Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Suggests Possible Beach Reopen Plan

POINT PLEASANT BEACH — Mayor Paul Kanitra offered possible plans to allow the public back to the beach, the parks, the Manasquan Inlet and the downtown stores if New Jersey takes similar steps to reopen before Memorial Day.

Kanitra says the community is looking at even taking steps to promote social distancing at the beaches if Point Pleasant Beach is able to take any steps toward reopening. And he suggested that wearing masks could be one possible requirement.

Kanitra made the statements as Gov. Phil Murphy offered a broad reopening plan on Monday, providing a six-point outline to "restart New Jersey and put the state on the road to recovery." Read more: Gov. Murphy Issues 6-Point NJ Reopen Plan In Coronavirus Crisis

Murphy also hopes "we have some semblance of norm" at the Jersey Shore this summer, and beginning on Memorial Day weekend, but "I just don’t envision being in tight spaces without real restrictions on capacity and social distancing." Read more: Gov. Murphy Provides Details On What Jersey Shore Summer Could Be

Here is what Point Pleasant Beach may do:

• Kanitra said Point Pleasant Beach will start looking at opening its parks, minus the playground equipment, as well as the Manasquan Inlet starting on May 1st.
• If the inlet is reopened, it would be done with reduced capacity – one space between vehicles – and with people staying in their cars.
• When Point Pleasant Beach has the resources, hopefully by Memorial Day, Kanitra said he'd like to open the Maryland Avenue Beach "to test how it all will work."
• If the town does that, he's like to see if social distancing can be properly enforced.
• If it works, the town could allow out-of-towners to return within the weeks following Memorial Day weekend.

"I’ve been talking with other mayors up and down the barrier island," Kanitra said. "And the lack of class 1 and 2 officers is huge. So that availability will drive our beach moves."

Those officers who applied for such positions are "stuck in limbo because training needs to go virtual and gun ranges are closed to qualify for class 2s," he said.

Here are the latest local updates from Point Pleasant Boro and Point Pleasant Beach:

CASES:

• Point Pleasant Boro had 147 cases as of Monday, April 27, and Point Pleasant Beach had 31, according to the Ocean County Health Department. Each town has had fewer than five deaths.
• The Ocean County Health Department is now listing the number of deaths from the coronavirus in Point Pleasant Boro and Point Pleasant Beach. Read more: Coronavirus Fatalities Now Listed For Point Pleasant Boro, Beach
• Point Pleasant Boro had one of its biggest increases in coronavirus cases in one day as emergency personnel took time to thank the community. Read more: 12 Positive Coronavirus Tests In Point Pleasant Boro In 1 Day

VIOLATIONS:

• A Point Pleasant Beach woman was charged with yelling "pigs! oink, oink!" at cops and blowing on EMTs, saying she had the coronavirus. Read more: Point Beach Woman Yells Coronavirus, 'Pigs! Oink!' At Police: PD
• A woman in Point Pleasant Boro was arrested after she implied she has the coronavirus – and even repeated the words "corona" and "virus" when she attacked officers, police said. Read more: Woman Attacks Point Pleasant Boro Cops, Saying 'Coronavirus:' PD
• A Point Pleasant Beach man was charged with the theft of N95 respirator masks from a business, prosecutors said. Read more: Point Pleasant Beach Man Charged With Theft Of Respirator Masks
• Two people were charged for having a home rental in Point Beach that violated local restrictions amid the coronavirus crisis. Read more: 2 Charged For Point Pleasant Beach Home Rental Amid Coronavirus

PERSONAL STORIES:

• A Point Pleasant Beach woman talked to The Asbury Park Press about the anguish she went through when her son, 3, contracted the virus. Read more: Point Beach Mom's Reported Coronavirus Scare With 3-Year-Old Son

TRIBUTES:

• The Bay Head Fire Co. announced the passing of firefighter Dave Clark, who died following a long and tough battle with the COVID-19 virus. Read more: Bay Head Firefighter Dies From Coronavirus

SCHOOLS:

• All schools in Point Pleasant Boro and Point Pleasant Beach will remain closed throuigh at least May 15 in response to the new coronavirus outbreak, state officials said. Read more: Gov. Murphy: NJ Schools Shut Through May 15 In Coronavirus Crisis

ASSISTANCE:

• A Point Pleasant woman has started a Facebook page to make sure the Jersey Shore gets the help it needs amid the outbreak. Read more: Point Pleasant Woman's 'COVID19 Response' Facebook Provides Help

BUSINESSES:

• Many local businesses are in our guide of what's open, closed in Point Pleasant and Point Pleasant Beach during the coronavirus shutdowns. Read more: What's Open, Closed In Point Pleasant Amid Coronavirus Shutdowns
• Frye Brewing has a new product that even firefighters say is what Point Pleasant needs right now during the crisis. Read more: Frye Brewing's 'Home Flight Kit' Is What Point Pleasant Needs
• Morgan Taylor, a waitress at The Ark, got the "most amazing breath of fresh air" before non-essential businesses were shut. Read more: As Point Pleasant Beach Businesses Shut, A 'Breath Of Fresh Air'
• Stephanie "Petey" Cucci, the owner of PETEY'S US SUBS in Point Pleasant Boro, is doing what she calls a ST. MARY'S SUB. Her sister, Cate, says "wonderful and kind people" have been donating to a fund that allows people who can't afford a meal to get a half sub, a drink and chips. Read more: Petey's In Point Pleasant Is Helping The Hungry Amid Coronavirus
• The Point Pleasant area has participated in #thefrontstepschallenge with EVN FLO photography by Tim McGeough. Tim took pictures of people on their front porch, each of them projecting some semblance of normaliy in a very abnormal world. Read more: See The Photos In Point Pleasant Boro That Could Help Feed People

