Coronavirus: 2 Big St. Patrick’s Parades Canceled In Essex County – West Orange, NJ Patch

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A pair of highly anticipated St. Patrick’s Day parades in Essex County won’t happen – at least for now – due to concerns over the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Annual celebrations in West Orange and Newark have both been postponed, organizers announced Wednesday night. Both events have tentatively been rescheduled for September. (See details below)

There have been 23 presumptive positive cases of the coronavirus known as COVID-19 in New Jersey as of Thursday morning, with one person dying from the disease. Gov. Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency, and schools across the state have begun to cancel classes. READ MORE: NJ Coronavirus Updates (Here’s What You Need To Know)

“For mitigation interventions such as widespread school closures, cancelling of events and controlling sporting events, all of that will be determined on a case-by-case basis,” New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said during a Wednesday press conference.

“Our guidance right now is to encourage people to limit those types of activities as much as possible,” Persichilli said.

In general – depending on where they live – New Jersey residents still face a “low risk” of contracting COVID-19, State Epidemiologist Christina Tan said Wednesday.

There have been more than 1,300 confirmed U.S. cases of the new coronavirus as of Thursday morning according to Johns Hopkins University, which said the disease also has killed 38 people nationwide.

NEWARK PARADE

The 85th Annual Newark St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee released a statement about the parade, which was originally scheduled for Friday, March 13.

“After careful consideration, and in the best interest of our participants and attendees, the 85th Annual Newark St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be postponed due to the current coronavirus situation,” wrote the group’s publicity chair, Brian Lowe.

“While disappointed, we are actively working to reschedule the event in September, billed as the 85th and-a-halfway to St. Patrick’s Day Parade,” Lowe stated. “Details on the event will be released at a later date.”

WEST ORANGE PARADE

Earlier this week, officials in West Orange said the 69th annual West Orange St. Patrick’s Day Parade would still take place on Sunday, March 15. But on Wednesday, parade and township officials did an about-face, announcing the event has been canceled.

“The decision has been made to postpone this year’s West Orange St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the interest of public safety, the health and well-being of our community and all those that would attend the parade,” Mayor Robert Parisi said.

“We will hope that the spread of this virus will be under control in the near future and will look forward to a tremendous parade in September as soon as a date can be confirmed,” Parisi added.

Parade Chairman Kevin Brennan offered a statement about the decision:

“We at the West Orange Saint Patrick’s Day Parade put the health and safety of the public as our highest priority. We have been monitoring the COVID-19 situation closely and have been in constant contact with elected officials, health officials, first responders, and leaders of other New Jersey Parades. Due to the direction from the experts in the field and the direction that parades, and other large events have taken, we are postponing the parade this year. We are planning to throw a tremendous parade in September as soon as a date can be confirmed.

“This decision was not made lightly, and I am beyond devastated and saddened to make it. I understand the impact that this decision has upon our honorees, their families, the families and Irish organizations who support the parade, and the many restaurants and businesses that depend on the parade for revenue to keep their doors open. Some will think that this is a complete overreaction. I understand and appreciate that perspective. But based upon the information we have, we felt that this was the best decision to make at this time.

“To our honorees, I am sorry. You are all outstanding and respected leaders within the Irish community, and we are extremely proud of the way you represented your Irish heritage in such an outstanding and commendable way.

“I would like to thank Mayor Parisi, Chief Abbott, our first responders, our public works, and all who have worked hard over the last year to prepare for this day. Most of all, I would like to thank the best damn parade committee in the state for everything you have done to get us so close to the finish line.

“We Irish are a strong, proud people and have faced adversity before, however, we will persevere and flourish. We look forward to seeing you all in September when we put the parade on the street at a time that is safer for the community.

“Thank you for your understanding during these difficult times.”

CORONAVIRUS NEWS IN ESSEX COUNTY

Catch up on some recent stories involving COVID-19 in Essex County. (Click headlines to read article)

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Montclair State University Moves Most Classes Online

Montclair State University officials are extending spring break and moving most classes online. There are no known cases of COVID-19 at MSU.

Coronavirus: NJIT Moves Classes Online, Limits Visits

NJIT administrators are encouraging students who live on campus to stay away until regular university operations resume.

Newark Police: False Alarms On Coronavirus Will Be Prosecuted

“Any false reporting of the coronavirus in our city will result in criminal prosecution,” Newark’s top cop said.

Feel Sick? Don’t Come To NJ Devils Games For Now, Team Says

The New Jersey Devils hockey team is asking fans who feel sick to stay home, even if they don’t show symptoms of coronavirus.

WHAT IS COVID-19?

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. You should only wear a mask if a health care professional recommends it. A face mask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms. This is to protect others from the risk of getting infected. The use of face masks also is crucial for health workers and other people who are taking care of someone infected with COVID-19 in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

Residents who have questions about the virus can contact the State of New Jersey’s hotline at 1 (800) 222-1222. The hotline is home of the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, and is staffed 24 hours a day by state health workers.

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

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