Coronavirus Jersey City – Cases, updates, and more (May 2022)

Wear a mask!

By
JC Upfront Staff
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4

Pedestrian Plaza Jersey City

Covid-19 cases in Jersey City appear to have pleateaued. Jersey City’s 7-day rolling average of new COVID-19 cases currently stands at 92 per day, according to the JC COVID-19 dashboard. The city saw a record 928 new cases on January 6, but cases have drastically dropped since then.

Nationwide, there are now over 81.3 million confirmed COVID-19 cases with over 993,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. This post is frequently updated with new info/links. (The coronavirus Jersey City dashboard is dependent on data entered by the state and public/private labs. Delayed reporting as well as changes in guidelines may affect the city’s daily count).

Covid surge expected this summer (May 1)

Although Dr. Anthony Fauci declared the U.S. is “out of the pandemic phase,” other health experts are cautioning against a possible surge of cases this summer. Former White House Coronavirus Response Task Force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx recently stated that the South will see surges in the summer, whereas Northern states will see surges in the winter, reports CNN.

NJ Gov. Murphy tests positive for Covid-19 (April 1)

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has tested positive for Covid-19. “This afternoon, as part of a regularly-scheduled testing regime, Governor Murphy took a rapid antigen test that came back positive for COVID-19,” said Communications Director Mahen Gunaratna. “He He is currently asymptomatic and feeling well.” This is the first time that Murphy, 64, has tested positive for Covid.

Masking will be optional in most Hudson school districts (March 2)

Wearing face masks in school will soon be optional, reports NJ.com. Starting Monday, March 7, masks will be optional for students and staff in school buildings. That’s when Governor Phil Murphy’s statewide school mask mandate comes to an end. Local school districts will have the option to continue the mask mandate or have it end.

Covid-19 cases rapidly descending in Jersey City (Feb. 7)

The omicron surge appears to be losing steam in Jersey City (and throughout much of the country). As of February 7, Jersey City’s 7-day rolling average of new COVID-19 cases currently stands at 98 per day, according to the JC COVID-19 dashboard. Numbers were as high as 410 per day just a few weeks ago. The CDC still recommends all adults receive their boosters (if they haven’t already), to continue social distancing when indoors, and to continue wearing surgical masks or respirators (N95, KN95, KF94) when indoors.

Free at-home Covid-19 tests can now be ordered online (Jan. 19)

The Biden administration has set up a website (https://www.covidtests.gov)  that allows Americans to request up to 4 free at-home Covid-19 tests. The tests will ship for free via USPS and will take from seven to 12 days to arrive. Tests will be sent out in late January.

In-person learning at JC schools returns next week (Jan. 14)

After starting the year with remote classes, Jersey City public schools will return to in-person learning on Tuesday, January 18, reports the NJ.com. A drop in Covid-19 infections amongst school staff and teachers aided the school district in making this desicion.

JC public schools turn to remote learning (Jan. 3)

The Jersey City public schools system will begin the year with remote learning. “We have a surge in the number of individuals testing positive due to the highly contagious Omicron variant,” states the Jersey City Public Schools website. “As a precautionary measure, we return to virtual instruction for a week effective Monday, January 3, 2022. We anticipate returning to in-person learning on Monday, January 10, 2022.”

Mayor Fulop tests positive for Covid-19 (Dec. 27)

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop announced last week that he has tested positive for Covid-19. The mayor said he’s asymptomatic and has received his two vaccine shots and booster. Fulop joins Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Senator Cory Booker who have also recently tested positive for Covid-19. Officials in Jersey City have yet to address the rapid and dramatic surge in new coronavirus cases.

Jersey City sees record 367 new cases in 24 hours (Dec. 21)

Health officials reported a record 367 new Covid-19 cases in Jersey City on Friday, December 17. That’s the city’s highest count ever, beating the previous record of 268 new cases, which was set on April 2, 2020 when the pandemic first started. The more contagious Omicron variant is now the dominant strain in the U.S. accounting for 73% of new cases, according to data released by the CDC on December 20.

New Omicron variant continues to spread globally (Dec. 1)

On November 26, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified a new variant of concern called the Omicron variant. First discovered by scientists in South Africa, little is known about the new variant although some fear it could be more transmissible and that it could evade vaccine protection. The Omicron variant has yet to be confirmed in the U.S., but has already been detected in countries such as the U.K., Canada, Spain, Italy, and Australia.

Pfizer boosters now available to Jersey City residents (Oct. 4)

Jersey City residents aged 18–64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional settings may now get a booster shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Appointments can be made by calling 201-373-2316.

More than 80% of NJ residents have received their first COVID shot (Sept. 1)

Over 80% of eligible NJ residents have received at least one COVID vaccination dose, tweeted Govenor Murphy. According to health officials, the majority of hospitalizations and deaths in New Jersey are among unvaccinated people.

NJ governor mandates vaccinations for state workers, teachers (August 24)

Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order mandating all school staff to get fully vaccinated by October 18. Likewise, state workers must also be fully vaccinated by the same date. Those who don’t comply will have to get tested for COVID-19 up to 2x per week.

Delta Plus variant detected in South Korea (August 4)

A new COVID-19 strain — called “Delta Plus” — has been detected in South Korea, reports Reuters. The “plus” of the variant’s name refers to its K417N spike protein mutation, which is which is also found in the Beta variant first identified in South Africa. It’s believed that the Delta Plus variant is even more transmissible than the Delta variant. Delta Plus has also been detected in the UK, U.S., and India.

Update from the mayor (July 25)

Mayor Steven Fulop issued a COVID 19 Jersey City update on his Facebook page in late July. According to the mayor, “slightly more than 65% of our residents are fully vaccinated” with city officialls reaching out to communities and teenagers to encourage all residents get vaccinated. Fulop says the NJ State lab has spotted one variant case locally, but no further info was released on which variant and where in Jersey City that variant was detected.

Delta variant raises concerns among health officials (July 1)

Health officials worry that the Delta variant, which is 50% to 60% more contagious than the original COVID-19 variant, could trigger new outbreaks in cities with low vaccination rates. Health officials in Los Angeles County, for instance, are asking residents to wear masks again when entering public, indoor spaces, reports ABC 7.

Coronavirus Jersey City cases fall to new lows (June 11)

COVID-19 cases in Jersey City have fallen to record lows. As of June 9, the city is reporting a 7-day average of just 8 new cases per day. Just a few months ago, the average was well into the hundreds. The amount of Jersey City residents fully vaccinated has risen slightly to 48%, according to the city’s vaccine dashboard.

46% of Jersey City residents are now fully vaccinated (June 1)

According to the latest New numbers shared by city officials, 46% of Jersey City residents are now fully vaccinated. (Fully vaccinated residents are defined as anyone with two doses of Moderna/Pfizer or one dose of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine). Back in mid-May, only 34% of residents were fully vaccinated. In addition, the city’s 7-day rolling average of new COVID-19 infections is now 13 new cases per day, the lowest it’s been in months.

Face mask mandate and social distancing end Friday (May 25)

New Jersey is ending its face mask and social distancing mandates this Friday, May 28. However, masks will still be required in health care settings, long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and on all public transportation. State buildings, such as the Motor Vehicle Commissoin agency, will require the use of face masks. In addition, the prohibition on ordering and eating/drinking while standing at bars and restaurants will also be lifted.

COVID-19 vaccine incentives in NJ include beach pass, wine (May 21)

Health officials in New Jersey are offering everthing from a State Parks Vax Pass to free glasses of wine for residents who get their COVID-19 vaccine, reports ABC 7. Called Operation Jersey Summer, the incentives are designed to encouarge more people to get vaccinated. Currently, about 51% of New Jersey’s 9.2 million residents are now vaccinated against the virus.

Gov. says NJ will keep its indoor face mask mandate (May 19)

Vaccinated New Jersey residents will need to keep their face masks on while in public, indoor spaces, said Governor Phil Murphy. Unlike neighboring NY, CT, and PA — which are adpopting the CDC’s new mask guidelines — NJ is keeping its indoor mask mandate. However, residents will be able to remove their face masks when outside, as long as they’re able to social distance.

NJ could end its public health emergency soon (May 17)

Governor Phil Murphy may soon end New Jersey’s COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. The health emergency was initially declared on March 9, 2020. It gives Murphy expanded powers, such as the ability to announce stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. Murphy recently extended it for another 30-day period, ending in mid-June. However, with the worst (hopefully) behind us, Murphy plans to let the Public Health Emergency expire after this last extension.

34% of Jersey City residents are fully vaccinated (May 14)

New numbers shared by Healthier JC indicate that 34% of Jersey City residents are fully vaccinated. (Fully vaccinated residents are defined as anyone with two doses of Moderna/Pfizer or one dose of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine). Meanwhile, 20% of Jersey City’s population has received one dose of Moderna/Pfizer. Since May 5, approximately 184,600 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Jersey City.

Jersey City, Hoboken to begin vaccinating 12 to 15 year olds this week (May 12)

Jersey City and Hoboken will become the first cities in Hudson County to vaccinate children in the 12 to 15 age group, reports NJ.com. As soon as the CDC approves the Pfizer vaccine for children, city officials will immediately open the Maureen Collier Senior Center as a new walk-in Pfizer site in Jersey City. The city will also offer Pfizer shots for children at Ferris High School beginning on Monday.

FDA authorizes Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids 12 to 15 (May 11)

The FDA has authorized Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for use in children ages 12 to 15, reports NPR. In their trials, the vaccine was 100% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children between the ages of 12 and 15. If approved by the CDC during this Wednesday’s meeting, the vaccine could be distributed to adolescents as soon as this week.

Diner can now enjoy bar seating and buffets in NJ (May 7)

Buffets, self-service food stations, and indoor bar seating return to the New Jersey restaurant scene today. COVID-19 restrictions on all three are lifted effective immediately. This is one of the biggest steps forward the NJ restaurant industry has seen since the early days of the panemic.

CVS offering walk-up COVID-19 vaccines at all NJ locations (May 6)

CVS pharmacies across New Jersey are now offering free, walk-up COVID-19 vaccinations, reports NJ.com. You can still make an appointment via the CVS website, but it’s no longer necessary.

NJ gov. announces “shot and a beer” vaccine incentive (May 5)

Any New Jersey resident getting their first COVID-19 vaccine during the month of May will be able to get a free beer at partcipating NJ breweries, said Governor Phil Murphy. The program is designed to encourage more younger residents living in NJ to get vaccinated.

NJ to lift most COVID-19 restrictions on May 19 (May 4)

New Jersey is lifting the majority of its COVID-19 restrictions on May 19, said Governor Phil Murphy at his Monday press briefing. Capacity restrictions will be removed for restaurants, gyms, retail, and cultural venues. The announcement is being made in parallel with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, whose states are also ending most restrictions.

NYC indoor dining will expand to 75% on May 7 (May 3)

Dining restrictions will begin to loosen up in New York. Beginning Friday, May 7, New York City restaurants will be permitted to 75% dining capacity, reports Gothamist. Hair salons, barber shops, and other personal care services will also expand to 75% capacity on the same date. Meanwhile, NYC gyms and fitness centers will expand to 50% capacity beginning May 15th.

Pfizer’s new at-home COVID-19 pill could be available by end of year (April 29)

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla says the company’s experimental at-home COVID-19 pill could be available by end of year, reports NBC. The oral pill can be taken at the onset of any COVID-19 symptoms. The new drug belongs to a class of medicines called protease inhibitors. They work by inhibiting an enzyme that the virus needs to replicate in human cells.

Gov. Murphy to accelerate opening of the state (April 29)

New Jersey’s COVID-19 restrictions could be further relaxed as soon as Monday. In his Wednesday briefing, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said residents are “going to see us accelerating opening up of the state.” The news comes just as New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announces that New York’s 12am outdoor dining curfew will be lifted on May 17.  The 12am indoor dining curfew will also be lifted on May 31 in New York.

CDC issues new guidelines surrounding mask wearing (April 28)

Fully vaccinated people can go maskless when venturing outside, unless they’re in heavily crowded areas, said the CDC in its new guidelines. In addition, fully vaccinated people can gather indoors with unvaccinated people of any age from one other household without masks or staying 6 feet apart (unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19). These are just a few of the rewards fully vaccinated people can now enjoy for receiving their COVID-19 vaccine.

Outdoor gatherings to increase to 500 people on May 10 (April 27)

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is increasing the capacity of outdoor gatherings to 500 people beginning May 10. “Should our public health metrics continue to trend as they have been, we would hope to increase this limit yet again before Memorial Day,” tweeted Murphy. In addition, outdoor carnivals and fairs can increase to 50% capacity on the same date.

U.S. lifts halt on J&J COVID-19 vaccines (April 26)

The United Stated has started administering doses of the singe-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, reports NPR. The FDA and the CDC announced Friday that the vaccine is safe and effective at preventing COVID-19. The vaccine was suspended after six women developed a severe disorder that led to blood clots in their brains within two weeks of receiving the vaccine. One of the patients died. Since the initial suspension, there have been a total of 13 reported cases among women ages 18 to 49, and two cases among women 50 and older. (No cases were found among men). However, the rate of reported cases is 1-in-7 million.

Demand for COVID-19 vaccine is dropping in NJ (April 23)

Almost 2.6 million New Jersey residents are now fully vaccinated, reports NorthJersey.com. That’s roughly halfway toward the goal of getting 4.7 million (or 70%) of the state fully vaccinated. However, demand for the COVID-19 vaccine is starting to wane in the Garden State. This could lead to another wave of infections if not enough residents are vaccinated for the state to reach some level of herd immunity. As a result, state officials will begin an outreach campaign to encourage more residents to get vaccinated.

City schools will reopen next week afterall (April 22)

Jersey City schools will reopen next week afterall. In yet another reversal, Superintendent Franklin Walker is now confirming that Jersey City public schools will reopen on April 29, reports CBS New York. Pre-K through 3rd graders who chose in-person learning will return on April 29, whereas 4th through 8th graders are set to return on May 10.

Jersey City schools will not reopen for in-class learning (April 21)

Jersey City’s public schools will not reopen on April 26 as originally planned, reports NJ.com. Superintendent Franklin Walker cites a shortage of teachers willing to return to schools as the reason for the last-minute reversal. According to Walker, more than 450 staff members declined to return to their schools last Thursday and Friday when their attendance was mandatory.

All NJ residents age 16 and over can now be vaccinated (April 20)

Anyone who lives, works, or studies in New Jersey and is 16 years or older, is now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Those aged 16 or 17 can only receive the Pfizer vaccine and they must be accompanied by a parent or guardian in order to receive their vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines are now available to everyone in the nation 16 and up.

NJ man who got COVID after J&J vaccine now on ventilator (April 19)

A New Jersey man who contracted COVID-19 a month after receiving the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine is now on a ventilator, reports NJ.com. According to the CDC, there have been about 5,800 breakthrough infections out of the nearly 77 million people in the United States who are fully vaccinated. Those breakthrough infections would represent 0.007% of those who are vaccinated.

Third booster vaccine likely needed, says Pfizer CEO (April 16)

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla says people will likely need a third booster shot within a year of getting vaccinated against COVID-19, reports NBC News. Researchers are currently trying to determine how long protection against the virus lasts once someone is fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said the company is working on a shot that would combine protection against COVID-19 and the seasonal flu.

Starting April 19, NYC bars and restaurants can remain open till midnight (April 15)

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is loosening dining regulations in New York City. Beginning next Monday (April 19), New York City bars and restaurants can remain open till 12am. That extends the current curfew of 11pm by one hour. Keep in mind that MTA service throughout NYC shutsdown from 2am till 4am while trains and stations are disinfected.

CDC and FDA recommend pausing J&J vaccine rollout (April 14)

The CDC and FDA are recommending that the U.S. pause the rollout of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, reports NPR. The agencies are asking the vaccine be paused out of extreme precaution after six individuals in the U.S. who received the vaccine developed severe forms of blood clots. All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. The agencies recommend anyone experiencing severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks of getting the J&J shot should contact their health provider.

NJ man hospitalized a month after receiving COVID vaccine (April 13)

A man from Edison, NJ, has been hospitalized with COVID-19 a month after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, reports ABC 7. The man, who received his vaccine on March 6, started feeling sick on April 1. He’s now in critical condition and being treated for pneumonia in addition to coronavirus. It’s not clear how or why he contracted COVID after being vaccinated.

City employees must return to offices in May (April 12)

All Jersey City employees must return to their offices starting in May, reports NJ.com. “Decreasing” COVID-19 cases and increased vaccinations are among the reasons the city is ending its work-from-home program. The city is currently installing plexiglas dividers at workstations and reconfiguring office layouts to allow for social distancing. Mandatory mask-wearing will also be required.

Supply of J&J vaccine expected to plummet in coming weeks (April 9)

New Jersey’s supply of Johnson & Johnson’s one-dose COVID-19 vaccine is expected to drop by as much as 90% in the coming weeks, reports NorthJersey.com. Next week, the state will see a drop from 131,000 to 15,600 doses. The following week it will dwindle further to just 5,200 doses, said New Jersey Commissioner of Health Judith Persichilli. The shortage is due to the manufacturing issues at a Maryland production facility that caused J&J to throw out 15 million doses of its vaccine. The nationwide shortage comes just as eligibility for the vaccine is expanding. “We have pretty clear visibility that the Johnson & Johnson supply that went up so dramatically this week is going to be down for at least the next couple of weeks,” said Governor Phil Murphy at a recent press briefing. “There are available appointments now. They’re probably not going to be available next week, so jump at them if you can.”

UK COVID strain is now dominant strain in U.S. (April 8)

The highly contagious UK variant of COVID-19, referred to as B.1.1.7, is now the dominant strain in the United States, reports NPR. The announcement comes as the number of confirmed cases in the United States is rising. New York, Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania and New Jersey accounted for more than 196,400 of the country’s 453,360 cases last week. The UK strain is said to be 50% more transmissable than the original COVID-19 strain.

Hudson County is finally receiving more vaccine doses (April 7)

For weeks Hudson County — the state’s most densely populated county — has suffered from the worst vaccination rate in all of New Jersey. That’s about to change as the New Jersey Dept. of Health has increased Hudson County’s allotment of vaccines, reports NJ.com. The county will receive 20,850 doses this week, its largest allocation to date. Meanwhile, Jersey City is expecting to get 3,500 doses of vaccine. To be clear, it’s not confirmed that Hudson County will continue to receive these high numbers of vaccine doses. However, officials hope this can get as many people vaccinated as possible.

Starting April 19, all NJ residents aged 16 and over can get vaccinated (April 6)

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced on Monday that all New Jersey residents aged 16 and over will be able to get vaccinated beginning Monday, April 19. That’s two weeks ahead of the state’s initial target of May 1. “With increasing supply of vaccine from the federal government, New Jersey has been ramping up the pace of doses administered and adding points of dispensing across the state, allowing us to extend eligibility to all adults sooner than expected,” said New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli via press release. According to state officials, New Jersey is on track to meet Murphy’s goal of fully vaccinating 4.7 million adults by June 30.

 

New models predict record infections in NJ this summer (April 5)

New Jersey could be in for a dangerous summer. New COVID-19 models predict the Garden State could see the highest number of daily COVID cases the state has ever recorded, reports NorthJersey.com. The models vary based on the assumptions about when 70% of New Jerseyans get vaccinated, on how good vaccines are at blocking variants, and on how well New Jerseyans continue social distancing. In the worst case scenario, by May 18 there could be 8,162 cases, 3,644 hospitalizations, and 415 patients on ventilators. In a more moderate scenario, April 18 will be the peak of the current wave, with a high of 5,445 cases, 2,669 people in the hospital, and 319 patients on ventilators.

Hudson County vaccine allotment to triple this week (April 4)

New Jersey will triple the number of COVID-19 vaccines it sends to Hudson County this coming week. As a result, Jersey City has opened 2,340 new appointments based on a new allocation of Pfizer vaccines. (The city had been previously distrubiting Moderna and limited Johnson & Johnson vaccines). To make an appointment, call 201-373-2316 from 9am to 5pm 7 days per week.