HOSPITALS AND TESTING:

• Hackensack Meridian offers COVID19 testing at its nine urgent care centers in Monmouth and Ocean counties.
• Immediate care of Marlboro is offering a drive-thru COVID19 test in the Marlboro Medical Arts site located at 479 Rt 520 in Marlboro. Testing is by appointment only at (855) 925-5467 ext 0.
• The PNC Bank Arts Center is a regional FEMA drive-thru test location and is open for testing every other day from 8 a.m. to 4pm for up to 500 persons per day. Click here for PNC Arts Test Center info & schedule.
• On every Saturday, the PNC Bank Arts Center site will be dedicated to symptomatic health care workers and first responders -- police, fire, and EMS -- with valid credentials only. The general public will not be able to access this site on Saturdays.
• Central Jersey Urgent Care is testing up to 80 patients daily at Eatontown, Howell and Marlboro.

CANCELLATIONS/CLOSURES

• Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head and Mantoloking agreed to close their beaches on April 3rd. Read more: Beaches To Close In Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head, Mantoloking
• Point Pleasant Beach closed its boardwalk in late March after warning people not to congregate in the area. Read more: Point Pleasant Beach Closes Boardwalk Due To Coronavirus Crisis
• Murphy issued a state-at-home order and closed non-essential businesses earlier in March. Read more: Gov. Murphy Announces NJ 'Stay-At-Home' Order Due To Coronavirus
• Point Pleasant Boro prohibited vacation rental-by-owners in town and asking people to stay in their primary communities. Read more: Point Pleasant Boro Prohibits Vacation Rentals Due To Coronavirus
• Point Pleasant Beach is placing a moratorium on the renting of all vacation homes and properties. This will include all online, private and realtor driven transactions. Read more: Point Pleasant Beach Closes Boardwalk Due To Coronavirus Crisis
• All recreation and pre-school programs have closed in Point Pleasant Boro because of the coronavirus outbreak. Read more: Point Pleasant Boro Closes All Recreation Programs, Pre-School

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

Here's what else you should know:

• Murphy issued a stay-at-home order, closing all non-essential business at 9 p.m. Saturday, March 21. Read more: Gov. Murphy Announces NJ 'Stay-At-Home' Order Due To Coronavirus
• Murphy announced on Monday, May 4 that schools will close for the rest of the academic year because of the coronavirus outbreak. Read more: New Jersey Schools Closed For Rest Of Academic Year: Gov. Murphy
• Murphy ordered stores across New Jersey on Wednesday, April 8 to require shoppers to wear face coverings or masks. Here's how you can get yours, and how the new rule will be enforced. Read more: NJ Shoppers Must Wear Masks: Where To Get Them, How It's Enforced
• Here are 10 resources for you and your family to utilize as you navigate through the outbreak: Unemployment, Tests, Food: 10 NJ Resources In Coronavirus Crisis
• New Jersey's courts suspended all new jury trials until further notice, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner said on Thursday, March 12. Read more: Coronavirus Throws Monkey Wrench Into New Jersey Court System
• Murphy said during a live press conference on Wednesday, March 25 that he's ordering many day care centers to shut amid the coronavirus outbreak. Read more: Gov. Murphy To Shut Many Day Care Centers Amid Coronavirus Crisis
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a travel advisory for New Jersey. Read more: CDC Travel Advisory For NJ: No Coronavirus Travel Ban From Trump
• New Jersey residents are expected to start receiving stimulus payments soon. Here's what you need to do beforehand. Read more: Coronavirus Economic Stimulus Payments: What You Need To Do In NJ
• On Friday, March 27, Murphy allowed more types of New Jersey businesses – including gun sellers – to operate in the coronavirus outbreak. What's open and closed now? Read more: What's Open, Closed? More NJ Business To Operate Amid Coronavirus
• Murphy announced on Tuesday, April 7 that state and county parks will close. Read more: Gov. Murphy Closes Parks On NJ Coronavirus Crisis's Deadliest Day
• Here are four urgent tasks New Jersey wants you to do during the coronavirus outbreak, including wearing a mask. And here's why. Read more: Wear A Mask! 4 Things NJ Wants You To Do In Coronavirus Outbreak

How It Spreads

The virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading from person-to-person. Someone who is actively sick with COVID-19 can spread the illness to others. That is why CDC recommends that these patients be isolated either in the hospital or at home (depending on how sick they are) until they are better and no longer pose a risk of infecting others.

There is currently no vaccine for COVID-19.

While the best way to prevent illness is to avoid virus exposure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention always recommends taking preventive actions to contain the spread of viruses. This includes:

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipes.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.