COVID-19 Update
April 28, 2020

Nutley Update on COVID-19

The Township of Nutley is providing an update to the community on several important matters, including:

• Additional known COVID-19 cases
• Blue Angels & Thunderbirds salute to first responders - flight path and maps for today at 12:00pm
• Essex County continues their testing site
• Governor Murphy’s 6 key principles and benchmarks to restarting New Jersey

In addition, we remind residents to stay at home and to observe social distancing if you must go outside.

New Known Cases
The Township of Nutley announced an additional 5 new known cases of COVID-19, bringing the Township total known cases to 405 and 28 deaths.

The Board of Commissioners thoughts and prayers go out to all of the deceased and their families. Flags in Nutley and across the state have been lowered to half-staff in honor of all we have lost. No one will be forgotten.

The Nutley Health Department is working diligently to track any interactions the individuals who tested positive have had with residents, and they will ensure that anyone at risk of exposure is provided with all of the information necessary, including being tested themselves if appropriate.

Blue Angels Thunderbirds Salute to Frontline Workers - Flight Path at Noon Today  4/28/2020
At noon the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels will conduct a fly over to salute COVID-19 Responders. The planes will head south along the Hudson River and over parts of Bergen, Hudson, Union and Essex counties in New Jersey, turn east toward New York City and above parts of Connecticut and Long Island, N.Y., before concluding at 12:40 p.m. near the Verrazzano-Narrows. Residents along the flight path can expect a few seconds of jet noise as the aircraft pass overhead, along with the sight of 12 high-performance aircraft flying close in precise formation. For more details see: https://www.tapinto.net/towns/nutley/articles/blue-angels-and-thunderbirds-to-fly-over-northern-nj-12

Essex County Testing Facility
The Essex County testing site opened on Thursday, March 26, 2020 and is now open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9am until further notice.

Residents can register at www.EssexCOVID.org, or by calling the Essex County Office of Emergency Management COVID-19 Testing Call Center at 973-324-9950 if they do not have internet.

The call center will be open from 7am - 11pm.
Phone: 973-324-9950
Email: covidtesting@essexsheriff.com
Fax: 973-324-9958

Restarting New Jersey’s Economy
Governor Phil Murphy yesterday announced his vision, “The Road Back: Restoring Economic Health Through Public Health,” to restart New Jersey and put the state on the road to recovery. Governor Murphy outlined six key principles and benchmarks to guide the process for restoring New Jersey’s economic health by ensuring public health. The following six principles and key metrics will guide the process for lifting restrictions and restoring New Jersey’s economic health through public health.

Principle 1: Demonstrate Sustained Reductions in New COVID-19 Cases and Hospitalizations

• 14-day trend lines showing appreciable and sustained drop in new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and other metrics reflecting decreasing burden of disease;
• Hospitals stepping down from functioning under crisis standards of care.

Principle 2: Expand Testing Capacity

• At least double current diagnostic testing capacity;
• Prioritize testing for health care workers, essential personnel, and vulnerable populations;
• Create a flexible testing plan accessible to all residents;
• Expand partnerships with institutions of higher education, private-sector labs, and the federal government;
• Ensure that those who test positive are linked to a health care provider.  

Principle 3: Implement Robust Contact Tracing

• Recruit and deploy an army of personnel who will identify and follow-up with contacts;
• Leverage technological data and innovative solutions to increase efficiency;
• Coordinate the approach of local and state health officials, which will have a coordinated county/regional component.

Principle 4: Secure Safe Places and Resources for Isolation and Quarantine

• To the greatest extent possible, provide individuals who do test positive in the future with a safe and free place to isolate and protect others from COVID-19;
• Ensure that quarantined contacts are provided supportive services, if needed.

Principle 5: Execute a Responsible Economic Restart

• Create the Governor’s Restart and Recovery Commission to advise on the process and recommend responsible and equitable decisions;
• Plan for a methodical and strategic return to work based on level of disease transmission risk and essential classification;
• Continuation of social distancing measures, requirements for face coverings, and work-from-home directions where feasible and appropriate;
• Leverage any available federal funds and programs to support health care, individual, and small business recoveries.

Principle 6: Ensure New Jersey’s Resiliency

• Learn from the lessons of COVID-19 and prepare for the possibility of a resurgence;
• Ensure hospitals, health care systems, and other health delivery facilities have inventories of personal protective equipment and ventilators;
• Build our own state personal protective equipment and ventilator stockpile;
• Create a playbook for future administrations for the next pandemic.

The road back flyer: http://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20200427/db/2d/77/6c/2a8a498ff2edda855c3f456d/The_Road_Back_-_Restoring_Economic_Health_Through_Public_Health.pdf

Emotional Support Information
If you need emotional support or are feeling anxiety or worry due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you can call the NJ Mental Health Cares number at 1-866-202-HELP (4357). It is staffed with a live mental health specialist 7 days a week, 8 am-8 pm.

Locally, the Nutley Family Service Bureau is accepting referrals and can be reached by calling 973-667-1884.

Department of Public Works
Parking meter enforcement is suspended until further notice. Please support our local businesses!

Health Department Message
Please make every attempt to check in on elderly and/or disabled neighbors. If you are aware of anyone that needs food and/or supplies, please contact the Department of Public Affairs at 973-284-4976.

Additional Information
For additional information and previous updates, please visit www.nutleynj.org. In addition to receiving emergency alerts, visit www.covid19.nj.gov to stay informed.