Testing Site Will Open Daily at 8:00 a.m. Starting on March 23

Open to New Jersey Residents Experiencing Symptoms of Respiratory Illness

TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy today announced the opening of a COVID-19 Community-Based Testing Site at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. The testing site, established in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will be staffed by the New Jersey Department of Health, the New Jersey State Police, and the New Jersey National Guard.

Starting on Monday, March 23^rd, the drive-thru testing center will be open seven days per week, beginning at 8:00 a.m. until supplies last. Gates will not open until 8:00 a.m. and individuals will not be permitted to line up along the Garden State Parkway. The PNC Bank Arts Center Commuter Lots will be closed. In order to be eligible for testing, individuals must be current New Jersey residents and experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness. Priority will be given to symptomatic individuals experiencing cough, fever (99.6F or above) and shortness of breath.

Community-Based Testing Sites are for individuals who are experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness. Individuals who are not symptomatic will not be tested, as it diverts critical resources such as testing kits and laboratory materials from those who are ill. Each site will be provided with an allocation of 2,500 specimen collection kits and Personal Protective Equipment for all staff. The specimen collections will be transmitted to the contracted laboratory twice per day and results will be reported within 2-5 business days. Testing is free and will be covered by the federal government or personal insurance company. Individuals are encouraged to bring insurance cards if they have one.

Community-Based Testing Site Location
PNC Bank Arts Center
116 Garden State Pkwy, Holmdel, NJ 07733

Post Date: 3/22/2020

Dear Neighbors:

Yesterday, I was notified by the Middlesex County Department of Health of 6 residents testing positive for the COVID-19 Coronavirus. Names, addresses and personal identifying information of patients cannot be released or shared with the community.

The Middlesex County Office of Health Services is the lead agency for investigation of cases involving a positive COVID-19 person, including all close contacts. If it is determined that a resident is in close contact with someone infected with COVID-19, the County Office of Health Services will reach out. Close contact is considered being within a 6-foot radius of the person for a minimum duration of 10 minutes. People who are outside of this are not considered a close contact. It is important for everyone to monitor their health and consult a primary care physician if exhibiting symptoms.

If anyone has questions about COVID-19, you can call the 24-hour public hotline at 800-222-1222. You can also visit the Middlesex County Office of Health’s COVID-19 Web Page at the following link: www.middlesexcountynj.gov/COVID-19.

Updates will be provided as they become available.

Mayor Gayle Brill-Mittler

Here is a statement by Highland Park Mayor Gayle Brill Mittler on the COVID 19 crisis:

 

For all locations listed below, you must make an appointment and be evaluated to determine if you meet eligibility for testing. Please call before going to any of these locations, as they may be by appointment only.

The locations that were publicized in the media as offering drive thru testing include:
• Holy Name Medical Center: 201-833-3000, Must have primary doctor approve patient for testing and then doctor must call HNMC Emergency Dept. for appointment for patient.
• Hudson Regional Hospital: 201-388-1097 NOTE: will begin 3/19
• Riverside Medical group (for current patients of Riverside Medical only) 201-865-2050
• Immediate Care of Marlboro: 1-855-925-5467, Must make appointment
• InFocus Urgent Care: 609-799-7009, Must make appointment
    64 Princeton Hightstown Rd, Princeton Junction
    100 Campus Town Circle, Suite 100, Ewing   

Advisory Message from the Highland Park Police Department

Issued by Chief Rick Abrams

Due to the evolving situation involving the COVID-19 virus and the risk of exposure to the public, as well as our staff and officers, the following protective measures are in place temporarily.

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

The Highland Park Police Department is encouraging all residents, visitors, and businesses to use telephonic reporting for any non-emergency requests for assistance or service. These include, but are not limited to: lost property, bicycle thefts, identity theft, parking or noise complaints, fraud, etc.

