Actualización de COVID de Hoboken

Here’s the latest COVID update issued by Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla and the City’s Health Department on Tuesday night:

Impact of COVID-19 in Hoboken

The Hoboken Health Department has reported the following, new COVID-19 cases:

December 5: 12
December 6: 24
December 7: 24
December 8: 24

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 1,576 known, confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Hoboken. Recoveries will be posted later this week, while fatalities remain at 32. The Hoboken University Medical Center has reported 28 COVID-19 patients, which include seven Hoboken residents. I extend my best wishes to those hospitalized residents on a speedy recovery.

Governor Murphy reported the following data for the State of New Jersey:

• Hoy 5,820 nuevos casos confirmados
• Se reportaron 6.046 casos confirmados el domingo, el máximo total registrado en un día
• 377.055 casos totales confirmados
• 90 nuevas muertes confirmadas relacionadas con COVID-19, 15.590 muertes totales
• 3.481 hospitalizaciones, 670 en cuidados intensivos y 422 en ventiladores
• 488 nuevos casos positivos en el condado de Hudson

Unfortunately, COVID-19 continues to surge in Hudson County and New Jersey. Even though a vaccine is coming in the months ahead, it’s all the more important during the winter and holiday season to remain vigilant with safety precautions: avoid indoor gatherings, wear a mask, social distance, and limit social interactions with members outside the household.

Contact tracing update from the Hoboken Health Department

The Hoboken Health Department has reported the following trends associated with recent COVID-19 cases, continuing similar patterns from previous weeks:

• Reuniones más pequeñas con miembros no familiares
• Viajar fuera de Nueva Jersey a estados y regiones de alto riesgo
• Propagación del COVID-19 entre los miembros de los hogares
• Padres contraer el virus y transmitirlo a sus hijos
• Trabajadores de primera línea y de salud contraídos por el virus en el trabajo
• Deportes recreativos entre niños de Hoboken que viajan a otras regiones para competencias o prácticas

Given the trends, we are discouraging parents from letting children participate in organized sports and activities outside of Hoboken, which is occurring more so now that recreation sports have been put on pause in Hoboken, following guidance from the State of New Jersey.

I also ask that residents please cooperate with the Hoboken Health Department with contact tracing and provide information when asked for close contacts, as there has been a growing rate of non-compliance in recent weeks. Our Health Officers are simply doing the best they can to help prevent additional infections, and I thank them for their hard work. Please know that if you’re contacted, all information will be kept confidential.

Testing update

We are continuing to work around the clock to increase testing availability for both Hoboken residents and Hoboken business employees. We have created a new dedicated testing page that we will update each weekend, listing the testing options for the week. The testing options for the rest of this week (which we also put out via Nixle earlier this evening) can be found at http://www.hobokennj.gov/testing.

Please take the necessary precautions this holiday season

Given the surge in COVID-19 cases in New Jersey and across the country, we continue to recommend to residents to avoid travel outside of New Jersey and limit gathering with friends and family outside the household during the holidays. I know it can be disappointing and upsetting to stay home. But keeping our family and friends safe, especially those who are elderly and at risk, is the best thing we can do for them during the pandemic.

For those who are making the decision to see friends and family beyond the household, we recommend the same precautions as shared before the Thanksgiving holiday:

1. Tome una prueba de COVID-19 antes de una reunión
2. Insistir en que todos los participantes se hagan una prueba de COVID-19
3. Quarantena en la mayor medida posible, tanto antes como después de una prueba, y hasta que vea a amigos y familiares fuera de la casa
4. Limitar la cantidad total de familiares y amigos fuera de la casa
5. Si es posible y el tiempo es favorable, manténgase al aire libre
6. Usar máscaras y distancias sociales

Given the demand we observed for testing prior to Thanksgiving, we plan to offer additional COVID-19 testing options the week of December 14 in anticipation of Christmas. If gathering with extended friends and family, we ask residents to please plan ahead and consider getting testing next week and quarantine to the greatest extent possible, as opposed to waiting until the week of December 21 to get tested. This will help prevent a situation when a test result is not received in time, as it could take 72 hours or more to receive a result due to high volumes at laboratories as we observed during the Thanksgiving week.

Update with Star Labs

Prompt MD and Medicine Man Pharmacy are continuing to utilize Star Labs, and we thank all of the staff for continuing to work to provide test results as soon as possible. Star Labs has launched, as of yesterday, the ability for those getting tested with Prompt MD and Medicine Man to now log onto their website, http://www.starlabs.org to receive a test result. Simply visit the website, provide your first and last name, date of birth, and phone number or email and you’ll be able to access the test result as it is posted. Please allow for 48-72 hours after testing to receive the result, although you may be able to receive a result through the website earlier. If after 72 hours you still do not have access to your test result, please feel free to email testing@hobokennj.gov so the Hoboken Health Department can follow-up.

Senior door-to-door testing

I extend my thanks to Fusion Diagnostics Laboratories for providing door-to-door COVID-19 testing to 250 seniors in senior buildings this week. We are doing our best to provide expanded testing to our vulnerable populations before the holidays, and will complete testing in senior buildings next week. Thank you also to Director Pellegrini for helping coordinate this service for our seniors.

Thank you Hoboken, please stay safe.