NJ to see increase in J&J vaccines next week (April 2)

Despite losing 15 million doses after a production error at a Baltimore factory, Johnson & Johnson says New Jersey will still see an increase in the amount of J&J vaccines it receives next week, reports NorthJersey.com. The New Brunswick-based pharmeceutical says New Jersey’s allocation of J&J vaccines will rise to 131,600 next week, up from 51,700 doses this week.

Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine 100% effective in protecting teens (April 1)

Pfizer announced on Wednesday that its COVID-19 vaccine is 100% effective at protecting 12 to 15 year olds. In their testing, Pfizer reported higher levels of virus-fighting antibodies in 12 to 15 year olds that received the vaccine than what was seen in studies of young adults aged 16 to 25. Pfizer plans to ask the FDA for emergency use authorization to vaccinate kids aged 12 and up.

Outdoor gathering limits increase on Friday (March 31)

Govenor Phil Murphy announced he will raise the limit on general outdoor gathering starting this Friday, April 2. The general outdoor gathering limit will increase to 200 people, whereas the general indoor gathering limit will remain at 25 people.

FEMA to reimburse families for COVID-19-related funeral costs (March 30)

As part of the CARES Act, FEMA has announced that it will reimburse funeral costs up to $9,000 for any COVID-19-related deaths. The funeral assiatance program will begin accepting applications in April. If you had COVID-19 funeral expenses, we encourage you to keep and gather documentation. Required information includes an official death certificate that attributes the death directly or indirectly to COVID-19 and shows that the death occurred in the United States, funeral expenses documents (receipts, etc.), and the dates the funeral expenses happened.

NJ expands COVID-19 vaccine eligibility 

Governor Phil Murphy has expanded vaccine eligibility for New Jersey residents. Beginning April 5, residents aged 55 to 64 years old, as well as anyone over 16 with developmental disabilities, will be able to get vaccinated. The list also includes service workers, construction workers, media, financial institution workers, sanitation/porters, utility workers, librarians, and more.

7 in 10 COVID-19 patients haven’t recovered 5 months after discharge (March 26)

A new study shows that seven in 10 COVID-19 patients haven’t fully recovered five months after discharge, reports CNN. The UK-wide study analyzed 1,077 people who were discharged from a hospital between March and November 2020. Five months after discharge, more than 90% of the people had at least one persistent symptom and most experienced an average of nine ongoing symptoms. The most common symptoms were muscle pain, fatigue, impaired sleep quality, joint pain/swelling, limb weakness, breathlessness, pain, short-term memory loss, and slowed thinking.

Third vaccination center opens in Jersey City (March 25)

City officials have opened a third Jersey City vaccination site at PS 26 at 164 Laidlaw Avenue in the Heights. The number to call for a vaccination appointment in either of the three city-run vaccination center is (201) 373-2316.  A list of other vaccination centers can be found on the city’s website.

NJ Senator requests more COVID-19 vaccines for Hudson County (March 24)

New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez is demanding more COVID-19 vaccines for Hudson County, reports, NJ.com. Although Hudson County has the fourth-highest population in New Jersey, it ranks 10th in the state for the number of vaccine doses it’s administered. It also ranks last when considering the number of shots administered per 100,000 residents. Earlier in the year, Gov. Murphy visited the Bethune Center in Jersey City with the promise of sending more COVID vaccines to the city. Weeks later, it’s just as difficult to score a first-dose COVID-19 vaccine as it was last month.

NJ leads the nation in COVID-19 infections (March 23)

The Garden State’s 7-day average of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents is the highest in the country, according to the CDC. “We are back to leading the nation in the spread of this virus,” said Governor Phil Murphy at his Monday press conference. “The presence of vaccines does not mean the pandemic is over.” Governor Murphy said there will be no more loosening of COVID-19 restrictions due to the emerging COVID-19 variants now found in New Jersey.

Indoor dining now operating at 50% capacity (March 22)

NJ indoor dining is now operating at 50% capacity. The new capacity limitations went into effect this past Friday. Gyms, fitness clubs, salons/barber shops, and other personal care businesses can also open with 50% capacity.

Jersey City MVC closes after COVID-19 exposure (March 19)

The Jersey City Motor Vehicle Commission at 438 Summit Avenue has closed due to an employee testing positive for COVID-19. The agency tweeted the news yesterday saying it plans to reopen on Thursday, April 1.

More than 600 Jersey City school teachers vaccinated this week (March 18)

Over 600 Jersey City public school teachers were vaccinated in Jersey City this week, reports NJ.com. Meanwhile, another 1,000 have appointments to be vaccinated soon. There are approximately 4,700 public school employees in the district. City officialls will evaluate the progress at the end of the week to make sure the plans to reopen schools on April 22 are on feasible. Should they reopen on April 22, teachers will be required to return, whereas students will have the option to stick with in-class or remote learning.

Almost 30,000 Jersey City residents now vaccinated (March 17)

In a Facebook post, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said that around 30,000 Jersey City residents have been vaccinated. “Through our JC program there have been 12k residents vaccinated and through the county program there has been an additional 12k JC residents that they vaccinated. In addition there are some smaller partners via the FQHCs [federally qualified health centers] so we are close to 30K total vaccines for JC residents.”

Jersey City now receiving about 3,000 COVID-19 vaccines per week (March 16)

In an interview with PIX 11, Mayor Fulop also said the city is getting “about 3,000 vaccines a week.” That’s a significant increase from the 500 or so doses the city was initually receiving at the start of the year. Coronavirus Jersey City cases remain high this month with a 7-day rolling average of about 121 new cases per day.

Fauci warns of new COVID surge that could hit the U.S. (March 15)

Dr. Anthony Fauci is urging Americans to adhere to CDC regulations or risk yet another COVID surge in the United States, reports CNBC. Recent spikes across Europe are due in part to a relaxation of safety measures. Italy, Germany, Poland, and Hungary have reported serious spikes, while the Czech Republic and Slovakia show some of the highest death rates in the world. “Don’t spike the ball on the five-yard line,” said Fauci. “Wait until you get into the end zone. We are not in the end zone yet.”

New experimental drug could help reduce virus in COVID-19 patients (March 13)

New Jersey-based pharmaceutical company Merck has developed an experimental drug that reduces the viral load among individuals with early-stage COVID-19, reports the WSJ. Molnupiravir caused a significant drop in patients’ infectious virus after five days of treatment with it, according to Merck. Unlike other drugs targeting the spike protein protruding from the surface of the virus, molnupiravir attacks a portion of the virus that helps it reproduce. Merck expects to have more data by the end of this month exploring whether molnupiravir helps prevent Covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths.

COVID-19 vaccines will be available to all American adults by May 1 (March 12)

In an effort to accelerate mass vaccinations, President Joe Biden said he will order states to make coronavirus vaccines available to all American adults by May 1, reports the NYT. During his first prime-time presidential address, Biden also said his goal is to get the U.S. as close to normal as possible by July 4. The president said his hope is that Americans will be able to celebrate the holiday in small gatherings.

South African COVID-19 strain found in Hudson County (March 11)

New Jersey Commissioner of Health Judith Persichilli has confirmed the first case of the more contagious South African COVID-19 strain in New Jersey. There are now 145 CDC variants of COVID-19 circulating in the Garden State. Here in Hudson County, there are 10 strains including the Brazilian, UK, and South African strain.

NJ will honor COVID-19 frontline workers with COVID-19 Heroes Day (March 10)

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy passed a resolution proclaiming March 9 of every year as COVID-19 Heroes Day. “It is my honor to sign this bill recognizing the heroic efforts of those who have been serving on the front lines,” said Murphy. “These heroes have brought us to this moment where we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

CDC releases new guidelines for vaccinated people (March 9)

The CDC has released new guidelines for people who have been fully vaccinated. The guidelines say fully vaccinated people can visit other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing. In addition, they can visit unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing. (The CDC defines fully vaccinated as people who have waited two weeks after receiving their second vaccine dose or two weeks after receiving their single-dose vaccine).

VNA to hold Zoom meeting on vaccinations (March 8)

The Village Neighborhood Association will host a meeting Monday, March 8 at 7:30pm to discus COVID vaccinations in Jersey City. Stacy Flanagan, Director of the Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services, will talk about the process. You can register for the meeting here.

Jersey City to prioritize vaccinations for teachers (March 5)

City officials will reserve 2,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to innoculate Jersey City’s public school teachers, reports NJ.com. Teachers will be eligible for the vaccine beginning on March 15 and Mayor Steven Fulop told NJ.com that 100% of vaccinations that week will be reserved for teachers and school staff. The goal is to have schools reopen on April 22.

NJ opens COVID vaccine eligibility to residents who are overweight (March 4)

New Jersey residents who are overweight or have high blood pressure will soon be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. According to a press release put out by the governor’s office, beginning March 29, the eligibility list will include individuals ages 16 to 64 with certain medical conditions, as defined by the CDC, that increase the risk or might increase the risk of severe illness from the virus.

Jersey City opens second municipal vaccination center (March 3)

Mayor Steven Fulop recently announced that the city opened its second COVID-19 vaccination center at Ferris High School (35 Colgate) last week. This is the second of six centers that the city hopes to open. (The other location is at the Bethune Center). You must schedule an appointment by calling (201) 547-5688 or (201) 373-2316. (Note: we attempted to call the first number 12 times and kept getting a busy signal or number cannot be reached message. Keep trying).

Vaccine eligibility will soon include teachers, restaurant workers (March 2)

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that restaurant workers, teachers, and transportation workers will soon be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in New Jersey. Beginning Monday, March 15, the following will be eligible for vaccination:

  • Educators, including support staff, in pre-K through 12th grade settings;
  • Childcare workers in licensed and registered settings;
  • Public and local transportation workers, including bus, taxi, rideshare, and airport employees; NJ TRANSIT workers; and Motor Vehicle Commission staff;
  • Public safety workers who are not sworn law enforcement or fire professionals, including probation officers and fire safety inspectors;
  • Migrant farm workers;
  • Members of tribal communities; and,
  • Individuals experiencing homelessness and those living in shelters, including domestic violence shelters

Another wave of eligible residents that includes hospitality workers, postal/shipping workers, and clergy will be able to get the vaccine beginning on March 29.

Jersey City public schools to remain remote through April 21 (March 1)

Superintendent Franklin Walker says that Jersey City public schools will remain remote through at least April 21, reports NJ.com. Despite parents asking the Board of Education to reopen schools to in-person learning, the teachers’ union wants to vaccinate all school staff members before committing to a reopening date. A scarcity of vaccines in Jersey City could further delay in-person learning.

NYC’s COVID-19 strain already found in NJ (February 27)

A new strain of COVID-19 has been found in New York City, reports the New York Times. The variant — which is called B.1.526 — is similar to the COVID-19 strains that have emerged in South Africa. The strain first emerged in NYC in November of 2020. Since then, it’s been found to be spreading rapidly and it’s feared it could lessen the effectiveness of some vaccines. Researchers at Columbia University also fear that it could lead to another spike in COVID-19 infections.

NYC indoor dining increases to 35% capacity (February 26)

Indoor dining in New York City will increase to 35% capacity today (February 26). That’s a 10% increase since indoor dining in New York City resumed on February 12. Although restaurants in New York state can operate at 50% capacity, Governor Andrew Cuomo has been cautious in bringing back indoor dining to New York City. New Jersey and New York City are now both operating at 35% max capacity for indoor dining.

FDA confirms Johnson & Johnson vaccine is safe and effective (February 25)

The FDA has confirmed that Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, reports NPR. On Friday, a panel of advisers will recommend whether it should be given emergency use authorization. If approved, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine would become the third COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. joining those made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Although an FDA review found the vaccine to be 66% effective — which is less than Pfizer’s 95% and Moderna’s 94% — nobody who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine required hospitalization or died of the virus. The vaccine study was conducted in the U.S., Latin America, and South Africa.

Jersey City could extend rent increases till end of pandemic (February 24)

City officials are considering extending the moratorium on rent increases till the end of the state’s health emergency, reports NJ.com. The City Council is expected to introduce an amending ordinance Wednesday that’ll continue the rent hike freeze on rent-controlled apartments.

U.S. surpasses 500K COVID-19 related deaths (February 23)

The United States is crossing yet another grim milestone in the fight against COVID-19. This week, the country surpassed 500,000 COVID-19 related deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. About 2,000 people die from the disease every day on average in the United States. That’s down from about 3,000 deaths per day in mid-January.

South African COVID-19 strain found in Long Island (February 22)

The first reported case of the South African COVID-19 variant has been discovered in a Long Island resident, Governor Andrew Cuomo said Sunday. New studies suggest that the South African strain appears to reduce the number of protective antibodies elicited by the Pfizer vaccine, reports Reuters.

Winter weather causes vaccine shipment delays in NJ (February 19)

Vaccine appointmenst throughout New Jersey are being cancelled and delayed as a result of the inclement weather, reports NorthJersey.com. The state was due to receive about 230,000 first and second doses, but now state officials don’t know when the new vaccines could arrive in New Jersey. The CDC says that bad weather is causing delays at the nation’s two major vaccine distribution hubs: the FedEx facility in Memphis, TN, and the UPS facility in Louisville, KY.

Jersey City will provide second round of COVID rent relief (February 18)

City officials have announced plans to offer a second round of COVID rent relief to eligible households in Jersey City. The first round of relief awarded $2.5 million in rent relief and utility assistance to over 1,600 low-income households throughout Jersey City. Eligible households must fall below federal income limits and owe rent/utility payments for over three months or fewer since March 2020. You can receive alerts when the new applications are availble via this link.

Widespread vaccinations could start by early June (February 17)

Widespread vaccinations of the general public will likely start in the spring, reports CNN. Dr. Anthony Fauci also predicts that large portions of the public will be able to readily find or schedule vaccination appointments by the end of the summer rather than April, as was earlier predicted.

Rite Aid is now administering COVID-19 vaccines in Jersey City (February 15)

Two Rite Aid pharmacies in Jersey City are now administering the COVID-19 vaccine. The Rite Aid at 2859 Kennedy Blvd and the Rite Aid at 981 West Side Avenue are both offering vaccines. Appointments must be made online via this link. (It appears both locations are out of appointments, but you’ll want to check everyday should news ones open).

Indoor dining returns to NYC today (February 12)

Indoor dining in New York City restaurants returns Friday at 25% capacity. The reopening was previously scheduled for Valentine’s Day, but restaurants requested an earlier reopening date to allow staff to prepare. All restaurants must follow state guidelines which include no seating/service at bar counters, no service between (12am and 5), and more.

Gov. Murphy visits Bethune Center in Jersey City (February 11)
Credit: Josue Lora/NJ Governor’s office

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy visited Jersey City’s only operational vaccination site — the Bethune Center — on Wednesday. Mayor Steven Fulop invited the governor to tour the facility in the hopes that the state would then send more vaccine doses to Jersey City. The city has only received from 300 to 700 doses per week for the entire population.

CVS will begin NJ vaccinations this Thursday (February 10)

CVS will begin accepting appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations on February 11 instead of February 9, reports NJ.com. The vaccines will then be administered to NJ residents on Friday, February 12. However, CVS is not revealing which NJ locations will have the vaccine inventory because the stores will change based on the availability of the vaccine. This is the CVS website to book your vaccination appointment (just keep in mind NJ hasn’t been added yet).

NJ has administered more than 1 million COVID-19 vaccines (February 9)

New Jersey has administered more than 1 million COVID vaccination doses statewide, said Governor Phil Muphy at his Monday press brief. “Even with the continued scarcity in supply and the rescheduling caused by snowstorms, we have put 500,000 vaccine doses in arms in just a little over two weeks,” said Murphy. “This is definitely forward progress and it shows how we are working to maximize every dose we received from the federal government to administer the vaccine to those currently eligible.”

UK COVID strain is doubling in the U.S. every 10 days (February 8)

The more contagious UK COVID-19 strain is doubling in the United States every 10 days, reports a new study funded by the CDC. Also known as B.1.1.7, the study says that the UK strain is destined to become the dominant SARS-CoV-2 lineage by in the U.S. by March, 2021.

Select CVS stores in NJ will offer COVID vaccine February 11 (February 5)

CVS will start offering COVID-19 vaccines to eligible residents starting Thursday, February 11. The vaccination program will start with 250,000 doses for New Jersey. To get vaccinated at a CVS location, you’ll need to make an appointment via CVS.com, the CVS mobile app, or by phone at 800-746-7287. You can find out which CVS locations will admister the vaccine via their website.

Indoor dining capacity increases to 35% on Friday (February 4)

Governor Phil Murphy just issued an executive order raising NJ indoor dining capacity from 25% to 35% effective this Friday at 8am. Casinos, gyms, performance venues, salons, and wedding venues can also operate at the higher 35% capacity. In addition, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Hoboken Mayor Ravinder Bhalla announced they would lift the 10pm restaurant/bar curfews in their respective cities. That means restaurants and bars can now operate regular business hours.

COVID vaccines will ship direct to pharmacies starting next week (February 3)

The federal government will send COVID-19 vaccines direct to pharmacies for distribution starting next week, reports NBC News. An initial shipment of 1 million doses will go to 6,500 stores. CVS has announed it will receive 250,000 of those doses next week. 19,900 of those doses will come to New Jersey CVS pharmacies, says CVS.

Federal mask mandate starts today (February 2)

The CDC’s federal mask mandate goes into effect today. The mandate requires the wearing of masks by travelers to prevent the spread of COVID-19. According to the CDC website, the mandate “must be followed by all passengers on public conveyances (e.g., airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis, ride-shares) traveling into, within, or out of the United States as well as conveyance operators (e.g., crew, drivers, conductors, and other workers involved in the operation of conveyances) and operators of transportation hubs (e.g., airports, bus or ferry terminals, train or subway stations, seaports, ports of entry) or any other area that provides transportation in the United States.”

Only 1,300 vaccines have been administered in Jersey City (February 1)

Just 1,300 vaccines have been administred in Jersey City, reports NJ.com. In a Facebook post last week, Mayor Steven Fulop attributes the dismal number to a lack of doses from the state. “Two weeks ago the state allocated a total of 300 doses for the entire city,” wrote Fulop. “This week they gave us 500 doses, and next week they have told us the number will be 700 doses for the entire city.” Currently, the Bethune Ceter in Ward F is the only Jersey City location administering vaccines to the eligible public.

NYC indoor dining to return on Valentine’s Day (January 30)

Indoor dining will return to New York City at 25% max capacity starting on February 14, announced Governor Andrew Cuomo. Indoor dining in NYC had been suspended for the second time since December 14. The governor has also given permission for marriage receptions to resume as of March 15. Receptions must be approved by the local health department and there will be a 50% capacity limit with no more than 150 people attending the event. All guests must also be tested prior to the event.

Hospital gave COVID-19 vaccines to wealthy donors, says report (January 29)

The Hunterdon Medical Center allegedly gave COVID-19 vaccines to wealthy donors and their children, says NJ 101.5. Hospital officials say they only administered vaccines to individuals without appointments when there was danger of vaccine oversupply going to waste.

NJ to get 130,000 vaccine doses per week for next three weeks (January 28)

New Jersey will receive 130,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines each week for the next three weeks, said New Jersey Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli at Wednesday’s COVID-19 briefing. The doses will be used to vaccinate the general population.

Oculus WTC closing overnight due to pandemic (January 27)

The Oculus WTC is closing every night between 1am till 5am “to allow for maintenance and the safety and security of customers due to reduced traffic volumes.” PATH riders are asked to use the Vesey Street or Fulton Street entrance via the North Concourse in the 2WTC Transit Lobby. All other entrances are closed according to the Oculus website.

NJ COVID-19 vaccine line flooded with calls on first day of service (January 26)

The New Jersey COVID-19 vaccine hotline was flooded with over 58,000 calls when it debuted on Monday, reports NorthJersey.com. The number (855-568-0545) is staffed from 8am to 8pm with 250 agents. It’s designed to help callers who have questions on vaccination sites and vaccination eligibility. Vaccination registration must still be done online at https://covidvaccine.nj.gov/.

