PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware all announced new restrictions this past week as COVID-19 numbers keep spiking all throughout the Delaware Valley.
Restaurants either have reduced indoor dining capacity or no indoor dining at all depending on where you live. Less people can be at outdoor gatherings too.
But it's those indoor get-togethers, particularly inside private homes, that officials really want to target.
In Philadelphia you're not supposed to have anybody inside your house that doesn't already live there. In Delaware and New Jersey it's ten people tops.
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But how is something like this enforced?
Mayor Jim Kenney, Governor Phil Murphy and Governor John Carney were all asked this question recently.
"There's no question behind private doors, it's harder," said Murphy. "It is harder, which is why we're pleading with folks."
Especially with Thanksgiving coming up, Murphy says they will still try to enforce this as best they can but he knows he can't see through the walls of your home.
"We're not going to be knocking on people's doors to see how many (people) are at dinner for Thanksgiving," added Carney, who said his state has been relying on "voluntary compliance" when its comes to restrictions like this.
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Philadelphia's health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Farley, seems optimistic people will obey by these new rules. He says they did in the spring.
Mayor Jim Kenney hopes he's right.
"If people won't cooperate, refuse to follow what we're asking them to do and the case count keeps going up we'll be in the same spot next year," Kenney said.
New Jersey indoor home gathering restrictions started on Tuesday, the day after they were announced. Philadelphia's started Friday and Delaware's begin on Monday.
All are in effect during Thanksgiving.