COVID-19 Archives VI

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COVID-19 Update from the Mayor - 2/23/2021

Dear Neighbors

I know there has been some concern about my reporting on the Covid-19 new cases in Highland Park. However, I believe it is important for you all to know where we are and where we are going in terms of the community spread. Last week, 2/14 till 2/20 Highland Park had 25 reported new cases of Covid-19. Sadly, to date our town lost 15 residents to this pandemic. That being said, today, I am cautiously optimistic that thus far, the month of February seems to be heading in the right direction, meaning a lower level of transferred cases vs December and January. While December saw a total of 161 new cases in Highland Park, and January had 187 new cases, February 1-20 had 76 reported cases. That is considerably lower than December and January, but still trending higher than each month of 2020 March through November.

So, that tells me we are doing better, but still have a long way to go. I am urging our businesses NOT to ignore the Governor’s 35% indoor capacity executive order. I am urging residents and visitors to Highland Park to wear a mask when in public; in fact the CDC now encourages double masking. Please remember to stay 6’ apart and wash your hands often. And, if you haven’t yet gotten your vaccine, please set up an appointment. You may visit the Middlesex County site for vaccination locations at https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/testing.

VACCINATION SCHEDULING “THANK YOU!”

I want to recognize the efforts of the staff at the Highland Park Community Center who took on the Herculean task of assisting our seniors in procuring Covid-19 vaccines over the past few weeks. The staff - Kim, Andrea, Nicole, Kimberly, and Janet - fielded over 120 phone calls in two weeks and gave our seniors informed advice on state hotlines, resources, and websites. We're hearing now that our seniors are getting call backs from the state and beginning to schedule appointments.

There is one community member who helped our staff make this all possible. Abby Stern Cardinale recognized the overwhelming need of many of our residents for help in procuring these vaccination appointments. She provided an unbelievable level of support, street-smarts, and just plain hustle. She has single-handedly learned how to master a mystifying system. Our most enthusiastic thanks go to Abby, who, while caring for her and Daniel's two young daughters, and fielding her full time job, also managed to schedule vaccination appointments for many of our seniors and also others throughout the Borough who sought her out. Abby, you are a wonder worker! And, a big Thank You to Rebecca Hersh and Jenni Chapman for their assistance, too!

COVID-19 Update from the Mayor - 2/03/2021

We have just come off of our worst month of new Covid-19 reported cases ever. January 2021 cases in Highland Park totaled 187. To grasp the impact of this number it is helpful to note that the worst month of new cases in the beginning of this pandemic was 100, as reported in April of 2020. December 2020 (last month) had 169 new cases reported in Highland Park.

This trend must not go on.

I am strongly urging all of our residents to PLEASE continue to follow these simple steps: 1. Wash your hands often, 2. Wear a face covering whenever you leave your home because in our high density community the chances of running into others when walking in town, downtown, or from your car to a store you are very likely to come in contact with another person, 3. Stay socially distanced (at least 6’ apart) when in public, and 4. Avoid congregating with others beyond your immediate family when indoors (of course, if you attend religious services stay at least 6’ apart from others). I am requiring our shops, restaurants and food establishments to follow the Governor’s Executive Order guidelines for maximum indoor capacity. These are simple steps to keep yourself, your family, and your neighbors safe and healthy.

And, please register to get your Covid-19 vaccine.

Seniors can get help registering for the vaccine by contacting our Community Center staff at 732-819-0052. Please understand that requests for appointments continue to outpace actual vaccines or available appointments. Our staff can help get you registered for a vaccine, but will not be able to check on your status after you have registered. If you have further questions, please Call (Vaccine Appointment Support): 1-855-568-0545 (8a-8p)

Here is some additional helpful information from the County Office of Aging and Disabled Services:

NJ Covid Platform - https://covid19.nj.gov/

Pre-Register for the Vaccine: https://covidvaccine.nj.gov/

We can get these numbers of new cases down in Highland Park if we all work together. Stay home when you can. Stay 6’ apart. Wash your hands often. And, wear a mask when leaving your home.

