School districts cancel trips, some colleges plan for virtual classes due to COVID-19 – Press of Atlantic City
A trip to the Camden Aquarium Tuesday for first-grade students in the Dennis Township School District has been postponed due to COVID-19 concerns, according to a note on the district’s website.
The decision was based on the recommendation from the Cape May County Department of Health, according to the site.
So far, there are 11 cases of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus across the state. Only two patients are under investigation in Cumberland County; no cases have been discovered in Atlantic or Cape May counties.
On Monday, Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency and a public health emergency to strengthen the state’s response to the disease as five more people tested presumed positive for the disease.
The Vineland Public School District in Cumberland County has canceled all international trips until further notice, and is requiring a special permission slip for trips within the country in addition to slips already signed, according to the district’s website.
However, all trips “are subject to cancellation at any point given the evolving nature of this situation,” according to the site.
Monmouth University canceled all classes, including face-to-face, hybrid and online, from Monday through spring break, which is March 14-March 20.
A student had notified the school’s Heath Services of flu-like symptoms and was taken to the Monmouth Medical Center for evaluation, according to the school’s website. There was no additional information available.
Administrators asked faculty and staff to come to work to prepare for the possibility of virtual instruction, at least temporarily, starting March 23.
State officials have scheduled a briefing for noon Tuesday to discuss developments as COVID-19 cases spread across the state.
Appearing for the briefing will be Lt. Governor Shelia Oliver, Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli, state Epidemiologist Dr. Christina Tan, Department of Health Assistant Commissioner Chris Neuwirth, State Police Superintendent Colonel Patrick Callahan and Director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness Jared Maples.
AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center officials said Monday they are continuously monitoring and preparing for a possible increase in patients due to the flu and other viral illnesses, including the coronavirus.
“Information and guidelines from the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and New Jersey Department of Health and our internal experts are rapidly evolving,” Dr. Manish Trivedi said. “We are committed to providing factual information to our patients, staff, providers and all the communities we serve as we work to prevent spread of flu, Coronavirus (COVID-19), and other illnesses.”
Trivedi, the director of AtlantiCare’s Division of Infectious Diseases, said that the hospital has a policy and plan in place for a potential influx of patients due to the disease, including working with “federal, state, county, and local emergency management and other officials, as well as vendors, suppliers and community partners to ensure we have the resources to care for our community.”
Also on Monday, Persichilli had a conference call with more than 400 long-term care facility officials throughout the state to outline preparedness steps, including the screening and restriction of visitors if necessary.
“Nursing homes and other long-term care facilities take care of one of the most vulnerable populations,” Persichilli said. “Much is still unknown about the virus, but what we have seen so far is that it has been mostly older adults and those with underlying conditions who have had the most severe disease, so it imperative that facilities take steps to prepare.”
There are more than 350 nursing homes across the state.
COVID-19: What you need to know about the new coronavirus in South Jersey
State of emergency declared across N.J.
Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency March 10, as the total number of cases in the state climbed to 11.
Schools announce closures, early dismissals for teachers to prepare
Several schools throughout the state announced closings or early dismissals Monday to prepare for the the impact of the disease’s spread.
Morris County’s Mount Olive School District closed schools Monday and schools in Cranford will be closed next Monday, March 16, so teachers can prepare, NJ.com reported. Students in Sayreville and South Brunswick will have early dismissals Monday, and Warren Hills Regional School district plans to close Wednesday.
COVID-19 cases climb to six in New Jersey
Two more people in New Jersey have tested “presumptive positive” for the new coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the state to six, Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver said March 8 in a teleconference with members of the media.
Two healthcare workers, a 70-year-old Teaneck, Bergen County, man and a 32-year-old West New York, Hudson County, man have tested positive, said Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. Because state officials have not interviewed the two men yet, the extent of their exposure is unknown.
There are 27 patients under investigation in New Jersey. The first case of COVID-19 in the state was announced Wednesday. The two new cases were the only positives of a recent round of nine tests over the weekend. Of the 27 cases being followed by state health officials, one is in Camden County and two are in Cumberland County.