NJ confirms first two cases of UK COVID strain (January 25)

Health officials in New Jersey have confirmed the state’s first two cases of the more contagious UK COVID-19 strain, reports Poltico. One case comes from an Ocean County man in his 60s who had no travel history, whereas the second case is from a child traveling to northern New Jersey who tested positive for the virus in New York City on January 11.

Hudson County has among worst vaccination rates (January 22)

Despite being the state’s most densely populated county, Hudson County has the second-worst COVID-19 vaccination rate, reports NJ.com. According to NJ.com, Hudson County vaccinated just 896 people per 100,000 residents between January 13 and January 19, which is the lowest rate of any county in the state, excluding Mercer.

U.S. surpasses 400K COVID-19 related deaths (January 20)

The United States surpassed 400,000 COVID-19-related deaths yesterday, according to Johns Hopkins University. The grim milestone comes almost a year after the first coronavirus case was confirmed in the state of Washington on January 20, 2020. The U.S is now averaging more than 3,300 deaths a day with many health officials predicting cases could get worse before the situation improves.

NJ expects 100K vaccine doses per week for next 4 weeks (January 19)

State officials say that New Jersey will keep receiving 50,000 Pfizer vaccine doses and 50,000 Moderna doses per week over the next month, reports NJ.com. “We were hoping for more,” said New Jersey Commissioner of Health Judith Persichilli. “We’re gonna stick with 100,000 for the next four weeks, allocate appropriately based on the throughput of some sites are busier than others, and hope that the Biden administration through the manufacturing pipeline finds more doses for it. Because we really need it.”

Jersey City awards $1 million vaccination contract to Bespoke Health (January 16)

The city council has awarded Bespoke Health a $1 million contract to setup Jersey City COVID-19 vaccination sites accross all wards, reports Hudson County View. Certain council members initially hesitsated because Bespoke was recently formed in October and only has two employees — despite claiming to have tested over 400,000 individuals during the pandemic. However, the city’s Health and Human Services Director Stacey Flanagan noted that Bespoke CEO Derek Rapisarda was involved with Jersey City’s COVID testing site at Marin Boulevard before leaving the company to start Bespoke.

JC rent relief program launches next week (January 15)

City officials have released new details on the Jersey City Rent Relief Program. Aid will be distributed through a lottery process to renters who qualify for the program. To apply, residents can fill out the online application at jcnj.org/hardshipassistance. Registration for the program will begin January 18 at the above website.

States to begin prioritizing older adults for COVID vaccine (January 13)

The Trump administration will begin releasing second doses of coronavirus shots in an effort to vaccinate more older adults, reports Politico. Previously, the second doses were being held as booster shots for those who have already received their first shot. In addition, states are now being asked to start vaccinating older adults and people with high-risk medical conditions in an effort to accelerate vaccinations.

Jersey City gets first installment of 500 COVID vaccines (January 12)

City officials received their first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines on Monday, reports NJ.com. The 500 doses of Moderna vaccine will be administered to healthcare workers, residents of long-term care facilities, firefighters, and law enforcement on Wednesday morning at the Bethune Center. Medical facilities have been administering COVID vaccines since last month. The new Moderns shipment will be the first vaccines given out under Jersey City’s city-run program.

Hudson County has distributed 70% of its first vaccine shipment (January 11)

Health officials in Hudson County report that they’ve distributed roughly 70% of the county’s vaccines, reports NJ.com. That exceeds the state’s expectation of 60%. New Jersey now finds itself in phae 1b of vaccinations, which means frontline essential workers and individuals over 75 can now get vaccinated.

Coronavirus Jersey City cases spike to 274 in one day (January 8)

Health officials reported 274 new coronavirus cases on January 6, according to the JC COVID-19 dashboard. That’s the largest single day spike Jersey City has seen since the pandemic started. (The previous all-time high was 268 cases reported back in April). The majority of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Jersey City come from men in the 16 to 30 age group.

Jersey City public school to continue remote learning (January 7)

Superintendent Franklin Walker announced that all Jersey City public schools will continue remote learning through April, reports NJ.com. Jersey City’s 30,000 pubclic school students have been inside a classroom since the start of the pandemic in March. Walker said he hoped to get students back in class sometime after April, even if just for one or two months.

More details offered on JC rent relief program (January 6)

Mayor Steven Fulop released some details on the forthcoming Jersey City rent relief program yesterday. Non-profits involved with the program include The York Street Project, WomenRising, United Way, and PACO. The program will provide a one-time up to $1,500 per household emergency grant for rental/utility payments on behalf of an individual or family household for the purpose of preventing homelessness, tweeted Fulop. Eligible households must be at 80% area median income or below.

COVID-19 vaccine registration site launches for all NJ residents (January 5)

The state of New Jersey has launched an official NJ COVID 19 vaccine website where residents can pre-register to receive the vaccine. State officials hope to vaccinate 70% of NJ residents within the first six months of 2021. The state is currently in Phase 1a of vaccinations (which includes paid and unpaid persons serving in health care settings). You’ll find the website at https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/vaccine

NJ AG seeks to suspend liquor license of Jersey City lounge (January 2)

The office of New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal is looking to temporarily suspend the liquor license of Six26 in Jersey City for allegedly violating COVID-19 restrictions. The bar allegedly violated curfew/face mask requirements, exceeded the number of patrons seated at a table, allowed smoking indoors, and hindered an investigation.

December saw 2nd-highest number of COVID cases in Jersey City (January 1)

December 2020 saw the second-highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Jersey City since the start of the pandemic. According to the JC COVID-19 dashboard, the city reported 3,890 coronavirus cases in the month of December. By comparison, the city reported 4,126 cases at the height of the pandemic in April.

New CDC forecast predicts up to 424K deaths by January 23 (December 31)

A new COVID-19 forecast by the CDC predicts the U.S. could see from 383,000 to 424,000 COVID-19 deaths by January 23, 2021. Approximately 342,000 people have already died from coronavirus in the country, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

UK COVID strain found in Denver (December 30)

State health officials in Denver, CO, announced that the’ve identified a patient with the more contaguous UK COVID-19 strain. The man, in his 20s, had no recent travel history, reports the BBC. The infected patient is in isolation in Elbert County near Denver.

PUA/PEUC claimants will receive benefits without gap or lag (December 29)

The U.S. Dept. of Labor states that Americans receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) will not see a gap or lag in benefits.

Trump signs COVID relief package (December 28)

President Donald Trump signed the COVID relief package Sunday night offering most Americans a round of $600 stimlus checks. The package also includes an additional $300/week in unemployment benefits (through March 14), a moratorium on renter evictions through January 31, and $25 billion for state/local governmets to help renters who’ve fallen behind on rent, reports the NYT.

UK COVID-19 strain now found in France, Spain, Japan (December 27)

The UK variant of COVID-19 — which is believed to be more contagious — has now been found in France, Spain, Japan, and Lebanon, reports the BBC. The French citizen who had recently traveled from London was asymptomatic and had tested positive for the new UK strain.

United passengers from UK must show negative COVID-19 test (December 26)

Starting Monday, December 28, all United passengers coming from London/Heathrow must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours (3 days) of departure, tweeted Governor Phil Murphy. Currently, United is operated 4 daily flights from London to Newark Airport. Effective next month, United will only operate 2 daily flights from London to Newark.

COVID testing sites: Where to get tested over the holidays (December 24)

Various testing sites throughout Jersey City will be closed through the weekend. The city and HealthierJC have posted a full schedule of sites that will be open/closed over the holiday.

Jersey City wants to cap fees charged by GrubHub, DoorDash (December 23)

Last week, the Jersey City council passed an ordinance (PDF) looking to cap fees charged by third-party food delivery apps. Food apps would be able to charge no more than 15% per order or 5% per order for restaurants with their own delivery team. The city passed a similar ordinance earlier in the year, but it was halted when New Jersey passed its own order capping the apps at 20%. The statewide ordinance is about to expire and Jersey City officials want to have their own ordinance in place and ready to go.

Jersey City Medical Center, Christ Hospital begin vaccine rollout (December 22)

Security Supervisor at Jersey City Medical Center, Thomas Melendez (23), became the first Jersey City resident to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, tweeted Mayor Steven Fulop. Meanwhile, frontline workers at Christ Hospital began receiving the new Modern vaccine. There’s no word on how many more frontline workers may receive the highly sought after vaccines by the end of the month.

New COVID strain appears in the UK (December 21)

A new strain of COVID-19 is causing mayhem in the UK and across Europe. First spotted on December 8, the new strain goes by the name name B.1.1.7 or VUI-202012/01. While it may sound alarming, there have been several previous mutations of COVID-19, reports The Guardian. Scientists are testing models of the new strain to see if it will lead to an increase in cases of severe COVID illness or result in fewer cases. The’re also testing to see if the current batch of vaccines can protect against the new strain. The good news is that while the new strain may spread faster among people, hospital cases haven’t skyrocketed or dropped dramatically in the UK. So it’s likely the new strain doesn’t result in more severe cases of COVID.

New Jersey to get fewer vaccines than initially expected this month (December 20)

Like many other states across the country, New Jersey will receive fewer vaccines than originally expected. “The previously expected second tranche of Pfizer doses for next week was expected to be 86,775,” said Commissioner of Health Judith Persichilli. “Now…we see we are expecting only 53,625. That’s a reduction of 38%.” Governor Phil Murphy added that every state has received a smaller allocation of vaccines.

NJ unemployment benefits could be extended through February (December 19)

Thousands of NJ residents will see their unemployment benefits expire next Friday if Congress doesn’t pass a new stimulus bill. However, state lawmakers just sent a bill providing eight weeks of emergency unemployment insurance benefits to Governor Phil Murphy for approval, reports NorthJersey.com. Under the new bill, unemployment benefits would kick in December 30 and last through February 27, 2021.

Moderna vaccine recommended to FDA for emergency use (December 18)

A panel of independent experts recommended emergency use of the Moderna vaccine to the FDA, reports the NYT. A formal decision from the FDA is expected today, which would allow 5.9 million doses of Modern’a vaccine to be shipped around the country starting this weekend. Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, which needs to be stored in ultra-cold temps, the Moderna vaccine can be distributed more widely because it can be stored in normal freezer temperatures.

Hudson County COVID-19 vaccination site opening in Kearny (December 17)

The USS Juneau Center in Kearny, NJ, will become one of Hudson County’s first COVID-19 vaccination centers, reports Hudson County View. Located at 110 Hackensack Road, it’ll be overseen by the newly created Hudson County Vaccine Task Force. Essential healthcare workers — such as doctors, nurses, dentists, hygienists, community/public health workers, funeral directors, and emergency medical technicians — will be the first to be vaccinated at Hudson County’s site.

First COVID-19 vaccine in NJ administered to ER nurse Maritza Beniquez (December 16)

New Jersey’s first coronavirus vaccine was administered to ER nurse Maritza Beniquez Tuesday morning at University Hospital in Newark, NJ. Beniquez is the first person in the state to receive the vaccine outside of a clinical trial. Beniquez, who was also celebrating her 56th birthday, is one of 80 healthcare workers to receive the vaccine at University Hosipital. Other hospitals accross the state will receive the vaccine in the coming days.

Jersey City Rent Relief Program to offer $1,500 rent checks to families in need (December 15)

In his State of the City address, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop mentioned that the city will offer “one-time checks of $1,500 to Jersey City families that need it.” The program will roll out later this month, although no further details were given on how one can apply or what the requirements will be. You can watch the full address on YouTube. (The rent relief program is mentioned at around 21:42).

NJ’s first COVID-19 vaccines will be administered in Newark (December 14)

New Jersey’s first COVID-19 vaccines will be administered Tuesday morning at University Hosiptal in Newark, tweeted Governor Phil Murphy. The first 76,000 doses will go to health care workers and long-term care residents and staff.

Indoor dining in NYC to shut down on Monday, NJ remains open (December 13)

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Friday that indoor dining in New York City will shut down beginning Monday, December 14. “The hospitalizations have continued to increase in New York City,” said Governor Cuomo. “We said that we would watch it. If the hospital rate didn’t stabilize we would close indoor dining and it has not. We’re going to close indoor dining in New York City on Monday. Outdoor dining and takeout continues.” Meanwhile, Governor Phil Murphy says New Jersey is “staying with what we got.” In New Jersey, indoor dining is restricted to 25% capacity and bars and restaurants are required to close indoor service from 10pm to 5am.

Pfizer vaccine cleared for emergency use (December 12)

The FDA cleared the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in the United States, reports the NYT. It’s now up to Pfizer, private shipping companies, state/local officials, the military, hospitals, and pharmacy chains to get the first batch of vaccines into the arms of three million health care workers and nursing home residents. The U.S. is the sixth country behind Britain, Bahrain, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico to ok the use of the vaccine.

FDA panel approves emergency use of Pfizer vaccine (December 11)

The FDA’s vaccine advisory panel formally recommended that the FDA approve the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for emergency use, reports the NYT. It’s now expected that the FDA will approve the vaccine and health care workers along with nursing home residents could get the vaccine as early as next week. The news comes as the country registered over 3,000 COVID-19 related deaths on Wednesday.

NJ restaurant association pleads for help from Congress (December 10)

The New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association (NJRHA) is asking Congress to pass a financial aid package before they adjourn for the year, reports NorthJersey.com. Without any help, 37% of New Jersey restaurant owners predict they’ll have to shutter their doors in the next six months. Meanwhile, the NJRHA predicts that at least 40% of restaurants in the state will close due to the pandemic.

U.S. surpasses 15 million COVID-19 infections (December 9)

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases surpassed 15 million on Tuesday, reports Reuters. Arizona, Alabama, and Ohio saw the biggest number of confirmed cases with the pandemic showing no signs of easing up. Dr. Moncef Slaoui, part of the administration’s Operation Warp Speed program, said vaccinations could begin in the United States as early as next week. He exepcts there will be enough vaccines to immunize 70% to 80% of the population by mid-May.

Indoor dining likely to be shutdown in NYC next week (December 8)

Indoor dining in New York City could be suspended as early as next Monday if the hospitalization rate does not stabilize in New York City in the next five days, says New York Govenor Andrew Cuomo. If the rate doesn’t stabilize in regions outside of New York City, capacity restrictions will be reduced to 25%. Currently, New York City permits 25% indoor dining capacity, whereas New York State permits 50% indoor dining capacity.

NJ records highest number of new COVID-19 cases in one day (December 7)

New Jersey reported 6,046 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, December 6. That’s the highest number of new cases ever recorded in a single day by the state. In addition, there was 16 new confirmed COVID-related deaths in the state. On Sunday, Bergen, Hudson, and Essex County were the counties with the biggest single-day surges of COVID-19.

Hudson County hospitals prep for COVID-19 surge (December 6)

Health officials across Hudson County are bracing for a post-Thanksgiving surge of infections, reports NJ.com. “We’re all worried about the Thanksgiving effect,” Dr. Tucker Woods, the Chief Medical Officer at Jersey City’s Christ Hospital, told NJ.com. “If people weren’t being smart and cautious during Thanksgiving, we could see amplification in the coming days, especially next week. So we’re all kind of on pins and needles.”

Maritime Parc shutdown for allegedly breaking NJ’s COVID-19 rules (December 5)

Liberty State Park restaurant Maritime Parc has been shutdown after hosting a New York Young Republican Club event that allegedly violated the state’s COVID-19 restrictions. The party was secretly moved to Jersey City, which has more lax restrictions that New York. (NY caps gatherings at 50 peoplr or 25% of a venue’s capacity, whichever is less). Photos posted on social media show attendees not wearing masks and not social distancing. In his daily COVID-19 briefing, Governor Phil Murphy also called out Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz who attended the event as Sarah Palin’s backup. Mayor Steven Fulop tweeted a photo of the health department’s notice ordering the restaurant shutdown.

CDC warns of “tough times” ahead (December 4)

Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recentkly warned American that tough times are ahead for the country, reports The Guardian. “The reality is, December and January and February are going to be tough times,” said Redfield. “I actually believe they’re going to be the most difficult time in the public health history of this nation.” On Thursday, Johns Hopkins University reported 203,304 new cases and 2,702 reported deaths. It’s the second highest daily report of new cases since the pandemic started.

UK will begin administering COVID-19 vaccine next week (December 3)

The United Kingdom will become the first western country to approve mass use of a COVID-19 vaccine, reports the BBC. The region will receive 800,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. People will be vaccinated twice (21 days apart) and immunity starts seven days after the second dose. The vaccine was authorized for emergency use by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA), ahead of the U.S. and the rest of Europe.

November was 2nd-worst month for COVID-19 cases in Jersey City (December 2)

New data indicates that November was the second-highest month for new COVID-19 cases in Jersey City. According to the COVID-19 dashboard, the city reported a total of 2,519 new cases during the month of November. By comparison, the city had reported only 689 new cases for the month of October and just 201 in September. (The previous all-time high was 4,124 new cases in the month of April).

Jersey City has over 10K total coronavirus infections since March (December 1)

The city recently crossed a grim milestone in its battle against coronavirus. As of December 1, Jersey City officials have reported 10,231 cummulative coronavirus infections. The city’s 7-day rolling average is now 115 new cases per day.

Officials warn of post-Thanksgiving Day COVID-19 spike (November 30)

Health officials in the United States are warning of a possible COVID-19 spike on top of the current spike, reports the NYT. Dr. Deborah L. Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, says travelers “have to assume that you were exposed and you became infected and you really need to get tested in the next week.” She urged that travelers to avoid anyone in their family over 65 or with underlying illnesses.

Top health official in NJ quarantining after COVID-19 exposure (November 29)

Judith Persichilli, New Jersey Department of Health commissioner, will self quarantine after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19, reports NJ.com. Persichilli, who has joined Governor Murphy in countless press briefings, will quarantine till December 8 out of an abundance of caution.

70% of Jersey City will get COVID-19 vaccine within 6 months (November 28)

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop tweeted that 70% of the population of Jersey City will have received the COVID-19 vaccine within 6 months. However, before that happens Fulop is asking the state to provide more information on the possible side effects of the vaccine. “The state needs to be doing more on education for ppl of side effects. We don’t feel like they are doing anything on this front and meanwhile they are asking residents to be injected with small doses of Corona virus,” tweeted Fulop.

4,565 new COVID-19 cases reported on Thursday (November 27)

The Garden State reported 4,565 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, according to the NJ COVID Dashboard. Passaic, Bergen, and Hudson are the top three counties with the most infections.

NJ asks all travelers coming from outside states to quarantine (November 26)

New Jersey is asking all travelers and residents who are returning to New Jersey after outside travel to quarantine for 14 days. This excludes travel from neighboring states like New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

Jersey City’s 7-day COVID-19 average hits triple digits (November 25)

The city’s 7-day rolling average for COVID-19 infections hit triple digits for the first time since April, according to the JC COVID-19 dashboard. As of November 23, the city is seeing 101 new COVID-19 cases per day (7-day average). By comparison, the city’s 7-day average was in the single digits for most of August and September. City officials are responding to the influx of new infections with a new mask-up campaign and a multitude of testing sites and mobile clinics throughout Jersey City.

Younger NJ residents are exposing elderly to COVID-19 (November 24)

Health officials say that 80% of COVID-19 related deaths in New Jersey are individuals 65 years or older. However, since October, the highest positivity is in the 19 to 49-year-old age group. “It appears that younger individuals are exposing older, more vulnerable loved ones,” said New Jersey Commissioner of Health Judith Persichilli. “This has to stop. You need to be more careful. You need to be safe, not only for yourself, but also for your loved ones. Please be careful at Thanksgiving.”

Residents asked not to travel as Thanksgiving looms (November 23)

Residents across New Jersey — and the rest of the country — are being asked to forgo holiday traveling this week. “Travel may increase your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19,” explained the CDC. “Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others this year.” However, for those who must travel, the CDC also gave pointers on what to do and what to avoid.

