Hoboken Mayor: City In A 'Post-Holiday Surge' Of Covid Cases

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla said Tuesday night that Hoboken residents should continue taking coronavirus precautions amid a rise in cases. "It is abundantly clear that Hoboken is in the middle of a post-holiday surge in cases, and that infections are rising at an alarming rate," he wrote in an alert Tuesday.

• Saturday: 17
• Sunday: 55
• Monday: 18
• Tuesday: 36
• Total in four days: 126

In June, the city went a week with only one new case, and in August, there were six cases in one week.

Bhalla said that since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 2,319 infections along with 39 total COVID-19 related deaths.

As of Saturday, there have been 1,453 reported recoveries, Bhalla said.

Hoboken University Medical Center is currently treating 23 patients with COVID-19, which includes nine Hoboken residents.

"It is imperative to continue to take the virus seriously, which has been recently making its way to elderly and at-risk residents," he said. He advised to continue these precautions:

• Wear a mask
• Social distance
• Avoid indoor gatherings beyond household members
• Avoid travel outside of New Jersey
• Get tested

The Hoboken schools were remote last week and returned to regular instruction Monday. Students were required to get tested before their return.

300 seniors sign up for vaccinations

Four seniors over age 80 were confirmed to have died of coronavirus in Hoboken last week.

On Monday, Hoboken announced that its senior citizens can pre-register to get the coronavirus vaccine when the state makes it available to them. Right now, only health workers, certain essential workers, and nursing home residents are eligible to get the vaccine as part of Phase 1A.

Gov. Phil Murphy was expected to announce Wednesday that people 65 and over will be included in the next phase, 1B.

Hoboken seniors 65 and up can register using this link: Get the vaccine in Hoboken

Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher said in a newsletter Tuesday evening, "As of this writing, 300 seniors have registered. I know for a fact we have at least 4,000. So get at it and offer to help any of your neighbors!"

As of now, seniors will become eligible to receive the vaccine once the state of New Jersey moves into the next 1B and 1C phases of vaccinations. Gov. Murphy was expected to announce Wednesday that he may move seniors over 65 into the 1B category.

The state has its own vaccination center at the Riverside Medical Group office on Hudson Street. Over the weekend, Hoboken firefighters and police were vaccinated there. (Read more here.)

As of Tuesday, more than 377,000 Americans had died of the virus. It was just a month ago that the U.S. surpassed 300,000 deaths.

You can see which states had the highest death toll in the past week on this CDC map.

NATIONAL TRENDS

• Use this link to see the updated fatality count in the United States.
• More than 900 health care workers have died of the virus nationally.
• Others are simultaneously fighting misinformation and hoaxes as they try to fight the virus.

HOW TO GET HELP WITH HEAT, RENT, AND MORE

• During the State of Emergency in New Jersey, no tenant is permitted to be evicted from their home or apartment for the inability to pay rent. Talk to your local mayor's office if you are experiencing difficulties.
• The CARES act has made money available to help with rent in each city. More information is here.
• New Jersey residents can get help with heating and energy bills. Information is here.
• Various other avenues of relief and benefits have also been made available, including family leave for 12 weeks if you can't work due to your child's school or camp being closed, and changes to unemployment rules to help those who were at a job for a short time, or freelancing.

LONG-TERM CARE

• Recently, there were 159 long term care facilities with active outbreaks, the state Department of Health said last month. The state announced that deaths at the facilities had more than doubled since May 1.
• New Jersey residents became alarmed at the high number of residents who have passed away in nursing homes, rehabs, and similar facilities. The state announced plans in May to increase testing at some long term care facilities.
• The state released death toll statistics in spring for long-term care facilities like rehabs and nursing homes. See the list here.
• You can report problems with long term care facilities here, or if you suspect coronavirus related misconduct, here.
• Some New Jersey long-term care facilities reopened for limited visits, with precautions, in July.
• Facilities began receiving the coronavirus vaccine in December and January, starting with a long-term care home in Old Bridge in December.

Here are statewide coronavirus resources:

• NJ COVID-19 Information Hub: https://covid19.nj.gov/
• General COVID-19 questions: 2-1-1
• NJ COVID-19 hotline: (800) 222-1222

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