April 27, 2020

Coronavirus Update #30

Dear Resident,

I am pleased to announce that the Marlboro Says Thank You Video has been posted on Facebook. Thank you to our residents who, not surprisingly, came up with creative ways to thank our first responders, medical professionals and all the essential workers to go to work every day.   Many thanks to Councilwoman Randi Marder for suggesting the idea and to our Channel 77 videographer, Curt Ciumei, for editing and producing the video.   The link to the video is https://youtu.be/NXkGYbbZx20 and posted on our Facebook page. 

Testing and Stats

Total State Positives: 2,146 new positives for new state total 111,188 cases
Total State Deaths: 106 additional deaths.  Total state deaths 6,044
Monmouth County Positive Cases: 5,798
Marlboro Positive Cases: 372

The good news is that hospital discharges exceeded new hospitalizations.  The curve remains flat, but needs to curve downward and to stay that way. 

The Covid-19 Testing section on www.covid19.nj.gov has been updated to include additional testing locations as well as hours, day and requirements.   There are nearly 100 publicly run sites across the state including those that are utilizing the Rutgers saliva test. 

County/Local

County and State Parks Remain closed.  The Henry Hudson Trail, a county park, was allowed to remain open as it is often used by essential workers to bike or walk to work.   On nice days, the trail has been overcrowded making social distancing impossible so yesterday, Governor Murphy ordered it closed.  Municipal parks remain up to the local government.  Marlboro Township parks are open for “passive recreation”, but playgrounds and courts are closed and have been roped off to restrict access. Team sports and field games which encourage close contact are prohibited.

State and Federal

The Federal Paycheck Protection Program for Small businesses is back today with additional funds directed towards smaller community based banks and credit unions.  If you have an application in place please contact your bank.  For more visit:  https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/cares/assistance-for-small-businesses

The Road Back: Restoring Economic Health Though Public Health.  Today Governor Murphy announced six key principles and benchmarks to restart New Jersey. The following metrics will guide the process for lifting restrictions.

Principle 1: Demonstrate Sustained Reductions in New COVID-19 Cases and Hospitalizations

  • 14-day trend lines showing appreciable and sustained drop in new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and other metrics reflecting decreasing burden of disease;
  • Hospitals stepping down from functioning under crisis standards of care.

Principle 2: Expand Testing Capacity

  • At least double current diagnostic testing capacity;
  • Prioritize testing for health care workers, essential personnel, and vulnerable populations;
  • Create a flexible testing plan accessible to all residents;
  • Expand partnerships with institutions of higher education, private-sector labs, and the federal government;
  • Ensure that those who test positive are linked to a health care provider.  

Principle 3: Implement Robust Contact Tracing

  • Recruit and deploy an army of personnel who will identify and follow-up with contacts;
  • Leverage technological data and innovative solutions to increase efficiency;
  • Coordinate the approach of local and state health officials, which will have a coordinated county/regional component.

Principle 4: Secure Safe Places and Resources for Isolation and Quarantine

  • To the greatest extent possible, provide individuals who do test positive in the future with a safe and free place to isolate and protect others from COVID-19;
  • Ensure that quarantined contacts are provided supportive services, if needed.

Principle 5: Execute a Responsible Economic Restart

  • Create the Governor’s Restart and Recovery Commission to advise on the process and recommend responsible and equitable decisions;
  • Plan for a methodical and strategic return to work based on level of disease transmission risk and essential classification;
  • Continuation of social distancing measures, requirements for face coverings, and work-from-home directions where feasible and appropriate;
  • Leverage any available federal funds and programs to support health care, individual, and small business recoveries.

Principle 6: Ensure New Jersey’s Resiliency

  • Learn from the lessons of COVID-19 and prepare for the possibility of a resurgence;
  • Ensure hospitals, health care systems, and other health delivery facilities have inventories of personal protective equipment and ventilators;
  • Build our own state personal protective equipment and ventilator stockpile;
  • Create a playbook for future administrations for the next pandemic.

For a one-page summary of Governor Murphy’s plan to restore New Jersey’s economic through public health, click HERE.

Prior updates remain posted on the Alerts and Actions Scroll and includes information from local, county, state and federal governments including information for unemployment benefits and business assistance.  We remind residents to visit the state Covid-19 hub at www.covid19.nj.gov .

Mayor Jon Hornik

Details