Newark will go on lockdown for 10 days (November 22)

New Jersey’s largest city is going on a 10-day lockdown starting Wednesday, November 25. “Do not go outside if you don’t have to. Don’t mingle with other people if you don’t have to. Stay with your family in your immediate household,” said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka on WBGO 88.3 FM’s Newark Today. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Newark has been rising sharply and these latest measures are being done to stop the spread.

New Jersey could see 130K doses of COVID-19 vaccine by Xmas (November 21)

State officials announced that New Jersey could receive as much as 130,000 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine “in state around Christmastime.” A second wave of 130,000 doses could arrive by the end of December for a total of 260,000 Pfizer vaccines. New Jersey would then receive two 100,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine for a total of 460,000 vaccines througout the state by January.

Jersey City doubles its testing locations in the face of COVID surge (November 20)

City officials have doubled the number of free COVID-19 testing locations in Jersey City, says Mayor Steven Fulop. “We’ve put in place a lot of tools for people to get tested, to have resources so that they can be safe for the next four or five days,” Fulop told NJ.com. The goal is for every special improvement district to have its own testing site by the end of the year, said the city’s Health and Human Services Director Stacey Flanagan.

U.S. surpasses 250K COVID-19 deaths as cases soar (November 19)

The United States has over 250,000 COVID-19 related deaths, reports NPR. “Unfortunately, we are entering what I think will be the worst stretch that we have experienced so far,” said Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, and Montana are mong the hardest hit states. However, New York and New Jersey are also facing spikes in the number of COVID infections.

Dr. Fauci calls for “uniform approach” to combat pandemic (November 18)

The nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said the United States needs  “a uniform approach” to fight the coronavirus pandemic, reports the NYT. “We need some fundamental public health measures that everyone should be adhering to, not a disjointed, ‘One state says one thing, the other state says another thing,'” Dr. Fauci said. He also added that unless the “overwhelming majority” of Americans (75 to 80%) receive a vaccine, the country will continue to face serious public health challenges.

Governor Murphy lowers gathering limits as COVID spikes in NJ (November 17)

Starting on November 17, indoor gathering in New Jersey are limited to a maximum of 10 people. Starting on November 23, outdoor gathering will be limited to a maximum of 150 people. However, religious services, weddings/funerals, and performances can remain at 25% of a room’s capacity (up to 150 people). These are the latest regulations set forth by Governor Phil Murphy as COVID-19 cases continue to spike in NJ.

New coronavirus testing sites open in Jersey City (November 16)

As Jersey City’s COVID-19 numbers continue to rise, city officials are responding with a variety of new testing sites throughout the city. These sites are in addition to the current ones. Hit up the more info/Twitter link for specific hours and details.

  • Downtown | 332 Barrow (btwn Columbus & Newark) | more info
  • West Side | 754 West Side Avenue | more info
  • JSQ | 10 JSQ Plaza | more info
  • Bergen-Lafayette/Greenville | Bethune Center 140 MLK Drive | more info
  • Heights | Paco 346 Central Avenue | more info
NJ hits record number of COVID-19 cases in one day (November 15)

New Jersey recorded 4,395 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Saturday. That’s the largest single-day count the state has ever seen and it tops the previous high of 4,391 new cases reported back on April 17.

As COVID-19 spreads in JC, mayor rejects idea of curfews (November 14)

Coronavirus cases in Jersey City continue their rapid ascent. On Friday, November 13, the city recorded 113 new confirmed cases. (The highest single-day count since April). However, Mayor Steven Fulop’s stance is to avoid curfews. “I just don’t see how ‘curfews’ are a good solution from what we now know”, tweeted Fulop. “Is a crowded restaurant/bar for Happy Hour at 6pm on a Thursday/Friday more safe than uncrowded restaurant/bar at 11pm on a Monday night.” He continued by saying he’s not opposed to more restrictions, but “they should be focused on a regional approach + should make sense in that the damage we’re doing to mental health/local economy is outweighed by the progress we make for eliminating the virus.”

NY bars, restaurants, and gyms to close by 10pm (November 13)

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has ordered a 10pm statewide curfew for bars, restaurants, and gyms. New York City has seen more than 1,000 new cases per day for the past week, a level which last occured in May. New York’s new restrictions kick in on Friday, November 13. Meanwhile, in NJ restaurants and nightclubs statewide can’t allow indoor dining past 10pm and patrons are no longer allowed to be seated at the bar.

U.S. reports 144K new cases in a single day (November 12)

COVID-19 infections are skyrocketing across the country. The United States reported 144,270 new cases on Wednesday, according to The COVID Tracking Project. The country’s 7-day average for daily deaths now stands at 1,055 people per day.

NJ residents have till Thursday to claim extra $300 in unemployment (November 11)

New Jersey residents have till this Thursday at 11:59pm to claim the extra $300 a week in federal unemployment, reports NorthJersey.com. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development will e-mail or text NJ residents who are eligible for the benefit. Workers must take action by the end of the day Thursday to get the money. Only those eligible for the extra $300 will be notified.

New restrictions on indoor dining begin Thursday (November 10)

Governor Phil Murphy has ordered new restrictions on indoor dining throughout the state. Effective November 10, no indoor dining will be allowed between 10pm through 5am at restaurants, bars, or clubs/lounges. (Outdoor dining, takeout, and delivery may still occur past 10pm). In addition, all barside seating will be prohibited at all times and casinos must stop serving food/drinks after 10pm.

Gov. Murphy may order new restrictions to contain COVID-19 (November 9)

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is close to ordering new restrictions to contain COVID-19 infections, reports NorthJersey.com. The Garden State reported over 5,000 new coronavirus cases this past weekend as the virus runs rampant across the country. Hospitalizations have also reached 1,224, which is the highest number we’ve seen since mid-June. “A short seven weeks ago that number on a seven-day rolling average was 420. Today it’s 1,224,” Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli told NorthJersey.com.

Rent increase moratorium extended through March (November 8)

The Jersey City Council will extend the city’s moratorium on rent increases in rent-controlled apartments through March 15, reports NJ.com. This will be the third time the city will extend the ordinance since the start of the pandemic. Under the legislation, landlords will be prohibited from collecting any interest on late payments.

COVID cases will soon “explode” says ex-FDA chairman (November 7)

Former FDA chairman Dr. Scott Gottlieb tells CNBC that The United States is “building up a lot of trouble for the future” and that COVID-19 is “going to explode in several weeks.” The ominous warning comes as the United States hit over 125,000 new coronavirus cases on Friday, which breaks the previous day’s record. Gottlieb, however, thinks we’re hitting at least 500,000 cases per day. “Remember 120,000 cases aren’t 120,000 cases. We’re probably, at best, diagnosing 1 in 5 cases right now, maybe a little bit less than that, so this is at least half a million cases a day, probably more in terms of actual numbers of infection.”

U.S. records 116K new COVID-19 cases in one day (November 6)

On Thursday, the United States recorded 116,707 new COVID-19 cases, reports WaPo. That again breaks the record for for the highest single-day count of new infections since the pandemic began. States witnessing the most dramatic increases over the past week include Maine, Iowa, Colorado, Minnesota, and Nebraska. Hospitals have warned that they’re not ready for the surge of patients they’re currently accepting.

Jersey City records 61 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday (November 5)

City officials registered 61 new coronavirus Jersey City cases this past Wednesday. That’s the highest single-day total since May 7th, according to the JC COVID-19 dashboard. The city has been undergoing a steady rise in new cases since the start of the month. A new mobile testing site has also been dispatched to downtown Jersey City on the corner of Newark and Jersey Avenues.

Second wave of COVID-19 may not peak till Q1 2021 (November 4)

State officials predict that New Jersey’s second wave of COVID-19 may not peak till the first quarter of 2021, reports NJ.com. Although this is a preliminary prediction, New Jersey has reported 17 straight days of more than 1,000 daily new coronavirus cases. Dr. Deborah Birx, head of the White House’s coronavirus task force, also warned officials that the country is entering the “most deadly phase of this pandemic.”

Second chance to file for extra $300 unemployment coming soon (November 3)

New Jersey residents will soon have a second chance to file for the extra $300 FEMA unemployment benefits, reports NorthJersey.com. The state will be in touch soon with instructions by email (from ui-noreply@dol.nj.gov) or text message (from 898-211). NJ residents who lost wages due to the pandemic between August 1 and September 5 could receive a maximum of $1,800 in federal jobless benefits under the “Lost Wages Assistance” program. According to NorthJersey, more than 224,000 people needed to check a box attesting that they lost work due to COVID-19.

NJ small businesses can buy PPE at 10% discount (November 2)

The NJ Economic Development Authority has launched a PPE Access Program that gives NJ small businesses a 10% discount when purchasing PPE via its approved retailers. Retailers include Boxed and Office Depot. Small businesses must first register with the retailers in order to receive the discount.

U.S. breaks COVID-19 record again with 99K+ cases in one day (November 1)

The United States recorded over 99K COVID-19 cases on Friday, breaking its single-day record yet again, reports the NYT. The 16 states reporting single-day records include Iowa, Kentucky, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Montana, Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Oregon, Kansas, Ohio, Colorado, and Maine.

Second wave “is coming now,” says Gov. Murphy (October 31)

The second wave of coronavirus is hitting New Jersey right now, says Governor Phil Murphy. The state reported 2,089 new cases on Friday, which is the biggest count since the first week of May, reports Gothamist. Murphy hasn’t issued any new restrictions, but says that nothing is “off the table” should numbers continue to dramatically rise. He has attributed rising numbers to private home gatherings and says there is no link to widespread transmission in schools or indoor dining.

Jersey City hospitals see rise in COVID-19 positive patients (October 30)

The Jersey City Medical Center and Christ Hospital are both seeing an increase in COVID-19 patients, reports NJ.com. Christ Hospital has gone from one patient two weeks ago to seven patients on Wednesday. JCMC declined to share numbers with NJ.com, but stated that they are “actively preparing as cases continue to rise across New Jersey and Hudson County.” Dr. Tucker Woods, Christ Hospital’s chief medical officer, told NJ.com that he worries that medical professionals will not travel to New Jersey (as they did during the first wave) to help out. Instead, they will have to stay local and deal with the virus outbreaks in their hometown, which could lead to a shortage of medical workers here in Jersey City.

Fulop says in-home gatherings are reason behind COVID-19 spike (October 29)

Mayor Steven Fulop has stated that the recent spike in coronavirus Jersey City cases is due to more in-home gatherings. “Our extensive Contact Tracing efforts for JC show our current uptick isn’t related to businesses, but more so family/friends hosting in-home gatherings,” tweeted Fulop. As a result, Fulop says he will not add new restrictions or a curfew like Hoboken and Newark.

Not wearing a mask on the PATH may result in a $50 fine (October 28)

The Port Authority announced it will fine maskless commuters $50 start on Monday, Novemeber 2. Mask compliance is required at all PA facilities including airport terminals, PATH stations/trains, AirTrain stations/trains, midtown bus terminal, GWB bus station, and the Oculus. The press release states that fines will be imposed for failure to wear a mask or face covering appropriately. Beware, chinguard-wearing commuters.

Newark reinstates curfew as COVID-19 cases spike (October 27)

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is reinstating an 8pm curfew for non-essential businesses due to the city’s recent spike in COVID-19 cases, according to a city press release. The new measures will begin Tuesday, October 27. On Sunday, October 18, Newark reported a test positivity rate of 11.2%, using a three-day rolling average, in comparison to New Jersey’s test positivity rate of 5.28%.

Jersey City receives $295K grant for COVID-19 response efforts (October 26)

Jersey City has received a $295K grant by the Kresge Foundation for the city’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and for its work in solving racial injustice. “As the most diverse city in the nation, our residents have diverse needs, and we’re committed to expanding critical resources many residents rely on,” said Mayor Steven Fulop via press release. “We will continue to identify and address health disparities and to ensure we meet the emerging needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic.” The grant money will be used to address health inequities, further health education, and increase access to mental health and violence prevention services.

NJ reports highest number of new COVID-19 cases since May (October 25)

On Saturday, New Jersey reported 1,994 new positive cases of COVID-19, pushing the state’s cumulative total to 227,339. “We haven’t seen daily case numbers this high since May,” tweeted Governor Phil Murphy. “We’re still in the midst of a pandemic and need everyone to take this seriously.” As a result, Murphy once again extended the Public Health Emergency that was originally declared on March 9, 2020.

US reports highest new number of coronavirus cases in single day (October 24)

Despite the president’s claims that the nation is “rounding the corner” when it comes to COVID-19, the United States just reported its highest single-day number of new infections, reports BBC News. The Covid Tracking Project reported 83,010 new cases in the U.S. on Friday, which surpasses the previous record of 76,842 on July 17.

Macy’s cancels annual Santa visit (October 23)

Looks like Santa Claus won’t be coming to town this year. Macy’s has announced that Santa won’t be coming to its flagship store in New York this year. Santa’s visit has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, reports ABC News. It’s the first time in 159 years that Santa’s visit has been nixed. Instead, Macy’s will offer a free online experience on its website where families can play games, get a virtual tour of Santa’s workshop, and take a selfie with Santa — all virtually.

Gov. Murphy to self-quarantine after exposure to COVID-19 (October 22)

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is in quarantine after coming into contact with a COVID-19 infected person over the weekend, reports NBC. Gov. Murphy says he has no symptoms and that he and his wife were both tested Wednesday as a precaution. Both tests came back negative.

NY will not subject NJ, CT residents to quarantine (October 21)

The COVID-19 positivity rates in CT (just below 2%) and NJ (just below 3%) technically put both states under NY’s must-quarantine list. However, the governors of all three states have issued a joint statement indicating that NY will allow residents of NJ and CT to enter NY. “Our states have worked together successfully in combating this pandemic since the beginning and we’ll continue to do so. The travel advisory was designed to keep our respective states safe, with the understanding that we are a connected region, dependent on each other when it comes to commerce, education, and health care. We’re urging all of our residents to avoid unnecessary or non-essential travel between states at this time, but will not subject residents of our states to a quarantine if coming from a neighboring state. New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut have among the lowest infection rates in the country because we have based our approaches to controlling the spread on science and data, and we will continue to do so.”

NJ enters second wave of coronavirus infections (October 20)

New Jersey is entering the dreaded second wave of coronavirus. On Monday, the state reported 1,192 new COVID-19 cases. That’s the highest number the state has reported since the spring, reports NorthJersey.com. The silver lining (if you could call it that) is that the second wave appears to consist of younger patients. Combined with better treatments, that means that the odds of survival are greater, although not guaranteed.

Jersey City coronavirus cases on the rise (October 19)

Coronavirus Jersey City cases continue to increase. In an e-mail sent to residents, Ward E Councilperson James Solomon states that “over the prior three weeks, cases have tripled from roughly five cases per day to over 15 per day. (That means we’re averaging 6-7 cases per 100K residents). According to Harvard’s Global Health Institute, that caseload places us in their “Community Spread” risk level.” Solomon warns that if we reach 10 cases per 100K residents each day, we would enter their “Accelerated Spread” risk level, in which tougher mitigation would be advised to slow the virus’ spread.

958 new COVID-19 cases reported on Saturday (October 18)

The Garden State reported 958 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, tweeted Governor Phil Murphy. It’s the fourth time in five days there have been more than 900 cases. The counties with the most new infections include Essex County (115), Union (98), and Middlesex (96).

NJ residents may see extra $300 in unemployment benefits next week (October 17)

New Jersey residents who received at least $100 in unemployment benefits during the weeks ending August 1 to September 5 could receive an extra $300 in unemployment benefits for up to six weeks, reports NJ.com. The money is a replacement for the $600 in weekly federal unemployment benefits workers received earlier during the pandemic.

Gov. Murphy extends temporary hold on utility shutoffs (October 16)

Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order extending the statewide moratorium on utility shutoffs until March 15, 2021. Meanwhile, ISPs must offer the same relief for internet and voice services through November 15, 2020. Households with school-aged children cannot have their Internet shut off through at least March 15, 2021.

Vermont named the state with the best pandemic response (October 15)

Politico has named Vermont as the state with the best pandemic response. “Vermont swiftly flattened its initial wave and has since gone weeks at a time without any new confirmed infections,” reports Politico. In addition, fewer than 60 people have died, giving the state the second-fewest deaths per capita (behind Alaska). The nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, says that Vermont “should be the model of how you get to such a low test positivity that you can actually start opening up the economy in a safe and prudent way.”

NYC MTA predicts severe reduction in services (October 14)

New York State comptroller Thomas DiNapoli is predicting “the end of regional public transit as we have known it” if the MTA doesn’t receive federal aid, reports Gothamist. The MTA is asking for $12 billion in federal aid. Their budget for the upcoming year is expected to include service cuts of up to 50% on commuter rails, 40% on subways and buses, fare hikes, and thousands of layoffs.

Indoor contact sports can resume in NJ (October 13)

Governor Phil Murphy has signed a new executive order allowing indoor sports to resume effective immediately. Under order number 187, sports including hockey, basketball, cheerleading, group dance, rugby, boxing, judo, karate, taekwondo, and wrestling can resume indoors with safety protocols in place. That means all indoor practices and competitions are limited to 25% of the capacity of the room, but not more than 25 or less than 10 persons.

NJ Dept. of Health posts Halloween guidelines (October 12)

The NJ Dept. of Health has posted new guidelines (PDF) for celebrating a socially distant and safe Halloween this year. Among the recommendations are: limit your trick-or-treating to current or local household members, wear a face mask in addition to your Halloween mask, and avoid haunted houses/hayrides/corn mazes.

Christ Hospital fined for COVID-19 violations (October 11)

Jersey City’s Christ Hospital has been fined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for COVID-19 violations, reports NJ.com. The hospital was cited twice and fined $15,422 in one instance and $21,205 in the other. “We may be on the verge of a second wave of this COVID-19 pandemic and these OSHA citations are serious violations that may have resulted in worker exposure, sickness and loss of life,” HPAE President Debbie White told NJ.com. “In other cases, workers were exposed and may have spread the virus to their families.” Christ Hospital will appeal the fines.

Coronaviruses cases on the rise in Hudson County (October 10)

Confirmed coronavirus cases are increasing both statewide and locally in Hudson County, according to NJ.com. Hudson County has recorded 50+ new cases in 24 hours four times this month. We haven’t seen those types of numbers since June. Meanwhile, here in Jersey City, we’ve gone from averaging 5 cases per day in the prior weeks to averaging 10 cases per day last week, tweeted Mayor Steven Fulop. Bottom line: don’t get lazy. Wear your mask (properly), wash your hands, and steer clear of big crowds.

16 Central Avenue businesses closed in 2020 (October 9)

Sixteen businesses along Central Avenue closed in 2020, reports NJ.com. “Central Avenue businesses are surviving the best they can in the COVID-19 climate,” said Sanford Fishman, Central Avenue Special Improvement District president. Fishman also noted that they’re expecting “several more before the year is up.” However, the city is investing $4 million in the Central Avenue Streetscape Improvements project, which will replace all sidewalks and repave the roadway in the Central Avenue shopping district. The hope is that this will make it more appealing to residents and shoppers. In addition, 12 new businesses have opened in 2020 with an extra 13 slated to open soon.

NJ families can apply for child care tuition assistance (October 8)

Reminder: New Jersey is still accepting applications for the state’s child care tuition assistance program. The grants are designed to help ease the unanticipated costs of child care. Assistance will be available through December 30 for eligible residents with children 5 to 13 years old. Eligibility requirements include: you must be a NJ resident, your child must be attending school remotely (either part-time or full-time), and your annual gross household income must be $150,000 or less. You can apply via this link.

Jersey City Halloween Bash is cancelled for 2020 (October 7)

The Historic Downtown Special Improvement District has announced the cancellation of the Jersey City Family Halloween Bash. Normally held at the Pedestrian Plaza, the HDSID says they have decided that the “best and safest decision for our community is to cancel the Halloween Family Bash this year.” However, the HDSID will be giving out Halloween bags with treats (individually wrapped) to all small businesses so that they can give them out to the kids trick-or-treating on Halloween.

