ARMY CORPS TO EXPAND TRENTON HOSPITAL CAPACITY
St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton is one of three New Jersey medical facilities whose capacities are being expanded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District as part of the ongoing response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Construction to convert portions of St. Francis Medical Center into a 37-bed facility began Tuesday after a contract was awarded Monday to Sand Point Services, LLC.
“Hospital capacity everywhere is a major concern as the COVID-19 crisis rages on, and these additional beds will greatly benefit Mercer County and the region,” County Executive Brian M. Hughes said. “We thank the Army Corps, FEMA and the State of New Jersey for planning and coordinating this project.”
USACE Philadelphia District is providing planning, engineering, contracting and construction management support to the State of New Jersey and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to address possible medical facility shortages due to COVID-19. The mission is part of a nationwide federal, state and local effort to respond to the public health emergency.
The USACE Philadelphia District also awarded contracts to East Orange General Hospital in East Orange to convert currently unused hospital space into a 250-bed facility; and to Bergen New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus to convert the hospital’s gymnasium into a 30-bed facility, and to construct a 100-bed medical tent in one section of the hospital parking lot. Construction on those projects began between April 9 and 15.
In late March, the USACE Philadelphia District formed teams and began conducting facility assessments in close coordination with the New Jersey State Police and the New Jersey Department of Public Health. USACE provides the State with the assessments, which contain information on the possible conversion of existing buildings into alternate care facilities.
The USACE Philadelphia District has also provided engineering support related to the installation of pre-stocked, rapidly deployable Field Medical Stations at the Meadowlands Convention Center in Secaucus, the New Jersey Convention Center in Edison and the Atlantic City Convention Center.
Mercer County testing sites -- Quaker Bridge Mall and Trenton
Mercer County, in collaboration with health care and municipal partners, is operating an appointment-only, drive-up testing site for COVID-19 at Quaker Bridge Mall in Lawrence, and appointment-only pop-up testing sites in Trenton for individuals who lack transportation to the mall location. The Trenton sites are now open in each city ward one day a week.
Testing will be provided for symptomatic Mercer County residents age 18 or older who have an appointment. Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath.
If you are symptomatic for COVID-19 and want to be tested, contact your primary health care practitioner. If a test is needed, your doctor will fax a prescription to the Mercer County health call center at 609-630-4031, and the center will contact you to schedule an appointment. If you voice an inability to get to Quaker Bridge Mall, you will be offered an appointment at a Trenton pop-up site along with instructions on when and where to go. If you do not have a doctor, call an urgent care facility or call the Henry J. Austin Health Center in Trenton (609-278-5900) to arrange for screening.
For the health, safety and security of staff at the Quaker Bridge Mall testing site, patients will not be permitted to leave their vehicles. Walk-ups are not permitted at that testing location.
You must have an appointment to be tested. Those who show up at a testing site without an appointment will not be able to be tested.
If you have questions about the testing process, call 609-337-4081 Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
The testing sites are collaborative efforts between the County of Mercer, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, Capital Health System, St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton, the Trenton Health Team, Henry J. Austin Health Center, the City of Trenton, Lawrence Township and Quaker Bridge Mall management.
If you believe you may have symptoms of COVID-19, the State of New Jersey’s COVID-19 Information Hub provides a self-assessment tool that will help you determine whether you should be tested. Visit self.covid19.nj.gov.
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WASH YOUR HANDS. STAY AT HOME.
To mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and protect the capacity of New Jersey's health care system for the state's most vulnerable, all residents are under a stay-at-home order issued by Gov. Phil Murphy. Executive Order No. 107 provides for certain exceptions, such as obtaining essential goods or services, seeking medical attention, visiting family or close friends, reporting to work, or engaging in outdoor activities. It also directs the closure of all non-essential retail businesses to the public. Find more information at COVID19.nj.gov.
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HAVE GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT COVID-19?
The NJ Poison Control Center and 211 have partnered with the State to provide information to the public on COVID-19:
Call: 2-1-1
Call (24/7): 1-800-962-1253
Text: NJCOVID to 898-211
Visit covid19.nj.gov or nj.gov/health for additional information
PREVENTION
To ensure the lowest chance of obtaining the virus, and spreading the virus to others:
- Practice social distancing
- Avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
- Wash your hands frequently, especially before eating, after exiting a densely populated area, and after coughing and sneezing
- Disinfect personal items regularly
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SYMPTOMS
Symptoms – fever, cough, shortness of breath – can appear between 2-14 days after exposure, though some people may not have any symptoms while still being contagious. It's also important to consider whether you've been in contact with an infected person, as well as any symptoms you may be experiencing.
If you believe you've been infected and you are not in immediate danger, you should contact your doctor by phone. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911, and notify the dispatch personnel that you may have COVID-19.
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COPING WITH STRESS
If you’re feeling stressed, anxious or depressed due to COVID-19, please call New Jersey's Mental Health Hotline at 877-294-HELP (4357) or visit njmentalhealthcares.org for emotional support, guidance, and mental health referrals as needed. You also may call the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 (TTY 1-800-846-8517).
CENSUS 2020
You haven’t missed your chance to participate in the 2020 Census! If your home hasn’t responded, a paper form is on the way. Check your mailbox this week for your opportunity to bring education, health care, housing, and political power to your community.
If a paper form doesn’t work for you, you can respond online or by phone. There are so many ways to count yourself in the 2020 Census -- don’t wait!
People across America are keeping their families and communities safe and healthy by staying home, or serving the public by providing essential services. Responding to the Census yourself — is another way to do your part and help keep your community strong.
To respond online, visit https://my2020census.gov/login; to respond by phone, call 844-330-2020 (English) or 844-468-2020 (Spanish).
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JOBS AND HIRING
Did you lose your job or have your hours reduced as a result of COVID-19? Businesses across New Jersey need thousands of workers for immediate hire. Learn more about who is hiring in your community at jobs.covid19.nj.gov. The New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development has prepared a frequently asked questions document for workers affected by the coronavirus emergency.
BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
For information on COVID-19/Novel Coronavirus and its impact on businesses – including resources, assistance and regulations -- visit the State of New Jersey business portal and the Mercer County Office of Economic Development.
GENERAL PUBLIC FAQs
New Jersey’s COVID-19 Information Hub provides answers to frequently asked questions the public may have about coronavirus disease.
CURRENT STATUS
The New Jersey Department of Health on April 16 announced 4,391 new positive cases, bringing the total of positive cases in the state to 75,317 with 3,518 deaths. The most positive cases are in Bergen County, which has 11,409; Mercer County has 2,037, with 87 deaths. To view Mercer County data by municipality, please visit the Mercer County COVID-19 Dashboard at https://arcg.is/1y1eHO. Please note that municipal data lags behind the state data and will update as information becomes available. Visit the New Jersey Department of Health's COVID-19 Dashboard for more statewide information.
The CDC on April 16 announced a total of 632,548 cases of COVID-19 in the United States, and a total of 27,012 deaths, with 55 locations (50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, North Mariana Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands) reporting cases. This includes both confirmed and presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 reported to CDC or tested at CDC since Jan. 21, 2020. State and local public health departments are now testing and publicly reporting their cases.
This is a rapidly evolving situation. For more information about COVID-19 visit covid19.nj.gov or cdc.gov.
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