COVID-19 Update from the Mayor - 1/14/2021

Dear Neighbors

Like most other communities throughout New Jersey, Highland Park is in the throes of a second, more significant spike in confirmed Covid-19 cases. With 73 new cases in town from 1/1 through 1/12 we have been averaging 6 new cases per day for 2021, double the April 2020 peak of 3 new cases per day. This is the result of recent holiday gatherings and some Covid-19 fatigue.

Don’t let your guard down against this virus. Don’t enter any of our downtown stores without a mask on. Help slow this Highland Park surge down.

• Wear a mask when you leave your home

• Stay at least 6’ apart from others

• Wash your hands frequently

• Register to get your Covid-19 vaccine

As for the vaccine, I know that the registration process and lack of definitive information from the State or County is frustrating. This is an immense project. Please be patient BUT DO REGISTER for the vaccine at https://covidvaccine.nj.gov/

Mass vaccinations are critical to controlling this pandemic. I know there are all kinds of crazy rumors out there about the vaccines. If you have any concerns, please read this important information at https://www.jhsph.edu/.../covid19-vaccines-verifying...

Stay safe.

COVID-19 Update from the Mayor - 1/04/2021

Dear Neighbors-

I know it is the start of a new year. And, we all have great hopes for 2021. But, we’ve first got to get through the leftovers from 2020. And, that includes recent spikes in new cases here in Highland Park.

December 2020 was the worst Coronavirus month for us since the beginning of this pandemic with a total of 161 confirmed cases since March. That brought our yearend total to 521 cases. And as the ages of residents confirmed positive got younger (December’s median age was 38), it brought our average age of positive cases down to 42.

Sadly, last week we saw another death due to the virus, bringing total deaths here to 12 since March.

So, once again, I must ask that you stay vigilant against this virus. Please avoid indoor gatherings with folks outside your immediate family. Wear a mask whenever you leave your home to go out in public. Continue washing your hands. And, of course, maintain 6’ of distance from others. Follow these simple guidelines for yourself, your family members, and for your Highland Park neighbors.

Highland Parkers are resilient and creative. We’ve always been able to accomplish so much when we band together, as one community. Come together again now to fight this pandemic and help save more hardship for your neighbors.

For our public school families, the schools are holding Covid-19 tests on Tuesdays at from 2 PM - 5PM at the Bartle School gym. Any pre-K through grade 12 student, parents, guardians, faculty and school leadership from the public schools may participate in this testing. For more information visit bit.ly/hpsdCOVID-19Test to register.

I will be working with our Middlesex County officials to gather information about planned Covid-19 vaccination sites. As soon as these are confirmed we'll get information out.

Thank you and stay safe!

COVID-19 Update from the Mayor - 12/30/2020

Dear Neighbors-

As we head into the end of this tumultuous year, I'd like to thank everyone who helped control the spread of Coronavirus in Highland Park. So many of you did what you could by wearing masks in public, sacrificing indoor gatherings and continuing to keep at least 6' of distance from each other. We did this together....despite our distances from one another.

The month of December and this crazy year are soon over. But, December is not going out quietly. Sadly, December to-date has given us the highest monthly confirmed positive tests in Highland Park. Since 12/1 through 12/29, we have seen 147 new cases here in town. Year-to-date (through 12/29) we have had 507 confirmed positive cases since we started receiving these numbers in March. The thought of how much worse this could have been if it weren't for those of you masking up, staying socially distanced in small groups, and sacrificing for your neighbors, family and friends is daunting.

There is good news on the horizon as we each await our turn to be vaccinated against Covid-19. For information on New Jersey's plans please visit https://covid19.nj.gov

Here's to a new year of health, peace and togetherness for us all!

Stay safe and healthy.

COVID-19 Update from the Mayor - 12/21/2020

Dear Neighbors-

We are now in the midst of a second wave of Coronavirus in Highland Park that appears to be more severe than the peak of the pandemic back in April.

This past week (12/13 - 12/20) the County reported a total of 42 new cases in Highland Park. Month to date in December, we are already at 107 new cases, more than the peak month of April already.
The good news is that Governor Murphy is getting us the vaccines that were promised to New Jersey. The goal is to have 70% of our population inoculated in 2021.

