey: No surprise, businesses hurt by coronavirus; many said they will need to cut costs, staff
- Murphy: ‘For those who don’t believe, I’m begging you … believe. This is real’
- FEMA to help open testing centers in Bergen, Monmouth counties
- Massive jump in confirmed cases of coronavirus in N.J.
March 15 stories
- Murphy says N.J. is considering statewide curfew
- Hoboken mayor establishes curfew, bans bars and restaurants from serving food
- Quest, awaiting expected FDA approval, estimates it can do 20K tests a day by end of month
- House passes Families First Coronavirus Response Act
- Cooper offers COVID-19 advice: Lessen anxiety by controlling what you can control (Op-Ed)
- Tedesco: Bergen County not ready to roll out drive-up testing just yet
- Teaneck on lockdown: Closes many businesses, gathering places immediately — in what is preview for Bergen County as a whole
- Murphy will order state shutdown of schools on Monday
- Newark gets first confirmed coronavirus case; officials make request for drive-by testing centers
- Murphy: ‘Small businesses are suffering mightily. We know it. We get it’
- More (severe) restrictions are coming Monday — and that’s a good thing (Editor’s Desk)
- All Motor Vehicles facilities in N.J. to close for (at least) two weeks
The Mike Maron interview (March 14)
March 14 stories
- Hospital video offers tips on social distancing
- Latest closing: American Dream shuts down through at least end of March
- Trump takes coronavirus test, ‘considering’ domestic travel ban
- Sweeney offers 13 ideas for economic relief for businesses
- N.J. close to first drive-up testing facility, Murphy and Persichilli say
- Teaneck mayor asks entire town of 41,000 to self-quarantine
March 13 stories
- EDA temporarily waiving rule employees ‘work at site’ 80% of time to earn incentive awards
- Gragnolati: Coronavirus testing delays have far-reaching health care consequences
- OSHA issues pertaining to COVID-19 (Op-Ed)
- What N.J.’s teams, venues have to say about coronavirus closures
- The multimillion-dollar question: What does canceling March Madness mean for sports betting in N.J.?
- Combating the surge: Gragnolati urges community to use telehealth options before racing to ERs
- Jersey City, Hoboken have first coronavirus cases
- Murphy: N.J. coronavirus cases jump to 50; shutdown of schools is matter of when, not if (UPDATED)
- Murphy to small business owners: We get it
- Murphy pledges to ‘dramatically expand testing’ for coronavirus
Recommending a ban (March 12)
March 12 stories
- Fulop urges taking attendance at private events in case coronavirus is linked to gathering
- Why going to teleteaching for K-12 students is much harder than most realize (Editor’s Desk)
- HMH gets approval for its COVID-19 test, immediately puts it into use
- Q&A: Hackensack Meridian Health on CDI’s coronavirus test
- Newark recommends banning ‘non-essential’ public gatherings for 30 days
- State assigns coronavirus risk ‘rating’ for counties, announces six new cases
March 11 stories
- Colleges rushing to close: Should others be following their lead? (Editor’s Desk)
- Murphy on COVID-19: ‘Folks have to take this seriously, but … folks should not panic’
- Rutgers athletics to ban spectators at home games, practices through at least April 3
- Health commissioner: We have ‘expectation’ that community spread has occurred
- NCAA banning almost all fans from March Madness due to coronavirus (Updated)
The first fatality (March 10)
March 10 stories
- CVS Pharmacy to waive home delivery charges for prescription medications during COVID-19 outbreak
- 10 tips for coronavirus communications (Op-Ed)
- Brute Strength Wipes: Cranford company discovers product for mechanics could help keep offices clean, too
- Murphy moves to waive all consumer cost sharing for medically necessary COVID-19 testing
- Bayer becomes 1st major N.J. company to close building, have employees work remotely
- Health commissioner: No signs of community spread, no reason to ban public gatherings … yet
The public health emergency (March 9)
March 9 stories
- Providing calm — and guidance — in center of coronavirus storm: Meadowlands chamber head tries to lead by example
- For businesses, a warning on price gouging — but no recommendations on other issues. For now
- Five more cases of COVID-19 in New Jersey
- Defining terms: What’s the difference between coronavirus and COVID-19?
March 8 stories
- N.J. insurers announce coverage related to coronavirus
- Coronavirus: Two more cases in N.J. — and discussion of a health emergency
March 6 stories
- The announcement: How HMH responded internally to news of coronavirus case
- HMH’s CDI feels it could be days away from getting approval on ‘superior’ test for coronavirus
March 5 stories
- Sick feeling: How coronavirus has family business owners rushing to consult with finance experts
- More questions, more screenings: International traveler retells her weekend experience at European airport
The first case announcement (March 4)
Before the March 4 announcement
- Solar industry bracing for impact of coronavirus
- Expecting the unexpected: Commercial agreements in the age of coronavirus, trade wars and Brexit
Get more information from New Jersey government on coronavirus
Coronavirus website: www.Covid19.nj.gov
Jobs portal: jobs.covid19.nj.gov
DOH website: www.nj.gov/health
Phone (in-state): 800-222-1222
Phone (out-of-state): 800-962-1253
E-mail: ncov@doh.nj.gov
