“We want to get New Jersey on the right track to a new normal and to do that we need to ensure that all New Jerseyans who want to receive the COVID-19 [vaccination] have access to it,” reads a statement from the sponsor of the legislation, Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, D-37th District.

"There is no doubt business people want to bring human interaction back to the workplace, so you can say that Gov. Murphy's lifting of restrictions has come at the right time,” said Tom Bracken, the organization's president and chief executive officer.

A new Monmouth University Poll shows 73% of New Jerseyans support the governor's recent policies regarding a return for outdoor businesses and gatherings, and 60% for indoor businesses.

“One of the most important steps we all can take to keep ourselves and each other safe is to get vaccinated. It is the responsible thing to do,” Stockton President Harvey Kesselman said. Thirteen of the state’s 28 colleges and universities are now requiring the inoculation.

Companies are turning their attention toward a duo of Biden-era COVID-relief programs: one for restaurants and another for theaters and other live performance venues.

The "Snax for Vax" healthy and nutritious giveaways are part of a White House partnership with retailers to incentivize Americans to get vaccinated; employees of the Secaucus-based company are also receiving paid time off for vaccinations.

“Now that supply and eligibility have expanded, it’s even more important for us to reach underserved and vulnerable populations to ensure equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine,” reads a statement from Dr. Cheryl Pegus, executive vice president of Health and Wellness at Walmart.

The VAXRIDE promotion offers residents up to two free round trips to their appointments as the state aims to fully vaccinate 4.7 million adults by June 30.

“Some of it’s in the fed's hands and some of it is in our hands," the governor said. "The 6-foot distance is still very much out there, we do have capacity restrictions on the inside, at a catered event, at large-seated venues.”

Under a program done in coordination with the Brewers Guild of New Jersey, adults over 21 years of age can take their COVID-19 vaccination proof to any of the state's participating breweries for a free pint.

Masks will still be required, but restaurants, museums, movie theaters, retail outlets and other businesses will be allowed to operate at full capacity, as long as they can maintain 6-foot social distancing. For many enterprises with smaller square-footage, full capacity could be unlikely.

Under the governor’s latest round of reopening measures, the limit on outdoor gatherings increased to 500 participants. Festivals and state and county fairs can expand to 50% capacity, which is the same as amusement parks. Large outdoor venues with at least 1,000 spots are limited to 50% capacity, a jump from 30% capacity for venues with at least 2,500 seats. Indoor dining, retailers, casinos and other forms of entertainment must stay at 50%, but Murphy has suggested that he could “accelerate” the state’s reopening if the pandemic continues to ebb.