"At the end of the day, I think and I hope by the third or fourth quarter of 2021 (July through December), we will be enjoying a more normal life," Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said.
We have a ways to go before the third or fourth quarter of 2021. So, please, do not let your guard down. Protect yourself, your family members and your neighbors. We will all have to sacrifice some togetherness this holiday season.

Stay home as much as possible. Wear a mask when you leave your home. Stay at least 6’ away from others. Continue to wash your hands frequently. We will get through this faster and safer if you follow these easy procedures AND get your vaccine when it is available to you.

COVID-19 Update from the Mayor - 12/7/2020

Dear Neighbors-

I am looking forward to the day when I will be able to tell you that last week’s positive Covid-19 test results were zero. Unfortunately, we are not there yet. Last week’s (11/30 – 12/6) 31 confirmed cases were the highest weekly number Highland Park had ever. That does not bode well for the rest of the month as we are set to surpass April’s monthly high of 100 new cases.

The good news is that the Covid-19 vaccine is on its way to New Jersey and our frontline workers should begin receiving the vaccine this month. The rest of us will most likely have the ability to get the vaccine sometime in the first half of 2021. For more information on Governor Murphy’s Executive Order #207 creating an opt-out system and availability of the vaccine and the NJ Vaccine Registry.

Please, when the vaccine is available, don’t opt out. The more of us who get vaccinated, the faster we can create the herd immunity necessary to defeat this virus.

As the holidays of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas approach please enjoy them in smart, safe ways. The Centers for Disease Control and prevention offers some guidelines that will keep you, your family, and your neighbors safer during the coming holidays. Please follow these suggestions.

Stay safe. Stay masked. Stay 6’ apart.

COVID-19 Update from the Mayor - 11/30/2020

Dear Neighbors-

Last week, the County reported 17 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Highland Park through Sunday, 11/29/2020. This brings the total Highland Park cases to 359 since the pandemic began, or approximately 2.6% of our overall population. Of this week’s 17 total confirmed cases, 7 individuals, or 42%, were residents aged in their 20s. 11 confirmed cases were females; 6 were males.

Unfortunately, the trend in cases per month continues to climb. October saw 70 new, confirmed cases; November had 78 new, confirmed cases. Our confirmed cases peaked last April at 100.

Let’s all try our best to avoid a return to the high number of cases of last spring. There are things we can do to protect one another. If you visited with relatives or friends for Thanksgiving, please quarantine for 14 days before joining others in a public setting. Wait 5-7 days from your last Thanksgiving encounters and take a Covid-19 test. And, of course, always wear a face-covering in public; keep at least 6’ of social distance from others; continue to wash your hands often.

Thank you for looking out for one another. We can get through this pandemic as one, caring community.

COVID-19 Update from the Mayor - 11/23/2020

Dear Neighbors

We continue to see more confirmed cases of Coronavirus in Highland Park. Last week (11/16 – 11/22) there were 25 reported cases in Highland Park with ages ranging from 2 years old to 80 years old. Sadly, on 11/20, our community suffered another death due to this pandemic. To date, 342 residents have been confirmed as having this virus. Ten of our neighbors have perished from this pandemic. May there memories be a blessing to us all.

To help stem the spread of Covid-19 Governor Murphy has reduced the allowable number of indoor and outdoor gatherings. He signed Executive Order No. 196, which lowers indoor and outdoor gathering limits. Effective Tuesday, November 17 at 6:00 a.m., the indoor gathering limit decreased from 25 to 10 people, including holiday dinners. The outdoor gathering limit decreased from 500 people to 150 people, or 25% of capacity (whichever is lower) effective Monday, November 23 at 6:00 a.m.

Under this executive order wedding, funerals, memorial services and religious and political activities remain unchanged and will be limited to 25% of the capacity of the room in which the gathering takes place, up to a maximum of 150 individuals.