Governor calls for Bedminster fundraiser attendees to self-quarantine (October 6)

Governor Phil Murphy is asking that anyone who attended the high-dollar fundraiser at Trump’s New Jersey golf club to self-quarantine for 14 days. “We don’t need folks coming in, knowingly exposed to a Covid-positive individual, and then be in the midst of a couple of hundred people in New Jersey. That’s the last thing we need,” said Murphy.

New restrictions coming to 9 Brooklyn/Queens neighborhoods (October 5)

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is proposing new restrictions on 9 neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens currently undergoing a spike in coronavirus cases. The areas have had had positivity rates of more than 3% — and some as high as 8% — compared to the city’s overall rate of about 1.5%, said de Blasio. Indoor and outdoor dining will be closed in these nine zip codes. However, restaurants will be allowed to offer pickup and to-go meals. If successful, schools and non-essential businesses in the nine zip codes could reopen after two weeks if rates are under 3%. The proposal also includes actions in zip codes where rates have remained between 2% and 3%. If approved by Governor Andrew Cuomo, the plan would go into effect on Wednesday, October 7.

Chris Christie checks into hospital after testing positive for COVID-19 (October 4)

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has checked himself into Morristown Medical Center upon testing positive for COVID-19. The 58-year old Christie says to have “mild symptoms,” but is checking himself in as a precaution due to his asthma condition, reports NJ.com.

President Trump, White House officials test positive for COVID-19 (October 3)

President Trump, along with various White House officials, have tested positive for COVID-19, reports BBC News. Trump was taken to Walter Reed Medical Center on Friday and treated with an experimental drug cocktail injection and Remdesivir. Journalists who work at the White House and other White House officials are now testing positive for the virus as well.

Gov. Murphy asks residents to report bad compliance (October 2)

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is asking residents to flag restaurants that are not complying with indoor dining regulations, reports NJ.com. “If you see bad compliance, let us know,” said Murphy. “I can’t guarantee that we’re catching it all.” A report by NJ Advance Media found that diners rarely wore masks when not eating and that tables were not properly spaced apart. In addition, some restaurants are not adhering to the 25% capacity limit.

JC school days might be shortened (October 1)

Jersey City Superintendent Franklin Walker is considering shortening the school day for students, reports NJ.com. The shorter days will be designed to alleviate parents who are spending a lot of their time helping their children with their schoolwork. “We are going to review so that we can shorten the day, so it becomes more beneficial for the children and certainly for the parents as well,” Walker told NJ.com. The shorter days would entail cutting time on non-core subjects, like art, music and foreign language.

Jersey City DMV closed due to coronavirus case (September 30)

The Jersey City DMV on Summit will temporarily close after one of its employees tested positive for COVID-19. The office will reopen on Tuesday, October 6.

New Jersey will receive 2.6 million rapid COVID-19 tests (September 29)

NJ will receive 2.6 million BinaxNOW rapid tests from the federal government, tweeted Governor Phil Murphy. The first 170,000 tests will arrive within the next two weeks. The plan is to send the tests to schools and underserved communities. The tests will also be made available to essential workers and used to help keep businesses open. The tests can provide COVID-19 results in as little as 15 minutes. The federal government will not charge the state for the tests.

New coronavirus cases in NJ reach 700 in just 24 hours (September 28)

It appears New York isn’t the only state undergoing a small surge in COVID-19 cases. On Sunday, New Jersey reported 700 new confirmed COVID-19 cases. That’s the second consecutive day that NJ hits 700 new cases. On the positive side, the state’s rate of transmission dropped to 1.11%, which is lower than it was before, but still above the 1% that’s recommended.

COVID-19 clusters in NY continue to rise (September 27)

New York state reported over 1,000 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, reports NBC News. This is the first time since June 5 that NY’s numbers have been this high. The increase in COVID-19 cases was largest in the Gravesend/Homecrest area, where the positivity rate hit 6.73% on Saturday. Other problem areas include: Midwood (5.22%), Kew Gardens (3.53%), Edgemere/Far Rockaway (4.03%), Borough Park (4.2%), Bensonhurst/Mapleton (3.81%), Sheepshead Bay (3.57%), Flatlands/Midwood (3.4%) and Williamsburg (1.72%).

Lawsuit claims NJ must pay businesses for COVID-19 financial losses (September 26)

The owner of a CKO Kickboxing studio in Sussex County is suing the state of NJ for financial losses suffered as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, reports NorthJersey.com. The lawsuit alleges that Murphy’s Executive Orders — mandating the closure of gyms and other small businesses — violated the Civilian Defense and Disaster Control Act by taking control of private property without compensating its owners.

Dr. Fauci: NJ is “well positioned” to handle 2nd wave of COVID-19 (September 25)

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease expert, says that New Jersey is “well positioned” to handle a second wave of COVID-19. In a Facebook Live interview with Governor Phil Murphy, Dr. Fauci said: “The thing that makes me very pleased and encouraged about New Jersey is that, notwithstanding that you got hit pretty badly, right now if you continue to carefully and prudently open the economy, you can get through the fall and the winter.”

Voting ballots should begin to arrive this week (September 24)

Mail-in ballots for the November General Election should begin to arrive in the mail sometime this week, reports NJ.com. About 380K ballots have gone out this week to active voters in Hudson county. Residents don’t have to do anything; the ballots are being sent automatically to registered voters. Mail-in ballots can be mailed back or dropped off at a ballot drop box. (Here are the addresses of the Jersey City drop box locations).

U.S. surpasses 200K coronavirus deaths (September 23)

The United States has surpassed 200,000 COVID-19 related deaths. In addition, more than 6.8 million people are known to have been infected, which is more than in any other country. The first coronavirus case in the U.S. was confirmed in January. When asked by the media how he’s handled the pandemic, President Trump says his administration has done a “phenomenal job” and has given himself an “A+” for his handling of the virus.

New Jersey surpasses 200K coronavirus cases (September 22)

As the country prepares to cross the 200K death mark from COVID-19, New Jersey is crossing its own grim milestone. The state has surpassed 200K coronavirus cases, reports NorthJersey.com. The entire state now has 200,154 confirmed coronavirus cases since reporting its first case in Fort Lee back on March 4. The new wave of positive cases appear to be stemming from the southern part of the state.

CDC updates its COVID-19 guidance (September 21)

The CDC has updated its guidance on how COVID-19 spreads from person to person. The new guidelines encourage people to avoid indoor environments with bad bad air circulation. “There is growing evidence that droplets and airborne particles can remain suspended in the air and be breathed in by others, and travel distances beyond 6 feet (for example, during choir practice, in restaurants, or in fitness classes). In general, indoor environments without good ventilation increase this risk.” Update: The CDC has retracted their updated guidance and removed the evidence stating that COVID-19 is airborne.

NYC restaurants to add 10% coronavirus surcharge (September 19)

New York is allowing restaurants to add a 10% coronavirus surcharge to would be diners, reports Gothamist. “This bill will give restaurants the freedom they need to increase revenue to help cover rapidly rising labor and compliance costs and keep them in business,” said Council Member Joe Borelli. Those against the bill fear that the surcharge will negatively impact tips or keep NYers from dining out. There’s no word on when restaurants will begin adding the surcharge to diners’ bills.

Nearly 600 small businesses in Jersey City receive CARES Act grants (September 18)

Mayor Steve Fulop distributed CARES Act checks to 594 small businesses in Jersey City yesterday. The grants, worth up to $20,000 each, were made available to small business owners struggling as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The funds are a portion of the $117 million that Hudson County received via the CARES Act back in March.

New law makes it easier for essential workers to get workers’ comp (September 17)

A new bill signed by Governor Phil Murphy makes it easier for essential workers who contract coronavirus to qualify for workers’ compensation, reports NJ.com. The bill removes a previous requirement that frontline workers who contracted coronavirus prove they did so while on the job. The bill is retroactive to March 9.

Hoboken expands outdoor dining beyond October (September 16)

The city of Hoboken released new guidelines for outdoor dining during the winter months. Restaurants will be allowed to use both electric and propane heaters for outdoor dining with approvals from the Building Department and Fire Department. Eateries will need to keep fire extinguishers on hand and they must also have plans for snow removal. Outdoor dining in Hoboken will expire on October 31. Restaurants interested in extending their outdoor dining permissions must apply for an extension by October 15.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade will go virtual in 2020 (September 15)

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade — a holiday hallmark in New York — is going virtual this year. The coronavirus pandemic has led city officials to announce that the parade will be for-TV only this year. It will forgo the traditional 2.5-mile route and reduce by 75% the number of parade participants, who will be socially distanced, reports CNN. Balloon handlers will also be replaced by specialty vehicles.

MTA will issue $50 fines to unmasked subway and bus riders (September 14)

Starting today, the MTA will slap unmasked subway and bus riders with a $50 fine. The new measure was issued by the MTA following Governor Andrew Cuomo’s executive order directing the MTA to bolster mask compliance on public transit. The fines will be handed out to commuters on New York City subways and buses, Metro-North, and the Long Island Rail Road.

Extra $300/month in unemployment benefits already running out (September 13)

The extra $300/month in unemployment benefits that FEMA promised to certain states is already running dry, reports Politico NJ. Both Texas and Tennessee, two of the first states to start paying the extra benefit, were notified by FEMA that they will no longer receive the extra funding. To date, FEMA has paid out $30 billion of the $44 billion that was set aside for the program. States that have yet to receive their benefits — such as New Jersey — have been told that they’ll receive at least six weeks of the $300 benefit.

U.S. won’t get back to ‘normal’ till late 2021 (September 12)

The nation’s leading infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, says that the U.S. won’t return to “normal” till late 2021. “If you’re talking about getting back to a degree of normality prior to COVID, it’s going to be well into 2021, towards the end of 2021,” Fauci told MSNBC. The country is plateauing at a high level of around 40,000 new cases and 1,000 deaths a day, says Fauci. And those numbers could increase as more indoor activities — like gyms, schools, and indoor dining — reopen.

Christ Hospital opens coronavirus outpatient center (September 11)

A new outpatient center for coronavirus survivors will open today at Christ Hospital. The center will treat COVID-19 survivors, many of whom still suffer from shortness of breath, kidney disease, or depression long after overcoming their COVID-19 infection. “We have a lot of significant frontline experience and now we’re going to translate that into aftercare,” Christ Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tucker Woods told NJ.com.

Indoor dining returns to NYC on Sept. 30 (September 10)

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that indoor dining in New York City will commence on September 30. There will be a 25% occupancy limit, all diner must have their  temperature checked, masks will be required, and no bar service will be permitted.

JC’s Quality of Life Task Force is expanding (September 9)

The Jersey City Quality of Life Task Force — led by Municipal Prosecutor Jake Hudnut — is transitioning into a city division, reports NJ.com. The task force was created by Mayor Steven Fulop last year to respond to community concerns. Since its formation, it has led to the prosecution of absentee landlords, local polluters, negligent businesses, and inattentive property owners. “The idea is to move the focus of quality of life enforcement to civilian inspectors so that armed police officers aren’t the first to respond to a quality of life complaint,” Hudnut told NJ.com. The new team will be available 24/7. “Now we are going to have overnight inspectors that can take sound readings on restaurants. We are going to have overnight inspectors in case a tenant works multiple jobs and needs Housing Code to come check something out,” said Hudnut.

Port Authority handing out free masks at JSQ this Thursday (September 8)

Face masks are a requirement when riding public transportation. So the Port Authority is making it easier than ever for straphangers to mask up by giving out free masks. The free masks will be given out at JSQ and the WTC PATH stations on September 10 and 17, respectively.

6th annual 9/11 Memorial Blood Drive is this Friday (September 7)

Mark your calendars. The Jersey City Police and Fire 9/11 Memorial Blood Drive is taking place this Friday, September 11 at the Jersey City Hyatt Regency at 2 Exchange Place. The blood drive will run from 8am through 6pm. Donors are strongly encouraged to make appointments due to new safety/social distancing regulations. To schedule an appointment, go to the Red Cross website and use the code “JerseyCity911” in the “find a blood drive” search box on the upper right corner of the website.

FEMA approves NJ’s request for extra $300 in unemployment (September 6)

Unemployed NJ residents who have lost wages due to the coronavirus pandemic will receive an extra $300 per week in unemployment benefits. (This will be in addition to their regular unemployment benefits). FEMA has approved the state’s request for the additional aid, aka the Lost Wages Assistance program. Those who qualify, can expect to see a check for $900 (for the month of August) in their bank accounts. However, there’s no precise date on when NJ residents can expect to receive the additional aid.

Indoor dining returns to the Garden State (September 5)

Just in time for the long holiday weekend, indoor dining has returned to NJ. However, NJ’s rate of transmission is currently above 1%. So Governor Phil Murphy is reminding everyone that he has no qualms about restricting dining again should restaurant owners and diners ignore the current guidelines. “There’s nothing more that I would like to do than to eventually expand restaurant capacities,” tweeted Murphy. “But I cannot and will not be able to do that if this weekend, and the weeks to follow, we see the rules being violated.”

Jersey City students won’t return to class till November (September 4)

City officials predict Jersey City school children won’t return to in-classroom learning till mid-November at the earliest, reports NJ.com. In addition, a shipment of 5,000 Chromebooks — which was supposed to arrive before the start of the school year — won’t arrive till October due to a backlog in Chromebook orders.

CDC extends eviction moratorium for tenants who can’t pay rent (September 3)

The CDC has issued a nationwide ban on evictions through December 31 2020. The CDC’s order halts evictions for anyone who has lost income due to the coronavirus pandemic. Keep in mind that it doesn’t prohibit late fees, nor does it let tenants off the hook for back rent. In addition, anyone seeking relief will have to sign a declaration stating that they’re unable to pay rent due to lost income.

NYC restaurants file $2 billion indoor dining lawsuit against NY (September 2)

Indoor dining in New Jersey is set to begin this Friday. However, NYC restaurants still have no time frame as to when they can expect to reopen for limited indoor dining. (Indoor dining at 50% capacity has returned to most of upstate NY). As a result, 350+ NYC restaurants have teamed up with Little Neck restaurant Il Bacco in suing NY for $2 billion in an attempt to force the reopening of indoor dining, reports Gothamist.

Movie theaters, indoor dining can resume this Friday (September 1)

NJ indoor dining returns Friday, September 4, announced Governor Phil Murphy at Monday’s press conference. Staff must wear masks at all times and diners must wear masks whenever they’re not seated at a table. In addition, restaurants must cap diners at 25%. Movie theaters and indoor venues may also resume events on Friday with the same capacity limit as indoor dining.

A small group of NJ restaurants may reopen on Sept 8 despite ban (August 31)

Indoor dining is still on hold with no word on when restaurant owners may reopen. However, a small group of restaurant owners in the Garden State plan to reopen on September 8, despite the governor’s ban, reports NorthJersey.com. Nearly 50 New Jersey restaurants are planning to defy the state mandate. The list includes restaurants in Union, Hudson, and Monmouth counties.

Deadline for CARES Act Eviction Prevention Program is Sept 2 (August 30)

The application deadline for the Hudson County Eviction Prevention Program is Wednesday, September 2. The program offers rental assistance to households that have lost income due to the coronavirus pandemic. The program is funded by federal CARES act funds.

Study suggests coronavirus may spread through drain pipes (August 29)

A new report from the Chinese CDC suggests that coronavirus may spread through drain pipes. Traces of the airborne pathogen were found in a vacant bathroom in Guangzhou, China, that was directly above the home of five people who had been confirmed a week earlier to have COVID-19. Scientists believe the virus traveled via drain pipes to the unoccupied apartment. According to the study, researchers found aerosols “in bathrooms 10 and 12 levels above the Covid-19 cases. Two cases were confirmed on each of those floors in early February, raising concern that SARS-CoV-2-laden particles from stool had drifted into their homes via plumbing.”

NJ residents could get extra $300/week in unemployment benefits (August 28)

New Jersey has applied for an extra $300 per week of federal unemployment insurance for workers in the Garden State. If approved, only workers who lost their job due to the coronavirus pandemic would qualify. (If you were unemployed before COVID-19, you would not qualify for the extra $300/week). The prior federal stimulus plan offered all unemployed citizens an extra $600 in benefits per week, but that program expired at the end of July. The House and Senate couldn’t agree on a new bill, so President Trump signed an executive order allowing states to apply for additional federal funds from FEMA. Initially, states had to contribute $100/week for a total of $400/week ($300 from the government and $100 from the state). But states — many of which don’t have the budget to chip in more money — no longer have to provide that extra $100. If approved, NJ residents would retroactively receive checks for the month of August. The program would run through December 6 and NJ residents could see their first payment by October.

Jersey City partners with new lab for faster COVID-19 test results (August 27)

Coronavirus Jersey City cases are at an all-time low, but city officials are promising faster COVID-19 test results. The city’s current partner, BioReference, has been replaced by Rapid Reliable Testing. The new lab promises results in 48 to 72 hours. Patients will be able to access their results via a patient portal designed to make the entire experience fast and seamless.

Outdoor dining and parklets coming to India Square (August 26)

City officials are looking to build more outdoor dining options along India Square. The extra space would let residents practice social distancing while giving local restaurants an opportunity to offer outdoor dining. The India Square Pedestrian Plaza would include a total of five new parklets on Newark Avenue between Tonnelle Ave. and Kennedy Blvd. In addition, a stretch of Herbert Place would be closed to traffic. Work on the area is expected to begin immediately after Labor Day.

NJ’s rate of transmission falls to 0.85 for three straight days (August 25)

A state’s rate of transmission is a good barometer for how quickly coronavirus is spreading throughout that state. Generally, you want a number that’s under 1, which means for every one person with the virus, they’re infecting less than one other person. New Jersey has hit a RT of 0.85 announced Governor Phil Murphy. It’s the third consecutive day NJ has had an RT below 1.

Parklets and pedestrian spaces coming to India Square (August 24)

India Square is getting a pedestrian-friendly makeover. Mayor Steven Fulop recently tweeted plans to add pedestrian spaces and parklets throughout India Square. Permission for parklets and outdoor dining spaces have been given throughout the city to help restaurants and businesses recover from month of lockdown. Work on the area will begin immediately after Labor Day.

NJ is building stockpile of PPE in case of 2nd wave of COVID-19 (August 23)

New Jersey is building a stockpile of PPE that it plans to use should the state undergo a second outbreak of coronavirus, reports NBC News. The state currently has:

  • N95 masks: 4.7 million in stock (goal total of 5 million)
  • Surgical masks: 1 million in stock plus 12 million on order to be delivered (goal total of 13 million)
  • Face shields: 1.7 million in stock (goal total of 2 million)
  • Hospital gowns: 2.1 million in stock plus 1 million on order to be delivered (goal total of 2.8 million)
  • Gloves: 1.9 million in stock and 75 million on order to be delivered (goal total of 110 million)
  • Remdesivir (antiviral drug): 1,115 cases in stock
  • Ventilators: 1,447 in stock and 500 on order to be delivered (an additional 600 ventilators are found in hospitals throughout the state).
Mayor outlines progress Jersey City has made fighting coronavirus (August 22)

Mayor Steven Fulop recently tweeted a summary of Jersey City’s battle with coronavirus. Our number of new cases has dropped from an all-time high of 4,127 (April) to 169 (August). Meanwhile, coronavirus Jersey City deaths have dropped from an all-time high of 350 (April) to just 3 (August).

