10 Ways The Coronavirus Has Changed New Jersey

NEW JERSEY — 2020 is officially in the rearview mirror. But the heartaches and hope that have emerged during New Jersey’s ongoing battle with the coronavirus will endure.

Here are 10 ways COVID-19 has changed the Garden State.

THOUSANDS OF DEATHS

The state’s COVID-19 confirmed death toll, which recently surpassed 18,000 confirmed and probable deaths, has robbed New Jersey of some of its most beloved residents.

• Bradley Beach Mom Of 3 Who Helped So Many Dies Of Coronavirus
• Belleville's 'Jersey Boy' Tommy DeVito Dies Of COVID-19
• Cliffside Park Baseball Coach, 30, Dies Of Coronavirus
• Fair Lawn Bus Driver Dies Of Coronavirus
• Holmdel Family Man, Coach Dies Of Coronavirus
• Caldwell School Loses Principal To Coronavirus

The disease has also left a devastating toll on many families throughout the state, with some experiencing multiple losses.

• 4 In Same Family, Including 3 In NJ, Die Of Coronavirus: Reports
• 3 In Belleville Family Die Of Coronavirus, 10 Days Apart: Murphy
• Tragedy In South Brunswick: Mother, Daughter Die Of Coronavirus
• Bergen County Husband And Wife Die In Coronavirus Tragedy: Family
• Essex County Wife, Husband, Son Die Of Coronavirus In Same Week

HOSPITALS

Hospitals in New Jersey have struggled to care for the vast numbers of patients with COVID-19 throughout the pandemic.

• At Least 6 NJ Hospitals On 'Divert' Status As COVID-19 Cases Rise
• NJ At 'High Risk' Of COVID-19 Hospital Overload, New Data Shows

Meanwhile, family members have found it difficult – if not impossible – to comfort their hospitalized loved ones stricken by the virus.

• Photos Show Holy Name Coronavirus Patient's Final Moments
• Final Goodbyes Via FaceTime: Coronavirus At Clara Maass Hospital

The arrival of the first COVID-19 vaccinations in the state in December has given a boost of hope to frontline health care workers. But there’s still a lot of danger they face on the job, according to Health Professionals & Allied Employees President Debbie White.

“Vaccination alone is not the solution,” White said. “We must include routine testing, contact tracing and effective protective equipment for healthcare workers on the job. Additionally, we urge lawmakers and Gov. Phil Murphy to collect and report health care worker data.”

• 'Terrified' Hillsborough Nurse Pleads For Caution As COVID Spikes
• NJ Nurses Fear 'Speeding Train' Of Coronavirus Cases, Union Says

NURSING, RETIREMENT HOMES

New Jersey’s nursing/retirement homes and other long-term care facilities have also struggled amid the pandemic.

• Mystery Remains As NJ Nursing Home Coronavirus Deaths Keep Rising
• Gov. Murphy: Coronavirus, 'Makeshift Morgue' At NJ Nursing Home
• Son Lifted By Fire Truck Says Goodbye To Dying Bridgewater Mom

New Jersey kicked off an ambitious plan to start inoculating all 83,000 nursing home residents and staff in late December. In total, 291 nursing homes in New Jersey will get the vaccine.

• New Jersey Starts Nursing Home COVID Vaccines
• How NJ Can Stop The COVID Outbreaks In Long-Term Care Facilities

SCHOOLS

Local school districts and colleges saw their first impacts from the pandemic as their school years were drawing to a close.

As the COVID-19 cases began to increase, students across the state missed out on graduations and other ceremonies – or saw them in a much different form.

• NJ Clarifies Live Graduation, 'Wave Parades' In Coronavirus Order

Since the start of the new school year, districts have been struggling to keep up with rapidly changing guidelines and data, as well as COVID-19 outbreaks in their communities. Many have also been caught in a fierce, state-wide debate over remote vs. in-person learning.

• Should NJ Schools Reopen? Here's What Nearly 27K Residents Think

BUSINESS CLOSURES

Seeking to slow the spread of the virus, New Jersey officials imposed restrictions on businesses throughout the state. Not all of them agreed with the new rules, sparking a contentious standoff that will likely continue through the new year.