As Thanksgiving approaches and we all yearn to be with our families, I urge you to use extreme caution. If at all possible, you can join hundreds of families (like mine) on their Zoom Family Thanksgivings. If that is impossible, please keep your family gatherings to the required 10 people or less, social distance at all times. If your meals will be taken indoors, please “Air it Out” by keeping windows open. And, of course, wear masks when not eating. For more information on a safe Thanksgiving gathering, here is a link to the State of New Jersey’s holiday guidelines: Stay safe. Stay 6’ apart. Stay masked. Keep washing your hands frequently. And, have a safe Thanksgiving filled with gratitude for what we do have.

COVID-19 Update from the Mayor - 11/18/2020

Dear Neighbors-

I am deeply concerned that new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in town continue to increase at a growing rate. With 34 reported new cases for the first two weeks of November, we are on target to surpass our highest numbers in April of this year. The 34 cases so far this month already put us past the individual monthly totals in May, June, July, August, or September.

Contrary to what you may have heard, this virus is not affecting only our older residents. This month’s confirmed cases range from 8 years old to 91 years old, taking our average age of confirmed cases year-to-date down to 44.

I STRONGLY urge you to wear a mask in public. This is not a major sacrifice. As the CDC and many respected physicians & scientists have stated, this one step can help reduce the spread of Covid-19. Think of your family, friends and neighbors when you are out and around town.

As of this week, I am asking our Borough Administrator, Teri Jover, to ensure that all Borough employees are in masks at work in their buildings AND on our streets. We should all be wearing masks. It is a small sacrifice for the health and wellbeing of all our residents and staff.

Thanksgiving, my personal favorite holiday of the year, is rapidly approaching. Let’s make sure that we find creative, Covid-19 safe ways to celebrate. To help us do that, Michelle F. Brill, M.P.H., Family & Community Health Sciences Educator/Associate Professor and NJ SNAP-Ed Program Manager, Mercer County, shared “Guidance for planning safe holiday gatherings amid COVID-19 pandemic” from Food Safety News. Here is a link to that article: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/.../guidance-for-planning.../ . Keep in mind, as this article suggests, that the safest way to participate in the Thanksgiving holiday is to share the warmth of your family and friends on platforms like Zoom. If that is impossible for you, this article has some easy to follow “in-person” guidelines. As Dr. Fauci said today, each family must do “a risk/benefit assessment” to determine whether or not to hold gatherings beyond immediate household family members.

Stay safe and healthy!

COVID-19 Update from the Mayor - 11/03/2020

The month of October was not a good one for Highland Park Covid-19 cases. There were 70 reported cases in October, the second highest month of confirmed cases since the pandemic’s peak last April. This is consistent with the spike in cases throughout the State of NJ in recent weeks. While reports during the week of 10/26 – 11/1 only included 8 new cases in Highland Park (ages 14-52) there is ongoing concern. The Governor reported that most new cases can be traced to small indoor gatherings, including family gatherings. With the approaching beloved Thanksgiving holiday coming this month, I urge you to reconsider indoor family and friend gatherings. This is especially hard for those of us who don’t get to see their children and grandchildren (in person) much these days. Let’s find creative ways to celebrate Thanksgiving in a Covid-19 safe manner. Start planning now. We can do this Highland Park!

Stay safe. Wear a mask when out in public. Keep at least 6’ of social distance at all times. And, continue to wash your hands frequently.

COVID-19 Update from the Mayor - 10/26/2020

Dear Neighbor

This last week, from 10/19 through 10/25 Highland Park had 13 confirmed cases of Covid-19. The total numbers of new cases for the prior week (10/12 to 10/18) were 14. This is considerably better than the beginning of October which saw reports of new cases at levels of 20 (week of 10/5) and 23 (week of 10/12) per week, comparable to the Highland Park’s peak weeks of 4/11 through 5/9.

This week’s new cases were aged 13 to age 92. According to Middlesex County, Highland Park’s year-to-date cases total 274.

So, while we are doing better, we are still in the midst of this pandemic and we MUST remain vigilant. Keep wearing your masks whenever in public. Keep washing your hands often. And, please, maintain a safe distance of at least 6’ from others.

Thank you!

Gayle Brill Mittler, Mayor
Borough of Highland Park

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