New fund is launched to aid NJ’s arts industry (August 21)

The New Jersey Arts and Culture Recovery Fund (NJACRF) will provide grants to NJ’s cultural communities to offset expenses incurred as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Nonprofit arts organizations generate more than $660 million in economic activity in New Jersey, employ nearly 22,000 workers, and engage more than 8.3 million people who stay in hotels, and eat and shop locally, says the website. However, many of these nonprofit organizations have closed, exhausted their reserves, and increased their debt. The goal of the NJACRF is to provide economic relief to these cultural institutions. Grants and application information will be announced in the coming weeks. —NJACRF

Gov. Murphy to Trump: “Bring it on” (August 20)

Governor Phil Murphy replied to the Trump campaign’s threat to sue over New Jersey’s plan to offer mail-in ballots for the November election. “Our plans for November will move forward,” said Murphy during Wednesday’s press briefing. “If vote by mail is good enough for the President, it is good enough for all of us. The sanctity of our democratic processes must be and will be preserved. As the President and his team try to delegitimize our election and impact the health and safety of millions of New Jerseyans, we will defend our rights vigorously and we will not back down. So as they say, bring it on.”

Trump campaign suing NJ over mail-in ballots (August 19)

Last week, Governor Phil Murphy announced that NJ residents would automatically receive mail-in ballots for the upcoming November general election. Now the Trump re-election campaign is suing the state of NJ in an effort to invalidate Gov. Murphy’s executive order, reports Reuters. Trump argues that mail-in ballots are susceptible to large-scale fraud, although experts say voter fraud is extremely rare in the United States.

NYC gyms to reopen August 24 at 33% capacity (August 18)

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy hasn’t addressed when or how gyms in the Garden State will reopen. However, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo stated at his Monday briefing that NY gyms can reopen as of Monday, August 24 at 33% capacity. Members must wear masks at all times, HVAC systems must be inspected prior to opening, and localities must reinforce regulations. And therein lies the catch: HVAC systems must be inspected prior to opening or within 2 weeks of opening. However, Gothamist reports that city inspectors are prioritizing inspecting schools and childcare centers in anticipation of them reopening. Gyms won’t be inspected until those are all done, and no one knows how long that may take.

NYC to provide guidelines for reopening of gyms (August 17)

Gyms across the tri-state area have been closed since the start of the pandemic. However, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is expected to provide guidelines for the reopening of gyms during Monday’s press briefing. Cuomo has stated that reopening gyms too soon could lead to new infections. But a group of 1,500 gym owners in New York have filed a class-action lawsuit against Cuomo and the state. Here in New Jersey, gyms have remained closed, but New York’s plans could provide a blueprint for the reopening of gyms in the Garden State.

FDA approves saliva-based coronavirus test developed by Yale (August 16)

The FDA has given emergency use authorization to a new saliva-based coronavirus test developed by Yale. SalivaDirect is described as a simpler, less expensive, and less invasive method of testing than the current nasal swab test. Labs are expected to charge about $10 per sample. Research for the test was funded by the NBA and many players and NBA staff have used the test to check for COVID-19 infections among players.

The November General Election will be primarily vote-by-mail (August 15)

The November 3 General Election will be primarily vote-by-mail, tweeted Governor Phil Murphy. “All active registered New Jersey voters will automatically receive a prepaid return-postage vote-by-mail ballot,” said Murphy. “No one should have to choose between their right to vote and their health.” The executive order also requires a minimum of at least one polling place in each municipality and a minimum of 50 percent of polling places in each county to provide New Jersey voters with access to in-person voting opportunities should they prefer to vote in person.

Some restaurant parklets will remain post pandemic (August 14)

Mayor Steven Fulop recently tweeted that the city has 45 restaurant parklets. Parklets are outdoor spaces that restaurants can use for outdoor dining. Fulop announced that some of Jersey City’s parklets will become permanent even after the coronavirus pandemic is over.

In-person instruction may fully resume in NJ schools (August 13)

Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order permitting in-person instruction to resume in New Jersey schools. In addition, any student who chooses to continue remote learning must be accommodated. “The Department of Education has put forward strong guidelines that put a premium on health and safety of students and staff, while allowing in-person instruction to resume,” said Murphy at Wednesday’s press briefing. “However, we recognize that for some districts, there are legitimate and documentable reasons why some of these core health and safety standards cannot be met on day one. So for these districts today, we are reaffirming our commitment to provide the flexibility for districts to do what is best for their school community.”

Jersey City will start the school year will all remote learning (August 12)

In an interview with PIX 11, Mayor Steven Fulop said that Jersey City schools will start the academic year with all remote learning. “I think in-person learning is really crucial to the development of children,” said Fulop. “But the reality is that health and wellness of teachers and students are paramount right now; that’s the No. 1 priority. And we just didn’t feel comfortable with the testing protocols in New Jersey and what types of resources we have around sanitation and clearing that we would feel comfortable putting thousands of children back in school and teachers back in school.” However, Fulop added that he’s hopeful students will return to classroom-based learning at some point. But the city will watch what other people do and then take it from there.

New Jersey’s rate of transmission falls below 1.0 (August 11)

The state’s rate of transmission (RT) has fallen to 0.98, which indicates that the coronavirus outbreak is once again declining in the Garden State. Just last week it was near 1.49. “That does not happen by accident,” said Governor Phil Murphy at Monday’s press briefing. “It’s policy, it’s enforcement, and most importantly, it’s responsible behavior by the overwhelming amount of New Jerseyans.” However, Murphy also added that the Jersey Shore is still seeing unmasked crowds at bars and restaurants, which could lead to another spike in the state’s RT.

Emergency grant assists small landlords and tenants (August 10)

Governor Phil Murphy has announced the Small Landlord Emergency Grant Program. The program provides emergency grant funding to small property owners for COVID-19 related decreases in rent revenue. Approximately $25 million in CARES Act money is being used to fund the program. “The number one priority of this program is to offer much-needed relief to small landlords, who will in turn pass along the benefits to their tenants who are also fighting to stay afloat in the midst of this ongoing public health and economic crisis,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver. More information about the program can be found here.

Jersey City schools will start with remote learning in September (August 9)

The Jersey City school year will start with 100% remote learning, reports NJ.com. The district Board of Education unanimously chose this option due to recent coronavirus spikes in areas where schools have reopened nationwide. This is in direct defiance of state guidelines that require that all districts have some form of in-person classes.

PA seeks $3B in federal aid (August 8)

The Port Authority is asking for a federal bailout to the tune of $3 billion dollars. The agency says revenues have dipped $777 million in the first half of the year. The agency has seen a 94% decrease in PATH ridership, 98% decrease in airport traffic, and a 64% decrease in tunnel/bridge traffic.

Jersey City public schools release 81-page reopening plan (August 7)

The Jersey City school district has released an 81-page reopening plan (PDF). The plan outlines how students and faculty will return to the classroom next month. Schools will reopen on September 10 in five phases. The phases will be based on the city’s coronavirus statistics. (Phase 1 is the most restrictive, whereas phase 5 has the least safety restrictions). Upon opening, students will have a hybrid model of in-person learning and remote learning. While in school, they will be encouraged to frequently wash their hands, maintain social distancing, and wear masks when distancing is not possible.

Coronavirus still spreading rapidly in New Jersey (August 6)

In the past few months, New Jersey has gone from being the country’s second-worst state in terms of COVID-19 infections, to a model state that completely flattened the curve. Unfortunately, house parties, vacations, and non-mask wearing beach-goers are bringing the state’s rate of transmission up. “Our Rt [rate of transmission] is still too high, meaning coronavirus continues to spread TOO QUICKLY and TOO WIDELY across New Jersey,” tweeted Governor Murphy. “We need to get this number back below 1.” Non-profit Covid Act Now has also labeled New Jersey “at risk of an outbreak” for having an RT of 1.13.

NJ students will be required to wear masks at school (August 5)

The state Department of Education has updated its guidelines for the reopening of schools. The document (PDF) now states: “Students are required to wear face coverings, unless doing so would inhibit the student’s health. It is necessary to acknowledge that enforcing the use of face coverings may be impractical for young children or individuals with disabilities.” Previously, the document strongly recommended the use of masks. Now they’re requiring it to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Indoor gatherings now capped at a max of 25 people (August 4)

Indoor gatherings are now limited to no more than 25 persons, down from 100 persons. “In order to protect public health, we are retightening the restriction on indoor gatherings due to uptick of COVID-19 cases in New Jersey,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Until there is a significant decrease of COVID-19 cases, these restrictions will continue to be in place.” The new rule excludes events such as weddings, funerals, memorial services, religious services/celebrations, and political activities. These events may continue with a limit of 100 people.

Slow Streets program debuts on Fourth Street (August 3)

The Jersey City Slow Streets program is back. On Monday, August 3, Fourth Street from Manila to Monmouth will be designated a “Slow Street.” That means local traffic is limited to 10mph or less and drivers must share the street with cyclists, runners, pedestrians, etc. The program was designed to limit coronavirus spread by letting residents practice proper social distancing while enjoying the city streets.

Public Health Emergency extended for another 30 days (August 2)

Governor Phil Murphy just extended the Public Health Emergency that was declared on March 9, 2020. This basically extends all Executive Orders that Murphy has issued in the past few months. “New Jersey has made a lot of progress in the fight against COVID-19, but we cannot declare victory yet,” said Murphy. “As we continue to work to save lives and stop a resurgence of this virus, we need access to all resources available to do so.”

Gov. Murphy may roll back reopenings if COVID-19 cases increase (August 1)

New Jersey’s coronavirus cases have been slowly increasing. In addition, the state’s rate of transmission has increased to 1.35. (That’s the highest it’s been since early April). “These numbers are setting off alarms,” tweeted Murphy. “I am not announcing any specific action today, but consider this as being put on-notice. We will not tolerate these devil-may-care, nonchalant attitudes any more.”

More than 200 teachers may not return to JC public schools (July 31)

Over 200 teachers in the Jersey City Public Schools system may not return to teach in 2020-2021, reports NJ.com. Deputy Superintendent Norma Fernandez said that of 1,649 teacher responses the district has received, 211 (13%) may seek leave due to personal or family health concerns related to COVID-19. Jersey City public schools have yet to formally release their reopening plan. They’re expected to open on September 10.

Governor cracks down on indoor parties as NJ cases rise (July 30)

Governor Phil Murphy is reminding everyone that indoor house parties are dangerous. “Over the past four days, we’ve reported roughly 2,000 new positive coronavirus test results,” tweeted Murphy. “We’re now back to where we were roughly a month ago in the daily number of new cases. We cannot go backwards.” Murphy is referring to parties that have caused local spikes in places like Middletown, Long Beach Island, and Jackson. The latter was the scene of a house party with 700 guests. Although it’s not known how many coronavirus cases have resulted from the Jackson party, a similar party in Middletown has resulted in 50 new cases.

More than half of the country now on NJ quarantine list (July 29)

Coronavirus Jersey City

The state of New Jersey has added the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Illinois, Kentucky, and Minnesota to its ever-growing quarantine list. In total, the list includes 36 states and territories. Individuals traveling to New Jersey from any of these states must self-quarantine for 14 days upon entering New Jersey.

Rutgers to provide 30K rapid response tests to NJ per day (July 28)

Rutgers’ RUCDR Infinite Biologics is providing 30,000 coronavirus rapid response tests to the state of New Jersey per day. The saliva-based tests provide results in just 48 hours, tweeted Governor Phil Murphy. “Having these tests means we now have 30,000 tests a day that come with a 48-hour turnaround,” said Governor Murphy. “As test turnaround has lagged nationally given the flare ups across the country, this is welcomed news.” The tests  will be used in priority populations including frontline responders and the state’s most vulnerable residents. They were previously made available (though not in this quantity) to the RWJBarnabas Health network and to Middlesex County.

Jersey City Public Library distributing free meals to children (July 27)

The Jersey City Free Public Library is now distributing free meals to local children via its Summer Meals Program. The grab-n-go meals are for kids and teens ages 18 and younger. They’re available at various branches in JC from 1pm to 3pm. The meals are free of charge and do not require any enrollment. The Summer Meals Program ends on August 21.

Grant program announced for small businesses (July 26)

Governor Phil Murphy has announced a new Emergency Assistance Grant Program designed to help “mom-and-pop shops on main streets.” The grant allows businesses in 64 eligible municipalities (Jersey City is eligible) to apply for grants of up to $10K for lease costs. The program will provide grants to:

  • Tenants leasing commercial space in mixed-use buildings/commercial buildings
  • Those leasing space to operate a storefront business

The program — which is called the NJRA Main Street Commercial Corridors Relief — will be targeted to businesses with 5,000 square feet of leased space or less. (You can learn more about it via the NJRA website). Applications will open August 10 at 9am and funds will be distributed on a first come first served basis.

Liberty Science Center to reopen Labor Day weekend (July 25)

The Liberty Science Center will reopen to members on Friday, September 4. The center will reopen to the general public on Saturday, September 5. The facility will reopen at a reduced capacity and staff and patrons will be asked to wear mask at all times.

Only three states meet basic criteria for proper reopening (July 24)

New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut are the only three states in the country that meet the basic criteria for a proper reopening, says a new study by Vox.com. The criteria includes a two-week drop in coronavirus cases, fewer than four daily new cases per 100,000 people per day, at least 150 new tests per 100,000 people per day, and an overall positive rate for tests below 5 percent. In addition, states should have at least 40% of their ICU beds free to treat an influx of people should it be necessary.

Yoga and pilates studios can open at 25% capacity (July 23)

On Monday, Governor Phil Murphy issued an executive order permitting contact sports to resume (under specific guidelines). Yesterday, Governor Murphy gave extra clarification announcing that yoga and pilates studios can also open at 25% capacity only. The studios must observe social distancing and all participants/instructors must be masked.

NJ public schools will allow remote learning (July 22)

The Dept. of Education will provide guidelines later this week for students who opt for remote learning this coming school semester. “This is about as complex a step as we will take or any American state will take and we want to get it right,” said Governor Phil Murphy at his daily press briefing. “We want to do it responsibly. We want to respect public health, but we also want to do everything we can to try to recapture that magic of some semblance of in-person education that no state does like New Jersey.” Meanwhile in Jersey City, Superintendent of Schools Franklin Walker has stated that Jersey City schools will reopen using a hybrid model (some in-class, some remote), but that parents will have the option of keeping their students at home for remote learning.

Contact sports can resume in New Jersey (July 21)

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order permitting the resumption of contact sports. The order, effective immediately, states that practices/competitions must be held in outdoor settings only. Other requirements include the limiting of shared equipment, proper disinfecting/ sanitizing of equipment, and more. The order includes football, cheerleading, group dance, rugby, boxing, judo, karate, taekwondo, and wrestling.

NYC enters phase four — final stage of reopening (July 20)

Our neighbors on the other side of the Hudson enter phase four of their reopening plan on  Monday, July 20. “Every region of the state will now be in Phase Four,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo. “There are no more phases.” Phase Four allows for:

  • reopening low-risk outdoor venues like zoos and botanical gardens
  • TV/media production can resume
  • Fanless pro sports (such as the empty Subway Series this past weekend)
  • NYC’s outdoor dining program is extended to October 31 with another 40 blocks expected to open for restaurants

Meanwhile, New Jersey remains in Phase Two after Governor Phil Murphy paused the state’s reopening plans due to an increase in COVID-19 cases.

CarePoint hospital CEO talks COVID-19 with NJ.com (July 19)

Dr. Achintya Moulick is the new CEO of CarePoint’s Hospital systems — which includes Christ Hospital (Jersey City), Hoboken University Medical Center, and Bayonne Medical Center. NJ.com interviewed Dr. Moulick, who states that Hoboken and Bayonne Medical Centers are COVID-19 free at the moment. Meanwhile, Christ Hospital has under 10 patients with coronavirus. Dr. Moulick also says that each of the hospitals has been fitted with multi-array analyzers, “which could analyze flu from COVID.” They’re also stockpiling as much PPE as possible and placing thermal scanners in each hospital.

NJ’s rate of transmission increases (July 18)

The state’s rate of coronavirus transmission rose to 1.1, health officials said on Friday. This means that each new positive case is leading to one or slightly more than one new positive case, said Governor Phil Murphy. Governor Murphy also mentioned that the lag time between being tested and receiving results has extended nationwide as a result of the spikes in coronavirus cases in the south.

Jersey City Together accuses Quest of de-prioritizing COVID-19 testing (July 17)

Non-profit Jersey City Together is accusing Quest Diagnostics of deprioritizing coronavirus test results “for low- and moderate-income people and people of color,” reports Hudson County View. The accusations come after residents have complained of test results taking as long as two weeks. Quest Diagnostics states that demand for testing is increasing at a rapid rate. “As a result, our average turnaround time for reporting test results is slightly more than 1 day for our priority 1 patients. However, our average turnaround time for all other populations is 7 or more days.” Priority 1 patients are described as “hospital patients, pre-operative patients in acute care settings and symptomatic healthcare workers.”

JC resident launches community fridge to help residents in need (July 16)

The West Side Community Fridge is a public fridge where anyone can donate or take food. Located at 300 Delaware Avenue, the fridge was set up and is maintained by Jersey City resident Tatiana Smith. The coronavirus pandemic has left many Jersey City residents without work and without access to healthy food. The fridge is available 24/7 for anyone who needs help. Likewise, anyone can drop off food or make monetary donations to help with the upkeep of the fridge.

NJ updates quarantine advisory bring total to 22 states (July 15)

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is advising individuals traveling to New Jersey from states with significant community spread of COVID-19 to quarantine for 14-days upon arriving in NJ. The updated advisory includes four new states — Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, and Wisconsin — with Delaware removed from the list. As of Tuesday, July 14, there are 22 states in NJ’s quarantine advisory: Alabama; Arkansas; Arizona; California; Florida; Georgia; Iowa; Idaho; Kansas; Louisiana; Minnesota; Mississippi; North Carolina; New Mexico; Nevada; Ohio; Oklahoma; South Carolina; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; and Wisconsin.

Capacity limits on NJ Transit have been lifted (July 14)

Coronavirus Jersey City

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order ending the 50% capacity limits on NJ Transit, private carrier buses, trains, light rail, and Access Link vehicles. Starting July 15 at 8pm, trains can allow more commuters onboard. However, Gov. Murphy states that ridership is still down significantly as a result of coronavirus and that commuters must wear face masks at all times.

NJ, NY, and CT add three more states to quarantine list (July 13)

Governors from the tri-state area have added Delaware, Kansas, and Oklahoma to their quarantine list, reports Eyewitness News.  Visitors arriving from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents (over a 7-day rolling average) or a state with a 10% or higher coronavirus positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average must self-quarantine for 14 days. In total, there are 19 states in the tri-state area’s quarantine list.

NJ MVC further extends expiration dates in light of coronavirus (July 12)

The NJ MVC is extending expiration dates for driver’s licenses, non-driver IDs, vehicle registrations, inspections, and temporary tags. Documents expired between 3/13 through 5/31 have been extended to 9/30. Documents expiring 6/1 through 8/31 have been extended to 12/31. —Gov Murphy/Twitter

New street cleaning rules seek to reduce inconveniences (July 11)

City officials are proposing new a new street cleaning schedule for Jersey City. The goal is to make life easier for residents since street cleaning has become increasingly disruptive to traffic patterns and parking throughout the Jersey City. “We listened to community feedback, and with these changes it’s our goal to improve quality of life for residents, reduce costs, eliminate confusion, and create more parking availability simultaneously,” said Mayor Steven Fulop. The city will look to adopt a new citywide cleaning schedule to efficiently reduce cleaning on most streets, while eliminating waste and increasing efficiency.

Jersey City small businesses to get $20K grants (July 10)

Mayor Steven M. Fulop and Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise just announced that Jersey City is getting $7 million in federal funds to help small businesses struggling from coronavirus-related debt. The $7 million comes courtesy of the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Securities (CARES) Act. Small businesses would get $20K grants that must be used for salary expenses, rent or mortgage expenses, equipment leases, finance payments, loan payments, and utility payments incurred since March. Applications for the $20K grants will open on Thursday, July 16 via the Jersey City Economic Development Corp. website.

NJ residents now required to wear face masks (July 9)

Just days after halting the state’s reopening plans, Governor Phil Murphy has now signed an executive order requiring all NJ residents to wear masks when out in public and social distancing isn’t possible. The executive order gives residents a little leeway in that masks aren’t required in cases where it would inhibit an individual’s health or when an individual is engaging in high intensity aerobic or anaerobic activities. Last week, city officials in Jersey City began displaying “mask reminders” in popular areas of the city in the hopes of keeping coronavirus Jersey City cases from increasing.

