Westfield Mayor: 2 More Die Of COVID; Day Of Remembrance Tuesday

WESTFIELD, NJ — Mayor Shelley Brindle said Friday night that two more Westfield residents have died of COVID-19. The town also confirmed details of a remembrance ceremony Tuesday for the victims of the pandemic.

"Sadly, we have two new fatalities, both of which were cases reported earlier this month," Brindle said in her Friday weekly update, "a 92-year-old male associated with a long-term care facility, and another 92-year-old male who was hospitalized."

The two residents will bring the town's death toll to 49 since the beginning of the pandemic.

Residents are invited to participate virtually in the Tuesday remembrance ceremony via Facebook Live and by lighting candles to honor those lost.

Brindle and area religious leaders, as well as the Town Council, will host the virtual memorial service Tuesday starting at 5:10 p.m., live from Mindowaskin Park. It will be livestreamed for the public on the town’s Facebook page at that time (click here). Due to gathering restrictions and increasing COVID case numbers, residents are asked to participate virtually rather than in person.

Officials will light 49 candles, one for each Westfield resident lost to COVID.

At 5:30, all church bells will ring in town. At that time, residents are asked to place a light in a window or light a candle in honor of the lives lost.

Residents are also invited to post remembrances on the livestream for any loved one they may have lost to COVID. In addition, a family member who has lost a loved one to COVID is welcome to submit information in advance for inclusion in the service, including memories and a photo, to covid19@westfieldnj.gov, by noon Tuesday.

“As a community, it’s so important for us to stand together and honor the 49 Westfield residents we lost to this terrible virus,” said Mayor Brindle. “We must remember their lives, along with the other 400,000 American lives lost, keep those they left behind in our hearts, and pray for the continued health of our community while this virus still rages.”

“Solemnly remembering sisters and brothers, lives taken by COVID-19, inspires us to give our lives as active witnesses of healing and hope,” said Father Anthony Randazzo of Holy Trinity.

“We gather to remember and mourn for the lives and possibilities lost. We cannot be together but we can be joined in our memories of loved ones and friends lost. We can share stories and keep their light burning in our hearts,” said Rev. Joy Mounts, Associate Minister of the First Congregational Church.

“We stand together to honor the lives lost, here at home and around the world,” added Rabbi Ethan Prosnit of Temple Emanu-El. “It's important that we always remember as we begin to heal and see our way forward together through this pandemic.”

'Outbreaks' from youth hockey; 46 cases under age 20

On Friday, Mayor Brindle also noted an "outbreak" among local youth hockey players, and a high number of new cases among people ages 19 and under.

"At the high school, both the boys and girls hockey teams have had recent outbreaks," she wrote.

She said the Department of Health reported 133 new cases of COVID-19 in Westfield from Jan. 8 to 14. Of those cases:

• 39 remain under investigation
• 29 had a positive household contact
• 17 were unable to be reached
• 22 had no known exposure
• 12 had known exposure
• 4 were associated with hockey
• 3 were associated with travel
• 2 were exposed at New Year’s Eve parties
• 2 were exposed at work
• 2 were hospitalized (ages 53 & 74)
• 1 was associated with indoor sports (non-hockey)

The ages of those cases ranged from 1 to 77, broken down as follows:

• Age 9 and under: 13 cases
• Age 10-19: 33 cases
• Age 20-29: 16 cases
• Age 30-39: 16 cases
• Age 40-49: 21 cases
• Age 50-59: 20 cases
• Age 60-69: 11 cases
• Age 70-79: 4 cases
• Age 80-89: No cases
• Age 90 and above: No cases

The 133 new cases in a week brought Westfield's total confirmed cases to 1,393 since the start of the pandemic.

'The CDC is anticipating that 90,000 Americans will die within the next three weeks'

Brindle said that the state’s seven-day average for new confirmed cases is up 15 percent from a week ago and 18 percent from a month ago.

She noted that the statewide rate of COVID-19 transmission is currently 1.11; a transmission rate over 1 indicates the outbreak is expanding.

On Wednesday, New Jersey reached a daily record number of 6,922 new cases, she said, and the NJ Department of Health indicated that the state is preparing for a surge in hospitalizations, resulting from the latest spike in cases, that could come as soon as next week.

She noted, "In addition, the CDC is anticipating that 90,000 Americans will die within the next three weeks, and in New Jersey, one out of every 500 people has died from COVID-19. It is anticipated that COVID will be the leading cause of death both in New Jersey and nationally for 2020."

According to Patch numbers, 27 percent more New Jersey residents died in 2020 than in 2019 or 2018. Deaths rose by 44.5 percent in Union County. Click to see the story here.

What about vaccinations in Union County?

Brindle said, "I know it’s incredibly frustrating, especially for the vulnerable members of our community, to find that vaccination appointments are scarce, and our Health Department is being inundated with questions about how residents should proceed. Currently, the state allows anyone to pre-register at covid19.nj.gov/vaccine, and their system will notify you when you are eligible to receive a vaccine. At that point, you must make an appointment at a vaccination site based on availability."

The Union County site at Kean University is currently administering 300 vaccinations per day, and has activated their online portal at ucnjvaccine.org, although no appointments are available right now. Still, anyone eligible can sign up.

Eligible residents/employees include the following:

Healthcare personnel, long-term care residents and staff

• Uniformed law enforcement and fire service personnel
• Individuals ages 65+
• Individuals ages 16-64 with medical conditions that render them at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19: cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, Down Syndrome, heart conditions (i.e. heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies), immunocompromised state from solid organ transplant, obesity and severe obesity (BMI of ≥ 30), pregnancy, sickle cell disease, smoking, and Type 2 diabetes

Click here for that list of who is eligible for the vaccine right now, and who will be next.

Brindle noted, "Currently, there is no interconnectivity between the County of Union and State of New Jersey's vaccination registration portals. This is a known issue that the state continues to work on."

As of Thursday, 13,458 residents of Union County had been vaccinated. Read more about that here.

OTHER VIRUS 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. Read about one Summit nursing home vaccinating residents and staff here.

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

Got news? Email caren.lissner@patch.com. Got photos? Please include express written permission from the photographer for us to use them. To be the first to get free news alerts with breaking stories in your town, or to get a free local newsletter each morning, sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.