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Are hotels open? Can I still use AirBnB? What safety precautions must they take?

Last Updated: 02/14/2023

Note: The COVID-19 public health emergency has ended. There are no travel advisories that apply specifically to New Jersey at this time. The CDC recommends delaying travel until you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines. Travelers leaving New Jersey should check with the travel destination and transportation carrier to see if there are additional health and safety protocols or requirements. Travelers should also check with their employers, schools, and other entities that may have quarantine policies for individuals returning from travel. For more information, refer to the CDC's guidance for domestic travel.

Hotels, AirBnB, and other short-term rentals are allowed to open.

The State no longer requires face coverings or social distancing in most indoor public spaces.

Businesses are permitted to impose stricter mask policies and additional prevention strategies.

Hotel Sanitization Guidance

Hotels and motels must comply with the safety protocols outlined in Department of Health Executive Directive No. 20-024, which includes:

  • Maintaining continuous 24-hour, seven-day-a-week coverage of a Front Desk by at least one employee,
  • Training a Front Desk employee to respond to a guests' inquiry related to health and safety, including but not limited to, the location of hospitals in the vicinity of the hotel, emergency telephone numbers, and options for seeking treatment or testing for virus diseases during a public health crisis
  • Ensuring every guest room is cleaned and sanitized and provided with an adequate supply of clean towels, sheets, and pillowcases prior to occupancy by a new guest
  • Ensuring every occupied guest room is cleaned and sanitized every day, and that the room is provided with an adequate supply of clean towels, sheets, and pillowcases and that the towels, sheets, and pillowcases are changed no less frequently than once every day. Note: If guests are concerned about COVID-19 transmission with hotel staff entering their room during their stay, another way to satisfy this requirement is for hotel staff to provide guests with disinfectant, cleaning materials, and linens/towels to perform cleaning and sanitization of surfaces as well as linen changes themselves. For more details, refer to NJ DOH's Updated Hotel Sanitization Guidance.
  • Ensuring all public spaces are cleaned and sanitized at least once every day
  • Ensuring all frequently touched surfaces by guests are cleaned and sanitized regularly throughout each day
  • Providing employees with sanitization products

For a full list of safety requirements, businesses should refer to Executive Directive No. 20-024.

Note: This summary is not a replacement for fully complying with the terms of DOH Executive Directive No. 20-024, and businesses should read the full guidance carefully to ensure full compliance.

Health & Safety Recommendations

General public health and safety recommendations to help businesses protect employees and customers include:

  • Businesses are encouraged to follow CDC safety guidelines and social distancing to save lives and prevent the spread of COVID-19
  • Masks are not required for most indoor workplaces, however businesses should encourage unvaccinated employees, customers, and guests to wear masks.
  • If masks or gloves are required by employers, businesses are encouraged to provide them to employees
  • Businesses are encouraged to provide approved sanitization materials for employees and visitors at no cost to those individuals
  • Employees should practice hand hygiene and employers should provide employees with sufficient break time for that purpose
  • Routine cleaning and disinfection of all high-touch areas is encouraged in accordance with DOH and CDC guidelines
  • Prior to each shift, employers are encouraged to conduct daily health checks, such as temperature screenings, visual symptom checking, self-assessment checklists, and/or health questionnaires, consistent with CDC guidance
  • Employers are encouraged to keep sick employees from entering the workplace and follow requirements of applicable leave laws
  • Encourage sick employees to stay home
  • Employers should promptly notify employees of any known exposure to COVID-19 at the worksite

For more safety tips, refer to the CDC's COVID-19 Guidance for Businesses and Employers.

Sources: Executive Order No. 242