Third, fourth cases identified in New Jersey
On March 6, the third and fourth presumptive positive cases were identified. One patient, a man in his 60s, was hospitalized at Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital in Camden County. The other, a man in his 50s, was hospitalized since at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in Bergen County.
Twenty-five other tests of New Jersey residents have come back as negative, officials said.
Fifteen additional people are under investigation, which is to say they have exhibited symptoms of COVID-19 or a pneumonia of unknown cause. Of those people, seven are from Bergen County, three are from Essex County, two are from Morris County, two are from Passaic County and one is from Camden County.
First case identified in New Jersey
Late in the evening on March 4, state official announced the first presumptive positive case in New Jersey. The individual, a man in his 30s, had been hospitalized for in Bergen County and was a health care worker who spent time in both New York and Fort Lee.
Atlantic City casino officials take proactive approach to coronavirus
“We are proactively communicating with our employees on the guidance from the CDC regarding prevention,” MGM Resorts International, who operates Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, said in a statement. “We have enhanced our cleaning protocols that include placing hand sanitizer dispensing station in high-traffic areas, reinforcing proactive cleaning and increasing the frequency of disinfectant procedures. We continue to follow the CDC’s guidelines and are closely monitoring for updates.”
“We have taken proactive measures to help minimize customer concerns including, frequently sanitizing surfaces in high-traffic areas, adding hand sanitizers throughout the casino, encouraging good hygiene practices amongst our staff, requiring employees who have traveled to certain areas to stay home for 21 days before returning to work and following all other CDC recommended guidelines,” said Tom Pohlman, Executive Vice President and General Manager Golden Nugget Atlantic City.
Mainland Regional High School bars those with symptoms, those who have traveled
On March 4, Mainland Regional High School Officials barred anyone who has traveled to countries affected by COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms from their campus, events and buses for two weeks.
A letter, which was posted to the school’s Facebook, outlined that the school’s policy is in line with Centers for Disease Control guidelines, which includes anyone who has traveled to or transited within the past two weeks in an area where the disease has been confirmed, or which are subject to a Level 3 Travel Health Notice by the CDC, including Mainland China and Hong Kong, Iran, Italy or South Korea.
It also includes anyone who is experiencing flu or flu-like symptoms and applies to students, staff, parents, visitors and vendors.
Anyone who falls into the category can’t enter the high school, participate in or attend any school event, after school activity or sport, at any site, or utilize any method of school transportation, including buses, according to the letter.
Mainland’s letter comes after the district, as well as the Linwood and Somers Point school districts, sent out letters outlining what they are doing, including the guidelines established by the Atlantic County and state Departments of Health and addressing concerns on quarantine.
State Department of Education officials tell administrators to plan, prepare
On March 5,
In a memo sent to school administrators, state Department on Education officials said that administrators should plan and prepare, citing prior state Department of Health guidance that “schools may be asked to close preemptively or reactively, therefore schools should be making plans for what to do if there are recommendations for closing schools or cancelling events.”
Atlantic County Executive Superintendent Robert Bumpus differed comment to the state DOE spokesman, who did not immediately return a request for comment.
Schools would be closed through a written directive by the state DOH or the health officer of the jurisdiction, according to the memo.
In the case of a health-related school closure, school boards may use home instruction for students, according to the memo. Any day that students have home instruction due to a public-health related closure will count toward the 180-day school year required by statute.
Officials asked school administrators to develop a preparedness plan to provide home instruction in the event of a closure, with “equitable access to instruction for all students,” according to the memo, which should be submitted to the Executive County Superintendent.
In a Friday morning news release from the DOE, officials said that are no immediate plans to implement a closing, but “health officials may also call for a tiered system of social distancing in schools, possibly limiting certain functions such as sports events and assemblies in order to limit the risk of exposure.”
State Department of Health says first COVID-19 test negative
On Feb. 29, state Department of Health officials said that the sole person in New Jersey under investigation for having COVID-19, a disease cause by the novel coronavirus, tested negative.