In an unprecedented regional decision, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut have ordered all movie theaters, casinos and gyms in their states to close indefinitely, beginning 8 p.m. Monday, March 16, and are placing restrictions on restaurants and bars to fight the spread of the coronavirus.

People can dine in at restaurants and bars until 8 p.m. Monday, the states’ three governors announced. But after that, all establishments will be limited to takeout and delivery, even during the day, for the foreseeable future.

The establishments will be provided a waiver for carry-out alcohol, officials said.

The order will remain “until further notice."

The governors are also banning all public gatherings of 50 people or more in all three states.

Meanwhile, Gov. Phil Murphy said New Jersey is “strongly discouraging” residents from making “non-essential” travel between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. for the foreseeable future. But he stopped short of saying it’s a mandated curfew.

Murphy, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont made the announcement just after 10 a.m. during a joint conference call. They said the move was needed because of the federal government has not established nationwide standards.

“We have agreed to a common set of rules that will pertain in all of our states, so don’t even think about going to a neighboring state because there’s going to be a different set of conditions,” Cuomo said. “So if you can’t do a party in New York City, you can’t do a party in New Jersey, you can’t do a party in Connecticut."

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced later Monday that restaurants and bars in five heavily populated counties — Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery — will no longer offer dine-in services.

The moves are the latest — and largest example — of how much life is changing in New Jersey and beyond as officials try to keep people away from each other to stem the virus that has killed thousands across the world.

“We’re gonna get through this as one family," Murphy said during the conference call. “We want everybody to remain at home — not out.”

Murphy said essential services, such as supermarkets, grocery stores, pharmacies, medical offices, and gas stations, are allowed a stay open at their normal hours.

Later in the day, Murphy announced he signed an executive order to initiate the restrictions.

In addition to movies, casinos, and gyms, Murphy said non-essential businesses like concert venues, performing arts centers, nightclubs, racetracks, and fitness centers and classes will be required to close indefinitely, starting at 8 p.m. Monday.

Murphy said other non-essential retail and entertainment businesses in the state must close every day between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. every day. They may remain open during daytime hours each day, as long as they keep their occupancy to 50 people and adhere to “social distancing” guidelines.

That includes the state’s fabled malls, which he said will have to “adhere to the 50-people max in a given unit."

”For the time being, that’s an area we are going to continue to watch," the governor said.

Murphy said non-essential retail would include barbershops but didn’t provide other examples.

Officials said any businesses that violate the order will be prosecuted for a disorderly persons offense, and it will handled by local authorities.

“We will take aggressive action,” Murphy said during an interview Monday night on CNN.

Murphy said a separate interview on MSNBC that he wasn’t sure how long the restrictions will last, though it could be many weeks, or even many months.

In another announcement Monday, Murphy ordered the closing of all public and private schools, including pre-K and colleges, in New Jersey starting Wednesday.

“Life as we know it has changed,” state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said during a news conference in Trenton on Monday afternoon.

Murphy said the state does not “take any of these steps lightly.”

“We know each comes with its own set of impacts on residents, on families, on communities, and on local businesses," the governor said. "But at this moment, our paramount concern must be to flatten the curve of new cases to not overload our health care system.”

“There is no reason anyone should run the risk of infecting their friends, loved ones, or community," he added.

Murphy acknowledged the closings will affect St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday but argued it’s a necessary sacrifice.

“There will be another St. Patricks Day next year,” he said. “Sitting this one out could be the difference for you or someone you love making it to then.”

“This is not a time for selfishness,” the governor added. “This is a time to think of those around you.”

Monday’s announcement also means all nine of Atlantic City’s casinos will close.

Murphy had been asked in recent days why the city’s casinos were allowed to remain open even after he recommended last week that all public gatherings of 250 people or more in the state be canceled. The governor explained that casinos floors are “so expansive," it’s easier for people to distance themselves from each other.

Casinos in other places — including Las Vegas and Pennsylvania — have announced temporary closings in recent days because of the virus.

Murphy said online gambling will continue in New Jersey.

“The bad news is there’s not much to wager on,” he said in reference to how most major sports leagues have suspended play because of the virus.

Monday’s announcement comes a day after governors from four other states — California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Ohio — announced they were ordering the closure of restaurants and/or bars.

Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the federal government’s top infectious disease expert, said Sunday he would “like to see a dramatic diminution of the personal interaction that we see in restaurants and in bars.”

New Jersey has seen at least 178 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Monday afternoon, including two deaths. Numbers have grown by the day, and officials expect many more cases across the state in the coming weeks.

.@GovMurphy just invoked "Jaws" in his press conference about #coronavirus. "We're gonna need a bigger boat," he says of ramping up NJs steps to combat the virus.https://t.co/FNEJSGwamN — NJ.com (@njdotcom) March 16, 2020

“We have seen the enemy,” Murphy said. “We don’t want to be dragged by the enemy. We want to do everything we can to get out ahead of it."

And Murphy had a message for skeptics.

“I’m begging you: Trust us,” he said. “Believe. This is real. And if it turns out it isn’t, it’s on me.”

The virus, which causes the illness COVID-19, has infect more than 179,000 people and killed more than 7,000 people across the globe, according to a running tally by the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

New York has the most cases of any U.S. state, at 950, including nine deaths. Connecticut has 26 cases and no deaths.

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Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.

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