NJ extends unemployment benefits in light of coronavirus (July 8)

The state of New Jersey has extended unemployment benefits by 20 weeks for out-of-work residents who have exhausted their benefits. Residents don’t need to reapply, they’ll be enrolled automatically, reports NorthJersey.com. The additional 20 weeks raises the maximum number of weeks someone can receive benefits to a total of 59 weeks.

New Jersey pauses reopening plans (July 7)

Governor Phil Murphy is putting the breaks on New Jersey’s reopening plan after the state’s rate of transmission — the rate at which coronavirus spreads from one person to another — exceeded 1.0 for the first time in 10 weeks. As a result, gyms, movie theaters, and limited indoor dining will remain on hold till the state’s numbers drop.

Youth day camps and summer programs reopen (July 6)

On July 6, New Jersey will allow the following businesses to reopen (or in some cases expand) their services. New Jersey is now toward the end of its phase 2 reopening plan.

  • Youth day camps and summer programs can reopen.
  • Modified outdoor graduation ceremonies begin.
  • NJ TRANSIT rail and Light Rail service resumes to full weekday schedule.
Coronavirus Hoboken cases spike as a result of travel (July 5)

Coronavirus cases in Hoboken are on the rise. The city has seen a 2-day spike in cases as a result of Hoboken residents traveling to COVID-19 infested states including Florida, Texas, and North Carolina, reports Eyewitness News. Six new cases were confirmed on Thursday and seven were confirmed on Friday. Mayor Ravinder Bhalla is asking residents who travel to a high-risk state to self quarantine for 14 days upon returning to Hoboken. Meanwhile, daily coronavirus Jersey City cases have also slowly increased back into the double digits since the start of the month.

Jersey City adds “mask reminders” throughout Pedestrian Plaza (July 4)

Coronavirus Jersey City

City officials are adding “mask reminders” to populated outdoor areas of Jersey City. The Pedestrian Plaza — notorious for its overcrowding — has multiple signs throughout the street. With regards to mask wearing, Mayor Steven Fulop says, “we’ll be enforcing w/education (not fines).”

Municipal outdoor pools reopen in Jersey City (July 3)

City officials have announced the reopening of two Jersey City public pools. Beginning July 3rd, the Pavonia/Marion Pool (914 Pavonia Avenue) will reopen to the public. On Friday, July 10, the Lafayette Pool (303 Van Horne Street) will reopen. Safety precautions are being put in place with pool access limited to residents only and a maximum of 50% capacity. Swimmers will be required to follow safety guidelines per the NJ Department of Health. You can checkout hours at the city’s website.

Jersey City will re-purpose COVID-19 testing funds to train police (July 2)

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop announced that the city will re-purpose funds recently refunded to the city (for COVID-19 testing) to provide mandatory de-escalation training for all JCPD. In a press release (PDF), Fulop says the $1 million investment is necessary to “to remain a national leader with regards to policing policy.” Meanwhile, a JC reddit user points out that the city has ended its free antibody testing program. The now-deleted tweet stated that testing ended Tuesday, June 30. Going forward, the city along with non-profit NJ Together, Cityline Church, and the Governor’s office will offer free COVID-19 and antibody testing to residents. The upcoming schedule for Jersey City testing has been posted on the NJ Together website.

New Jersey recommends quarantine for travelers from 16 states (July 1)

Governor Phil Murphy has issued a quarantine advisory for individuals coming to New Jersey from 16 states. The states include Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. Each of the states is currently undergoing an outbreak of the coronavirus.

Governor halts plans to begin indoor dining (June 30)

New Jersey restaurants were ready to begin limited, indoor dining on Thursday, July 2. However, Governor Phil Murphy has halted indoor dining after seeing a surge in coronavirus cases in states that reopened indoor dining.

New Jersey malls reopen today (June 29)

The indoor sections of NJ malls will reopen today, announced Governor Phil Murphy. Movie theaters, arcades, and food courts, however, will remain closed. Certain restaurants in malls may provide takeout or outdoor dining if possible. All stores will be limited to 50% capacity.

Jersey City using facial recognition tech in municipal buildings (June 28)

The city has installed OneScreen GoSafe Body Temperature and Facial Recognition Scanners to scan residents before they enter municipal buildings. The scanners will detect high temperatures and if a person is wearing a mask. Visitors with a high fever or not wearing masks will be barred from enter city buildings.

Gyms can offer private sessions via appointment (June 27)

Governor Phil Murphy signed a new executive order allowing gyms and fitness centers to offer “individualized indoor instruction by appointment only.” According to the order, if a gym is offering multiple simultaneous instructions, these instructions must take place in separate rooms or — if they take place in the same room — must be separated by a floor-to-ceiling barrier. These guidelines will go into effect on Thursday, July 2.

Jersey City launches Slow Streets program (June 26)

City officials have announced the Slow Streets pilot program. The program will temporarily close designated streets throughout the city in order to give residents more recreational space for walking, jogging, biking, and more. It will also bring about more Pedestrian Plazas in other parts of Jersey City.

NJ Transit and Light Rail to resume normal schedules (June 25)

The Light Rail and NJ Transit will resume full weekday service starting Monday, July 6. (NJ Transit bus service has been operating at full service since June 8). Any further schedule changes will posted via Twitter, Facebook, the NJ TRANSIT Mobile App, our NJ Transit’s website.

Indoor dining resumes next Thursday in Jersey City (June 24)

Indoor dining in New Jersey will resume next Thursday, July 2. Capacity will be limited to 25% and restaurants must follow the safety guidelines that state officials will release in the coming days. Casinos will also be allowed to reopen on the same day.

Governor increases indoor and outdoor gathering capacities (June 23)

As coronavirus Jersey City cases continue to decline (locally and statewide), New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has announced that indoor gatherings are now limited to 25% capacity of the rooms in which they will take place, with a maximum of 100 persons. Outdoor gatherings are now limited to 250 persons. Outdoor religious services and political activities will continue to have no numerical limits.

Barber shops, nail salons, spas, tattoo parlors open in NJ today (June 22)

Beauty salons, barber shops, spas, tanning salons, and tattoo parlors can reopen in New Jersey today. The executive order states that business owners must perform health screenings — such as temperature checks — on clients and staff prior to entry.

NYC begins phase 2 on Monday (June 21)
Open Restaurants NYC
Credit: NYC Dept. of Transportation

Our neighbors across the Hudson will enter phase 2 of their reopening on Monday. That means New York City will begin its “Phase 2 Open Restaurants” plan. The plan allows restaurants to establish sidewalk seating and roadway seating. Per the city’s website, sidewalk seating must be adjacent to the building and maintain an 8 foot clear path free from certain obstructions between the seating and the curb and a 3 foot clear path on either side. Meanwhile, roadway seating must be 8 feet wide and may not exceed length of business frontage.

Long-term care facilities in NJ can now accept visitors (June 20)

Starting on Father’s Day (June 21), long-term care facilities can allow family members to visit their loved ones in designated outdoor spaces, tweeted Governor Phil Murphy. A staff member wearing a surgical mask must remain with the resident during the visit. This includes nursing homes, assisted living residences, dementia care homes, pediatric transitional care homes, and comprehensive personal care homes.

NJ malls can partially reopen last week of June (June 19)

Governor Phil Murphy announced that malls in New Jersey can reopen on Monday, June 29. However, capacity must be capped at 50% employees must wear face coverings. Common areas such as communal sitting and food courts must remain closed. Mall-based restaurants can offer takeout and may offer in-person outdoor service at areas outside of the mall. Indoor sections like movie theaters and arcades must remain closed.

Coronavirus Jersey City cases averaging just 4 per day (June 18)

coronavirus Jersey City tableau

Some good news for a change. Coronavirus Jersey City cases have fallen to an average of four new cases per day for the past week, according to data from the JC COVID-19 dashboard. This is particularly poignant because we’re now a little over three weeks out from Memorial Day, which is when the first wave of JC residents hit the parks and streets. Despite the reopening, it appears new cases are down. That’s not to say the battle is won and done — social distancing and mask wearing should still be a part of everyone’s routine. But it’s encouraging to see the city’s numbers remain low.

NJ Transit asks commuters to keep quiet while riding trains (June 17)

COVID-19 is spread via droplets generated when we cough, sneeze, or talk loudly. To prevent the spread of coronavirus on trains, NJ Transit is asking passengers to “avoid loud talking” and restrict phone conversations, reports NJ.com. The new rules can be found in NJ Transit’s new guidelines (PDF).

Family of PATH worker who died of COVID-19 sues PA (June 16)

The family of a rail mechanic who worked for the PATH is suing the agency alleging that negligence by Port Authority execs led to Robert Elijah’s death. Elijah, who worked 19 years with the PA, contracted the virus after hugging a coworker who later tested positive for the disease. The lawsuit accuses PA officials of a series of poor decisions that led to Elijah’s wrongful death. It’s the first in the nation to put the responsibility of a transit worker’s coronavirus death on their employer, according to the NY Daily News.

New Jersey begins phase 2 of reopening (June 15)

Restaurants across the Garden State can now open for in-person, outdoor dining. Restaurants must follow safety guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus including a limit of eight customers per table, and requirements of at least six feet of distance between tables. Smoking is also banned from any outdoor areas designated for dining. (For more info, check out our Jersey City outdoor dining guide).

Jersey City and Hoboken team up for new bike share program (June 14)

A new bike share program is coming to the region later this year. The mayors of Jersey City and Hoboken announced plans to launch a new program that would make it easier for residents of both cities to travel between regions. The cities currently use competing services. Hoboken uses Jersey Bikes, whereas the Jersey City bike share service is via Citi Bike.

PATH will increase train frequency on Monday (June 13)

Starting on Monday, PATH train service will increase to 96% of its pre-coronavirus frequency, reports NJ.com. Back on March 29, the PATH train started operating on a modified schedule with reduced frequency. However, as NJ enters phase 2 of its reopening, the Port Authority says it will increase train frequency so that passengers can practice better social distancing.

Rutgers will lead NJ’s contact tracing team (June 12)

The Rutgers School of Public Health and the NJ Dept. of Health will work together to train the state’s first contact tracing team aka the Community Contact Tracing Corps. The state is looking to train 1,000+ contact tracers who will be tasked with interviewing people thought to have contracted coronavirus. The goal is to determine who they may have contacted before and after becoming infected. The Community Contact Tracing Corps. will be the state’s first line of defense when it comes to halting the chain of transmission as more businesses reopen in the coming days.

PA ends policy that forced workers to use sick days for COVID recovery (June 11)

The PATH Labor Coalition announced that the Port Authority will end its controversial policy that limited paid COVID-19 recovery time for PATH workers, reports Hudson County View. The policy forced workers who had tested positive for COVID-19 to return to work within 10 days. Any employee who needed more time to recover had to forfeit pay or use their remaining sick or vacation days. Previously, PATH workers could take all the time necessary to recover without any financial penalty.

NJ ends coronavirus stay-at-home order (June 10)

At his daily press briefing on Tuesday, Governor Phil Murphy announced he was lifting the state’s stay-at-home order effective immediately. Coronavirus hospitalizations have been on a decline, which led Gov. Murphy to issue the executive order. “Please continue to be responsible and safe. Wear face coverings and keep a social distance from others when out in public,” tweeted Murphy.

Weekend WTC service is restored 6 months early (June 9)

The Port Authority recently announced that weekend WTC PATH service has been restored 6 months ahead of schedule. In January of 2019, the agency announced it would halt weekend WTC service to make Superstorm Sandy repairs to the PATH tunnels. This past week, the agency announced the repairs have been made 6 months ahead of schedule.

City officials look to change JCPD policies (June 8)

City Council President Joyce E. Watterman is calling for an ad hoc committee that would review the state of police procedures on both enforcement and discrimination in Jersey City. “Due to the situation at hand, both the violence that occurred and the protests that have emerged from it, I believed this would be a good opportunity for us to examine how our police department handles various situation and make changes where needed,” said Watterman via press release. The committee would consist of a cross-section of the community, between 9 and 12 members with representation for all six municipal wards, clergy, educators, a retired police officer or a judge, and at least three sitting City Council members. Anyone interested in joining the committee can submit their resume to their City Council person by June 19, 2020.

Hundreds gather for second peaceful protest in JC (June 7)

The Pedestrian Plaza was filled with hundreds of peaceful protestors as residents took to the streets to demand justice reform nationwide. The rally — which was organized by students from the Black Diaspora Club — marched through parts of downtown and ended up City Hall.

City begins to expand Pedestrian Plaza (June 6)

Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall

As reported earlier, the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall will expand to help local restaurants recover from the coronavirus lockdown. City officials started the process of expanding the plaza this week by closing off sections of Grove Street (pictured above) and First Street. Outdoor dining is slated to begin in New Jersey on Monday, June 15.

Coronavirus Jersey City count falls to lowest since March (June 5)

New COVID-19 cases in Jersey City fell to an all-time low of two on June 3, per the JC COVID-19 dashboard. That’s the lowest coronavirus Jersey City count we’ve seen since mid-March when the pandemic first reached Jersey City. As of June 3, the city has also peformed 26,781 COVID-19 tests. Antibody testing, which the city started last month, stands at 7,691.

Details on NJ’s outdoor dining regulations (June 4)

Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order permitting outdoor dining in New Jersey restaurants starting Monday, June 15. The order is accompanied by safety guidelines and a ruling that permits liquor license holders to expand the premises on which they may serve alcohol. Some of the protocols that restaurants must follow include:

  • Limit seating to a max of 8 customers per table and arrange seating to achieve a minimum distance of 6 feet between parties.
  • Eliminate self-service drink or food options such as buffets and salad bars.
  • Require frequent sanitation of high-contact surfaces.
City moves forward with Bayfront, the area’s largest mixed income housing development (June 3)

City officials announced they are moving forward with phase one of the Bayfront redevelopment plan. The city acquired the 100-acre Bayfront property from Honeywell Corporation in 2018 for $100. Phase one consists of the development of four parcels within the area upon which a total of 1,092 units will be built in multi-family residential buildings, 35% of which is affordable and workforce housing. BRP Development Group will build 552 units on their two lots, totaling 193 affordable units, and Pennrose/Omni is responsible for 540 units, 189 of which will be affordable housing. —Office of Innovation

Restaurants, salons to reopen as New Jersey enters “stage 2” of restart (June 2)

Outdoor dining will return to New Jersey on Monday, June 15. Non-essential retail will also open at this time. The following week on Monday, June 22, hair salons and barber shops will reopen. That will be followed by youth summer programs, which will relaunch on Monday, July 6.

NYC will begin phase 1 of reopening on June 8 (June 1)

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the city will undergo its first phase of reopening on June 8th. As many as 400,000 workers in construction, manufacturing, wholesale business, and curbside retail will be able to return to work, reports Gothamist. As for the subway, Cuomo said the MTA would ensure that public transit is safe by limiting how many people can board certain subway cars.

Child care services, youth camps, & organized sports to resume June 15 (May 31)

Governor Phil Murphy announced that child care services (June 15), youth day camps (July 6), and organized sports (June 22) can resume on the given dates listed above. With regards to sports, residents must keep sports to outdoor settings and they cannot involve person-to-person contact or have participants within six feet of one another.

Pedestrian Plaza will be expanded next week (May 30)

Mayor Steve Fulop announced the city’s plans to expand the Jersey City Pedestrian Plaza. The goal is to help small businesses — particularly restaurants — by providing them with new outdoor seating. New sections of the plaza will include Grove to First street, Columbus to Grand (only one lane of traffic will be open), and First from Newark Ave to Jersey Ave. “Expanding both the availability of safe public spaces as well as seating areas for restaurants will be a great benefit to our residents and restaurants and the overall community and economy,” said Fulop via press release (PDF). “It’s a win-win all around.”

Pedestrian Plaza Expansion

NJ residents can use EBT card to buy online groceries (May 29)

NJ residents with SNAP EBT cards can now use their funds to make online purchases of groceries. Previously, this wasn’t allowed in the state of NJ. However, the NJ Dept. of Human Services has expedited SNAP online grocery delivery in light of the pandemic. Amazon, Walmart, ShopRite, and The Fresh Grocer are currently accepting EBT-based purchases. (Walmart is only offering grocery pickup).

Neighboring Hoboken outlines plans to reopen gyms (May 28)

Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla signed an executive order allowing Hoboken gyms to use certain city fields and parks to facilitate “safe, socially distanced workouts.” Classes will be capped at 15 people and Hoboken gyms must request permission to use the city’s parks. “We encourage fitness clubs to utilize outdoor options, in lieu of indoor facilities, whenever logistically possible given recommendations from the CDC,” read the press release. Here in Jersey City, there are no plans (yet) for the reopening of gyms.

Mayor’s 95-year-old grandmother among COVID-19 victims (May 27)

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy paid tribute to Elizabeth Fulop, 95-year-old grandmother of Mayor Steven Fulop, in his daily press briefing yesterday. Mayor Steven Fulop acknowledged the eulogy in a picture he tweeted of him with his grandmother. According to the mayor, Elizabeth Fulop lived independently in Bloomfield, NJ.

Van Vorst Park and Hamilton Park open on Memorial Day (May 25)

The city has announced that Van Vorst Park and Hamilton Park will both reopen on Memorial Day. Face masks and proper social distancing will be required at all parks. In addition, dog runs will remain closed (and dogs must be leashed).  In total, 11 Jersey City parks will be open for the holiday.

  • Van Vorst Park
  • Hamilton Park
  • Enos Jones Park
  • Audubon Park
  • Leonard Gordon Park
  • Berry Lane Park
  • Pershing Field
  • Columbia Park
  • Mary Benson Park
  • Ercel Webb
  • Arlington Park
Tennis courts at Lincoln Park partially reopen (May 24)

The tennis courts at Lincoln Park have partially reopened, reports NJ.com. However, registration and court reservations are required by calling (201) 362-8483. Walk-ins will not be permitted. In addition, players must show proof of residency and play is limited to one hour. You must also wear gloves and masks. Doubles are not permitted.

Jersey City launches reopening package to help small businesses (May 23)

The mayor’s office is launching a reopening program designed to help small businesses get up to speed when the governor gives the green light. “We want our businesses as prepared as possible when the Governor allows business to resume statewide,” said Mayor Steven Fulop in an e-mail blast. So this city is offering these services:

  • The city will facilitate testing for ANY local business and all of their employees. Upon completing testing, the city will supply small businesses with a re-opening package that will include PPE, sanitizer, face masks, and gloves for employees. (Business owners can request testing via this form).
  • Restaurants will be allowed to expand their outdoor seating. If a restaurant wants to use on-street parking spots for tables, the city will facilitate that. All fees associated with outdoor seating will be waived. (Restaurant owners can request temporary side walk seating via this form).
PA limits PATH workers to 10 paid days to recover from COVID-19 (May 22)

PATH WTC train

The Port Authority is only giving PATH employees infected with coronavirus 10 paid days to recover, reports Hudson County View. Previously, employees who had COVID-19 were able to take the time off needed to recover with full pay. However, a recent policy change is imposing a maximum of ten work days, for employees who have tested positive, says the PATH Labor Coalition.

Christ Hospital offers “external lung” treatment to coronavirus patients (May 21)

Jersey City’s Christ Hospital has become the only Hudson County hospital to offer Extracorporal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) therapy for coronavirus patients in Jersey City. ECMO works like having an external pair of lungs. The machine pumps, oxygenates, and removes waste from a patient’s blood outside the body, allowing the patient’s heart and lungs to rest, before transferring blood back into a patient’s body, according to Hudson Reporter. The process provides oxygen to the patient’s organs, which in turn prevents organs from failing and gives patients a better chance of surviving and recuperating.