• You can reach our dispatch center at 732-572-3800 x 0

• You can email requests for non-emergency police services to: reporting@hpboro.com

• If an officer is not immediately available to speak with you by phone, the dispatcher will advise you that an officer will be calling you back shortly.

• 911 should be used to report any life-threatening emergency or crimes in progress.

• All fingerprinting is suspended for 30 days

• We will be limiting access to our Headquarters building for the next 30 days. The interior doors to our vestibule will be secured. Please use the intercom on the right side, located beneath the Borough Seal, to speak with the dispatcher.

• The Highland Park Police Department is also altering the method in which we handle Police Records, Discovery, and OPRA Requests.

• Police Records can be requested by calling the HPPD Records Bureau at: 732-572-3800 x 4211 or email to records@hpboro.com

When Calling or sending an email, please provide the following information:

- Name

- Phone Number

- Case Number

- Current Email Address

All required paperwork will be emailed to you and can be filled out and returned electronically.

Reports and requests can then be sent electronically or via mail, whichever the requestor prefers.

If you feel you need to speak to the Records Bureau in person, please call the above phone number to make an appointment.

Chief Abrams wants to assure the community that these are temporary measures of prevention. There are currently no known risks within the Borough.

The 911 system is still being monitored and the Highland Park Police is still answering emergency calls with the same level of professionalism you are accustomed to. The measures outlined above are being taken as an extra precaution for public safety, as well as the safety of our staff and officers.

The Officers of the Highland Park Police Department thank you for your understanding and your support.

On Monday March 16th Governor Phil Murphy issued Executive Order 104 instituting various closings and limiting social interaction in an attempt to combat COVID-19.

The Order:

• Limits all gatherings to 50 or fewer people. Excluded from this is normal operations at airports, bus and train stations, medical facilities, office environments, factories, industrial or manufacture work, construction sites, mass transit or the grocery store.

• Closes all public, private, and parochial preschool programs, elementary and secondary schools, including charter and renaissance schools beginning March 18, 2020 until the Order is rescinded.

• Ceases in-person instruction at all institutes of higher education beginning March 18, 2020. The order does provide for the ability of the Secretary of Office of Higher Education to grant waivers.

• Authorizes the Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Health Commissioner, to permit schools to remain open on a limited basis for the provisions of food or other essential, non-educational services, or for education or child care services if needed in emergency situations.

• Authorizes the Commissioner of Education, after consulting with the Health Commissioner, to close any other career or training facilities over which the Department of Education oversees.

• Authorizes local school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools, in consultation with Commissioner of Education, at their discretion, to determine home instruction arrangements on a case-by-case basis to ensure all students are provided with appropriate home instruction.

• Requires the Secretary of Agriculture, in conjunction with the Department of Education, take all necessary actions to ensure that all students eligible for free or reduced meals shall continue to receive the services or supports necessary to meet nutritional needs during the closures.

• Effective 8:00 p.m. Monday, March 16, 2020 the following facilities are ordered closed to members of the public:

Casino gaming floors, including retail sports wagering lounges, and casino concert and entertainment venues. Online and mobile sports and casino gaming services may continue to be offered.

• Racetracks, including stable facilities and retail sports wagering lounges. However, mobile sports wagering services may continue to be offered.

• Gyms and fitness centers and classes.

• Entertainment centers, including but not limited to, movie theaters, performing arts centers, other concert venues and nightclubs.

• Requires other non-essential retail, recreational and entertainment businesses to cease daily operations from 8:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. From 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. these businesses may remain open but they must limit their occupancy to no more than 50 persons and adhere to social distancing. Essential businesses, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, medical supply stores, gas stations, healthcare facilities and ancillary stores within healthcare facilities, are exempted from this provision.

• Allows all restaurants, dining establishments, and food courts, with or without liquor licenses, all bars and other holders of retail consumption liquor license to operate under their normal business hours, but are limits them to offering only food delivery and/or take-out services. If alcoholic beverages are to be sold from the restaurant, dining establishment or bar with a liquor license, such sales are limited to original containers sold from the principal public barroom.