• Monmouth State Senator Calls For 'Rebellion, Defy Gov. Murphy'
• NJ Fines Gym Owners Who Defied Murphy $130K: Officials
• State Orders Lacey's Lakeside Diner To Shut Down, Owner Refuses
• Montclair Restaurant Owner Defies Gov. Murphy's Orders Again: PD
• Fed-Up NJ Hairdressers, Barbers Rally In North Jersey: 'Let Us Reopen'

Meanwhile, New Jersey’s businesses have been pushed to their financial limits during the pandemic. Some have not survived.

• NJ Retailers Announce Store Closings Due To Coronavirus
• NJ Chains File For Bankruptcy Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
• These Middletown-Area Businesses Will Simply Not Be Reopening

STATE DEBT

In August, Gov. Murphy signed the New Jersey COVID-19 Emergency Bond Act into law on Thursday, allowing the Garden State to borrow up to $9.9 billion to address what lawmakers are calling an “unprecedented fiscal crisis.”

Republicans in New Jersey sued to block the move. But the New Jersey Supreme Court sided with Murphy – with some conditions.

• NJ Supreme Court Sides With Gov. Murphy On $9.9B Borrowing Plan

TRANSPORTATION

The pandemic has had serious impacts on the transportation infrastructure of New Jersey, and the millions of people who depend on it.

State officials have rolled out a series of travel guidelines, including the governor’s quickly changing quarantine advisory list.

• NJ COVID-19 Travel Quarantine Applies To All Except 4 States

Meanwhile, the state’s largest transportation and travel agencies have been forced to entirely revamp the way they operate.

• Here's What NJ Transit May Soon Look Like: Gov. Murphy
• Newark Airport Adapts To Coronavirus: Masks, PPE Vending Machines
• $50 Fine For No Masks At Port Authority Airports, PATH Stations
• NJ Transit Hopes New Technology Can Combat Coronavirus
• NJ Needs To Step Up For Bus Riders In COVID Pandemic, Report Says

KIDS WORK BALANCE

The coronavirus pandemic has caused havoc for working parents, many of whom already struggled to balance their jobs and kids.

A recent study found that the crisis has intensified barriers to economic security and childcare among families with children.

"COVID has turned everyone's lives upside down, and especially working parents who are struggling to maintain their jobs and care for their children at home because COVID has closed their schools or places of care," said Yarrow Willman-Cole of NJ Citizen Action and convener of the NJ Time to Care Coalition.

• Work Or Kids? NJ Parents Find Tough Choices Amid COVID Pandemic

SOCIAL JUSTICE

The coronavirus pandemic has put a spotlight on a wave of social justice issues in the Garden State, such as racial/gender equity, wealth gaps and immigration.

Many of these problems existed long before the virus arrived in New Jersey, advocates say.

• Coronavirus Is Exposing Racial Gaps In NJ, Newark Advocates Say
• 'Pandemic Profiteers': Report Blasts NJ Companies, Billionaires
• Coronavirus Prison Deaths Rise In NJ: 'They Stole My Baby's Life'
• NJ's Richest Not Paying Fair Share For COVID Recovery, Groups Say
• Coronavirus Hitting NJ Minority, Immigrant Communities Hard

ADAPTING AMID A PANDEMIC

The pandemic has forced New Jersey to find ways to adapt to a “new normal.”

Some people have repurposed their skills to help others make it through the crisis.

• Bridgewater Mom Crafts Coronavirus Face Masks For Nurses
• Barnegat Man 3D Prints Masks For Fight Against Coronavirus
• Summit Women Coordinate Facemask Sewing Effort Amid Coronavirus

Others have managed to find ways to innovate their businesses – and even thrive – amid the pandemic.

• Black-Owned Movie Theater In NJ Thrives Amid Pandemic
• 6 Holiday Light Shows To See In NJ That Are COVID-Friendly
• Scotch Plains Restaurants Adapt To Survive New COVID Restrictions
• Manahawkin Brewery Brings Outdoor Drinks To Winter With 'Igloos'

Send news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

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