NJ pharmacies will soon administer COVID-19 and antibody tests (May 20)

A new executive order allows licensed New Jersey pharmacists to administer COVID-19 tests and antibody tests to residents seeking them. (No prescription required). The new order is part of Governor Phil Murphy’s plan to double statewide testing by the end of the month. “With thousands of pharmacists now authorized to administer COVID-19 tests, finding a testing site in New Jersey will be as easy as walking to the corner drug store,” said Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal via press release. Pharmacists will only be allowed to administer FDA-approved tests.

Gov. Murphy outlines state’s multi-stage restart (May 19)

Governor Phil Murphy outlined New Jersey’s multi-stage approach to reopening. “Our multi-stage approach uses science, data, and facts to determine which businesses and activities can reopen according to their risk level and challenges they face to safeguard public health,” said Murphy. “We are currently in Stage 1, and we will aim to move through each stage quickly, but also judiciously, with the public health of our communities and all New Jerseyans in mind.”

  • Stage 1: Phased-in businesses may include: non-essential construction with protections, non-essential retail may open with significant modifications, all workers who can work from home continue to work from home even if their industry is reopening. Phased-in activities may include: State and county parks, non-essential construction, curbside retail, drive-in activities, beaches, and elective surgeries.
  • Stage 2: Phased-in activities may include: expanded retail, safeguarded restaurants with outdoor seating, limited personal care, and possibly indoor dining, museums, and libraries, all with significantly reduced capacity. All workers who can work from home continue to work from home. Some personal care services may be provided on a limited basis.
  • Stage 3: Phased-in work activities may include: expanded dining, critical in-office work, limited entertainment, expanded personal care, and bars with limited capacity. All workers who can work from home continue to work from home. Personal care services may be provided on a more extended basis. —Press release
New Jersey allows sale/delivery of mixed drinks and cocktails to go (May 17)

Cocktails to go are now a thing throughout the state of New Jersey. Governor Phil Murphy recently signed an executive order authorizing the sale and delivery of alcoholic beverages during the COVID-19 state of emergency. Bars, restaurants, and distilleries are now “permitted to sell and deliver alcoholic beverages in original containers or in closed and sealed containers and mixed cocktails in closed and sealed containers for consumption off the licensed premises during the state of emergency.” —Press release

The Pint asks city officials for permission to offer takeout (May 16)

At the start of the pandemic, neighborhood bar The Pint was classified a nightclub and forced to close. Weeks later, The Pint is still closed and asking for permission to reopen with takeout options (much like other businesses in Jersey City). You can read their open letter to Mayor Fulop on their website at pintjerseycity.com. (h/t JC Reddit)

New Jersey beaches to open on Memorial Day (May 15)

Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order allowing beaches, boardwalks, lakes, and lakeshores to open with social distancing measures beginning Friday, May 22. However, there are a lot of restrictions beachgoers should note. Water fountains, picnic areas, playgrounds, pavilions, indoor recreational facilities, and visitor centers must remain closed. All organized or contact sports are also prohibited. —Press release

Non-essential construction and retail stores to reopen on Monday (May 14)

A new executive order by Governor Phil Murphy will allow non-essential construction and non-essential retail stores to reopen on Monday, May 18. “I am signing an Executive Order allowing for the restart of non-essential construction across New Jersey, allowing non-essential retail stores to reopen for online or phone ordering and curbside pickup, and clearly stating that drive-through and drive-in events will now be permissible under social distancing guidelines. The data shows us that we are ready for this step.” —Office of the Gov. transcript

City council puts a hold on rent increases (May 13)

The Jersey City Council adopted a new ordinance that freezes rents in rent-controlled units and units within one-to-four-family buildings that are not owner-occupied. Per Ward E Councilman James Solomon: “Until August 1, no landlord can increase the rent in the following buildings:

  • Rent control buildings: These are apartments in a building with 5 or more units built before 1987.
  • Apartment buildings with 1-4 units where the owner does not live on site AND the building was built in 1990 or earlier.
  • Condo units where the owner does not live on site AND the building was built in 1990 or earlier.
  • For more info or to see if your building is protected, call 201-547-5127.
Gov. Murphy to provide “hard dates” for reopening New Jersey (May 12)

Governor Phil Murphy is expected to provide more details about the reopening of New Jersey at his Tuesday press briefing. “Tomorrow we will discuss two key metrics to our reopening strategy: the continued ramping up of our testing capacity, and secondly implementing a robust statewide program of contact tracing,” said Murphy at Monday’s briefing. “By maintaining the practices of social distancing that are now part of our routine, we are getting data that is making us more comfortable and confident that we will soon have some hard dates as to when we can truly begin our road back through restart and recovering.”

Grove Plaza Farmers Market returns on Monday (May 11)

Jersey City Farmers Markets return on Monday as the Grove Plaza market reopens from 4pm to 8pm. The market will extend into the Pedestrian Plaza to allow for more social distancing. It’s too late to place an online order, but you can still shop in person. Stony Hill Farms and Ort Farms are also now accepting online orders for the Thursday market.

Christ Hospital was the busiest CarePoint hospital in the area (May 10)

Officials say that Christ Hospital was the busiest CarePoint hospital during the height of the pandemic. The hospital had to repurpose nursing staff, recruit new staff, and repurpose physicians to care for covid patients. Dr. Tucker Woods, Chief Medical Officer at Christ Hospital, tells Hudson Reporter that the hospital is “still in crisis” despite the number of covid patients decreasing. The hospital currently has about 25 patients on ventilators (prior to the pandemic they had just 4). In addition, all 18 beds in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit are occupied. The secondary ICU still has seven patients on ventilators. —Hudson Reporter

Uber Eats hits Jersey City customers with surcharge (May 9)

Not happy with the recent executive order that caps delivery apps from charging too much commission, Uber Eats is hitting Jersey City diners with a $3 surcharge on all orders. Uber Eats alleges that a 10% commission isn’t enough to pay a delivery drivers, cover credit card processing fees, and operations. —NJ.com

Mayor signs executive order capping food delivery apps (May 8)

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop signed an executive order capping the commission that food delivery apps may charge restaurants. Effective immediately, apps like UberEats and Grubhub can charge no more than 10% commission fees during a state of emergency. The apps had been taking as much as 30% of profits from restaurants.

Gov. Murphy extends public health emergency for NJ (May 7)

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed an executive order extending the public health emergency for another 30 days. Gov. Murphy declared the first public health emergency on March 9 and extended it again on April 7. “Extending this declaration ensures that we can continue using every resource at our disposal to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” said Murphy in a press release. “To be clear: this does not mean we’re seeing anything in the data which would pause our path forward. These declarations, unless extended, expire after 30 days. We’re still in a public health emergency,” he later tweeted.

PATH 9th and 23rd street stations to close every night from midnight to 5am (May 6)

The Port Authority has announced that the 9th and 23rd street PATH stations will close effective Wed 5/6 from 11:59pm to 5am for station maintenance every night, until further notice. Unrelated, the NY Post reports that a man was cut in half by an oncoming PATH train while walking the tracks from 23rd to 33rd. It’s unclear why the man was on the tracks.

Four more city parks open; Daily Beast interviews Fulop (May 5)

Columbia Park, Mary Benson Park, Arlington Park, and Ercel Webb are now open. In an interview with the Daily Beast, Mayor Fulop explains his thought behind reopening Jersey City. “I think that we need to be careful but realistic,” Fulop tells the Daily Beast. “Absent a vaccine or treatment, nothing will change with regards to the risk of people being outside. So you’re never going to live in a risk-free world, so you just got to manage it… And you have to trust the residents… to make smart choices.”

Park Renovations

City officials have completed the design for 15 park renovations throughout Jersey City. Work will begin this week on Fulton Park. Renovations have already started at Riverview Park and the city will start 4-Corners Park in Paulus Hook this month. The city says it’s on target to complete the new skate park next month at Berry Lane Park.

Free antibody testing for Jersey City residents

Mayor Fulop announced that Jersey City antibody test will begin Monday, May 4. “Today we signed a contract w/the lab to begin antibody testing for #JerseyCity residents,” tweeted Mayor Fulop. “We’ll start on Monday w/2100 tests per week (similar # to nasal swab that we’ll continue doing). Front line workers will be tested first, and the general public will be allowed to get tested starting Wednesday or Thursday.

Jersey City offering free COVID-19 testing to all residents

Starting Monday, May 4, Jersey City will also provide free coronavirus testing to any resident who wants to get tested, announced Mayor Steven Fulop. “We will also be putting our most vulnerable communities and front line workers on regular testing rotations to both keep them safe and also to identify potential larger clusters earlier,” tweeted Fulop. To make an appointment, you must call (201) 547-5535 between 9am and 5pm seven days a week. According to NJ.com, testing sites operate on a rotating schedule.

  • Mondays and Wednesdays: 465 Marin Blvd.
  • Tuesdays: Mobile testing at various Jersey City Housing Authority locations
  • Thursdays: Mobile testing at various senior living facilities
  • Fridays: Bethune Center at 140 MLK Drive
State parks will reopen May 2

After closing all state parks on April 7, Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order opening all state and county parks this coming weekend.

Reopening Jersey City

In an e-mail blast, Mayor Fulop outlined a plan to reopen parts of Jersey City starting the week of April 27.

  • We will begin to gradually re-open some of the larger parks in the City while ensuring social distancing is practiced. While we will continue to restrict playgrounds, basketball courts, and more, we know that space for walking and open air is important to sanity.
  • We will restore street sweeping and parking enforcement.
  • The 4th of July party has been cancelled.
City parks now open

The following parks have reopened:

  • Enos Jones Park
  • Berry Lane Park
  • Audubon Park
  • Leonard Gordon Park
  • Pershing Field

Park-goers must wear face protection and adhere to social distancing guidelines while at the park. Park officials also reserve the right to prohibit someone from entering if they’re not adhering to the rules.

New Jersey’s road map to recovery

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced the state’s road map to recovery plan. “We will be driven by data, science, and common sense,” tweeted Gov. Murphy. No timeline was given for the start of the plan.

Coronavirus Jersey City
Credit: Gov. Murphy/Twitter
Coronavirus in Jersey City
  • Governor Phil Murphy has signed an executive order permitting municipal governments to extend the grace period for property tax payments from May 1 to June 1. This allows homeowners to pay their taxes a month after they’re due without incurring penalties. —Press release
  • In spite of a statewide ban on construction, there are currently 141 construction sites in Jersey City that continue to operate. Buildings with affordable housing, schools/educational facilities, and single family home/units are deemed “essential.” According to the city’s website, this includes projects like 331 Pine Street, 430 Palisade Avenue, and 351 Marin. —NJ.com
  • On Sunday, April 19, Jersey City saw its largest one-day spike of new COVID-19 cases (313). It’s worth noting that this past weekend was also the first time Greenville had access to free testing (via the new testing site at the Bethune Center), which might be the reason behind the spike in new cases. (Since residents in Greenville didn’t have direct access to COVID-19 testing previously).
  • In an e-mail blast, Mayor Fulop acknowledged that the city will “continue to periodically move the [COVID-19 testing] sites around the City to make sure we are serving the most people.” On April 18, the downtown Jersey City site closed and moved to the Bethune Center in Greenville.
  • As of early April 19 — Jersey City still has 3,194 positive cases and 233 deaths (an increase of two from the day prior). April 16 saw the third-biggest increase in new cases (222 new cases) since the pandemic began. —COVID-19 JC Stats
  • City officials have closed the downtown Jersey City coronavirus testing center at 465 Marin. It has moved to the Bethune Center at 140 MLK Drive. Testing at the Bethune is now ongoing and residents must call (201-547-5535) in advance to schedule an appointment. Testing will be free for any JC resident. —NJ.com
  • April 16 was a bad day for JC. The city recorded 75 COVID-19-related deaths — the highest number to date. Infections also increased to 3,194.
  • Coronavirus cases in Jersey City remain at 2,817 as of April 16. (The city did not update its number of confirmed cased yesterday as it normally does). However, they did update the death count which now stands at 156 (up from 137).
  • Coronavirus cases in Jersey City now stand at 2,817 as of April 15. The death count in the city is 137 (a number that city officials haven’t updated since April 13).
  • State officials will soon vote on a bill that would offer $100 million in renter’s aid. The program would have income limits, for instance, you can’t make more than 120% of your area’s median income. A household would be eligible if unable to make rental payments for reasons that are “beyond the household’s control” and related to the coronavirus crisis. —NorthJersey.com
  • Confirmed coronavirus cases in Jersey City stand at 2,674 (up from 2,469) with 138 deaths total (up from 99).
  • With the help of  the private sector, Mayor Fulop has launched a local relief fund for the city’s small businesses, first responders, health care workers, low-income families, and seniors. The fund is currently accepting private donations with the goal of reaching $3m (it’s currently at $1.5m). —JC Relief Fund
  • Per Mayor Fulop, Jersey City now has 2,469 coronavirus cases and 99 deaths. That’s 185 new cases versus 120 new cases from the day before.
  • As of early April 11, there are 2,284 positive COVID-19 cases in Jersey City with 81 deaths. After two consecutive days of decreases in new cases, numbers slightly rose on April 10 — the city registered 120 new cases (up from the previous day’s 93 cases). Deaths, unfortunately, continue to rise. April 10 saw 13 coronavirus-related deaths in Jersey City — the most deaths the city has registered in one day since the pandemic began.
  • As of early April 10, there are 2,164 positive COVID-19 cases in Jersey City with 68 deaths. April 9 saw a significant drop in new reported cases from 101 on April 8 to just 93 on April 9.
  • Gov. Murphy has signed new executive orders that cease all “non-essential” construction in New Jersey (effective 4/10) and customers/employees in stores must now wear face coverings.
  • Jersey City now has 1,970 confirmed coronavirus cases. On April 7, it reported 299 new cases, the most cases ever recorder in a single day. Deaths stand at 54 total.
  • Jersey City Councilman Michael Yun passed away from his battle with COVID-19. Per Mayor Steven Fulop: “Michael lived in the Heights since 1981 after coming to the United States in 1979. Truly, he embodies the American Dream and all of the things that Jersey City represents. After moving here, he and his wife opened their business on Central Ave in 1982. A few years later, he was a founding member of Jersey City’s first special improvement district.” Currently, Jersey City has 1,671 positive cases and 47 deaths.
  • Jersey City now has 1,411 COVID-19 cases (up from 1,291) and 38 deaths (up from 36). The city has also released data on Christ Hospital and the number of COVID-19 patients it has and the number of ventilators the hospital has available. (Click on the third tab to see the info). —COVID-19 JC Stats
  • Currently, Jersey City has 1,291 coronavirus cases (up from 1,104) with 36 deaths (up from 33). According to data released by the city, Saturday (April 4) saw a small drop in new cases from 202 on Friday to 187 on Saturday.
  • As of early April 4, Jersey City has 1,104 coronavirus cases (up from 902) with 33 deaths (up from 21). According to data released by the city, the majority of residents infected are in the 31 to 40 age group. —Fulop/Twitter
  • Per Mayor Steven Fulop, Jersey City has 902 confirmed coronavirus cases (up from 841) and 26 fatalities (up from 21).
  • Mayor Fulop announced a grant program to benefit local small businesses affected by the COVID-19 crisis. If your business qualifies for the Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program, Jersey City will match the grant 100%. (The state grant maxes out at $5,000. With a 100% match from the city — small businesses could receive up to $10k total). The purpose of the state grant is to provide short-term, immediate payroll and working capital support to New Jersey small and medium sized enterprises. —Press release (PDF)
  • City officials have released a COVID-19 dashboard that tracks and compares COVID-19 numbers in Hudson County, Jersey City, and New York City. (The dashboard has been update to only track Jersey City stats. As of April 2, the city has 820 cases). —JC Dashboard
  • 35 members of the JCPD and 12 members of the JCFD have also tested positive for COVID-19. —NJ.com
  • As of April 1, Jersey City coronavirus cases stand at 820. There have also been 6 deaths. —Fulop/Twitter
  • Alternate side of the street parking rules return next week (April 6) as the city resumes street sweeping. “We are going to get this done next week quickly and properly then look to return to giving residents a break,” tweeted Mayor Fulop. —Fulop/Twitter
  • Jersey City Ward D Councilman Michael Yun is in ICU after testing positive for COVID-19. Councilman-at-large Rolando Lavarro has also tested positive and is recuperating from home. —Hudson County View
  • Mayor Fulop announced via Twitter that Jersey City now stands at 334 confirmed COVID-19 cases. “While we hate seeing more people positive, we also know that having accurate info (even if scary), and being honest w/ourselves on the size of the issue in Jersey City will help us best manage the situation locally,” tweeted the mayor.
  • Per a statement by Mayor Fulop — “There are 222 confirmed cases in Jersey City. This does not come as a surprise and we expect this number to increase as we ramp up more testing for Jersey City residents. Our first day of testing was a success in Jersey City as we did 250 tests for just our residents.”
  • City officials are working to secure additional ventilators and PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment) for both Jersey City Medical and Christ Hospital. The city currently has 1,500 full PPE kits available and 1,200 in reserves.
  • Jersey City now has two coronavirus testing facilities open 7 days a week from 9am to 5pm. A walk-up center will be located at the JC Fire Headquarters at 465 Marin Boulevard and a drive-thru coronavirus testing facility will be located at 575 Route 440. You must call (201) 547-5535 to make an appointment.
  • Jersey City has expanded its free showers program for the area’s homeless. City officials are also looking to secure three local hotels as temporary housing for chronic homeless in Jersey City to assist them in self-quarantine and also as an isolation setting for those who have tested positive for COVID-19. —Press Release (PDF)
  • The City of Jersey City has setup an informational website and a 24/7 hotline that people should call if they suspect they have coronavirus. The number is: 201-547-5208.
  • To prevent further overwhelming our hospitals, city officials ask that you call the number for guidance and not take public transportation to the hospital.
  • City officials recommend avoiding large crowds/gatherings and regularly washing our hands. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a list of approved cleaners (PDF) that includes a few common items like Clorox Wipes and Lysol Disinfectant Spray.
  • New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has announced a statewide “stay at home” executive order to flatten the curve of COVID-19 infections.
Where can you get coronavirus testing in Jersey City?
  • Jersey City has two coronavirus testing facilities open 7 days a week from 9am to 5pm.
  • You must call (201) 547-5535 to make an appointment at either center.
  • A walk-up center is located at the Bethune Center at 140 MLK Drive.
  • A drive-thru testing facility is also located at 575 Route 440.
  • The walk-up center at 465 Marin Blvd. is open Mondays and Wednesdays.
Restaurants & Fundraisers
PATH/Transportation
  • The Port Authority has announced a reduction in train service. As of Sunday, March 29, rush hour service trains (weekend only) will run on 20-minute schedules on all lines.
  • Starting Monday, March 30, weekday trains will run every 5 minutes from 7am to 9am on the Newark to World Trade center line and Journal Square to 33rd Street line. These lines will run every 10 minutes throughout the remainder of the day and evening.
  • Meanwhile, weekday service on the Hoboken/33rd Street and Hoboken/World Trade Center lines will run every 10 minutes throughout the day. All schedules are in effect until further notice. —PATH
Where to report price gouging:

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4 COMMENTS

  1. Ok, first of all, there are WAY, Way, way, WAY, TOO many residents and too many vehicles in Jersey City to close down so many streets. You’re causing not only extreme traffic jams, but more accidents, more Road rage due to congestion, NO parking and what about emergency vehicles? How are they gonna get past traffic and how will vehicles pull over when there’s an emergency vehicle coming? This definitely was NOT thought out in a sensible way.Jersey City has already become a Congested Mess. “Win, win all around”?! Who’s winning, traffic authority? Thanks for making it that much worse..!!

  2. You may want to report on the Marin testing center……results are now taking 11 days for COVID tests ( 2 separate people), even those who tell them they have symptoms. This should be escalated before we get a second wave.

  3. Mayor Fulop – PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let gyms OPEN THEIR INDOOR POOLS!!! It is just torture now with everything in my gym open BUT the pool! The virus cannot survive in the water. Public pools are open. If there is a reason, can you please share it!!!!

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