• Permits the State Director of Emergency Management, who is the Superintendent of State Police, to determine and control the direction of the flow of traffic on any state road, including municipal and county roads, if it deemed necessary for the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the public.

• Prohibits municipalities and counties to enact or enforce any order, rule, regulation, ordinance, or resolution which will or might in any way conflict with this Executive Order. A letter issued by the Attorney General to law enforcement chief executives regarding EO 104 advises that law enforcement officers must exercise discretion to not enforce local ordinances such as restrictions on delivery times and noise ordinances in ways that would inhibit transportation companies from timely and effectively delivering needed supplies to essential businesses.

The Executive Order took effect immediately on March 16, 2020 and remains in effect until revoked or modified by Governor Murphy. Violations of the executive order can be enforced as disorderly persons offenses by county and local law enforcement.

I was just notified by the Middlesex County Department of Health of the first confirmed case of Covid-19 in Highland Park. At this time, the County Health Department is the lead in the investigation of the case and is responsible for additional notifications.

Names, addresses and personal identifying information of patients, including ages, cannot be released or shared with the community. The Middlesex County Office of Health Services is the lead agency for investigation of cases involving a positive COVID-19 person, including all close contacts.

If it is determined that a member of our community has been in close contact with someone infected with COVID-19, the County Office of Health Services will reach out to that person. Close contact is considered being within a 6-foot radius of the person for a minimum duration of 10 minutes. People who are outside of this radius are not considered a close contact. It is important for everyone to monitor their health and consult a primary care physician if exhibiting symptoms.

As I’m advised, it was inevitable that we would have a confirmed case in our town. Here is what we are doing to decrease the spread of this virus locally.

Our Borough Office of Emergency Management team and Covid-19 Task Force are meeting regularly to prepare Highland Park for this pandemic.

As you already know, we have closed down Borough buildings, our public schools are closed for now, and most of our houses of worship have closed until further notice.

We will be strictly following the recommendations set forth by the Governor today;

• Gatherings larger than 50 people will be prohibited.
• Gyms will be closing at 8 PM and remain closed moving forward.Bars and Restaurants will be closing at 8 PM moving forward, with the ability to re-open each day to offer take-out and delivery services.
• Food establishments will be prohibited from offering eat-in services.

Further information will be provided by the State later today, including language on the upcoming Executive Orders.

As of tomorrow, only “essential” New Jersey state employees will be asked to come to their offices.

There are additional announcements which the Governor will be making at his 2 PM press conference.

The one thing you can do that would be the most helpful is this: Go out as little as possible, and only for essential needs (such as food and medical attention).

I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to stay home. This is the very best way for us to slow down the spread of the coronavirus and to improve the potential of our health system to weather this crisis without being overwhelmed.

For now, please stay home.

And if you must leave home, follow these steps to reduce your risk of exposure;

1. Wash your hands frequently
2. Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose, ears, or mouth as much as possible
3. Practice social distancing
4. Avoid touching common surfaces; wear plastic gloves if you can

Thank you.

As a precautionary measure in response to the COVID-19 emergency, Highland Park Borough Hall will be closed to the public starting tomorrow, Monday, March 16th through March 30th. The Public Works office and yard as well as the Community Center, Zone 6 Teen Center and Library will remain closed to the public during this same time period.

Governor Phil Murphy and New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Chief Administrator Sue Fulton have announced that due to the COVID-19 outbreak and to protect the public, the MVC will extend expiration dates for driver licenses, registrations, and inspection stickers.

The Borough is monitoring the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19 - by working closely with the Middlesex County and New Jersey Departments of Health. The health and safety of our residents and visitors is of paramount importance to us and we will provide you with updates as they are made available. 

Resources

CDC: Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

CDC: Travel Information