A letter from County Executive Brian M. Hughes
Dear Mercer County Community,
Mercer County government has been working diligently for the past nine months in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Leading that effort have been our Division of Public Health and our Office of Emergency Management. These teams of talented individuals have provided their experience and expertise to help my administration serve our residents as effectively as possible during a very difficult time. They have coordinated and conducted the county’s COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, including all the logistics associated with those enormous undertakings; secured and distributed personal protective equipment; worked with their counterparts at the state level on all facets of the response; and a great deal more.
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Now they are preparing to shift gears and help oversee the COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Mercer County – another enormous undertaking -- while continuing with the other things they do to help protect our residents. I’d like to recognize Mercer County Human Services Director Marygrace Billek, Health Officer Kristin Reed, Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Hartman and their staffs for their tireless efforts. There’s much more work to be done, but I believe we are as well-positioned as we can be to continue managing this crisis as the county level.
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News about COVID-19 vaccines has been very encouraging. Federal approval of Pfizer’s vaccine appears imminent, and New Jersey health officials have said that once approval is granted and the first installment of doses arrives, they are ready to begin inoculating priority individuals.
But while vaccinations represent a light at the end of what has been a long, dark tunnel, the process will take time. The Department of Health’s stated goal is to inoculate 70 percent of New Jersey’s adult population in six months. Vaccinations will be prioritized, and state health officials have estimated it will be several months before doses are available to the general population. How we comport ourselves in the meantime will determine how the pandemic plays out, and whether we can stop the spread of the virus and keep people out of hospitals. The preventive measures we’ve been taking for the past nine months remain necessary. When out in public, wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth. Keep at least 6 feet away from other people. Practice good hand hygiene. Stay home if you are sick. Avoid gatherings. Use common sense.
If you think you may have been exposed to COVID-19, get tested. Mercer County offers a free at-home saliva test and has been scheduling pop-up testing sites for County residents, first responders and health care workers. In addition, a number of pharmacies and health care facilities offer COVID-19 testing in Mercer County, although procedures vary. And if you are called by a contact tracer, please take the call and provide the requested information. Contact tracers will not share your name or personal information.
Relief is coming, but the next few months will pose a challenge. Let’s help each other get through them safely. Let’s continue to work together.
Brian M. Hughes
Mercer County Executive
CURRENT STATUS
The NJ Department of Health on Dec. 11 announced 3,821 new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the cumulative total of positive cases in the state to 390,256; and 55 additional confirmed COVID-19 deaths, bringing the cumulative total to 15,794 confirmed deaths and 1,868 probable deaths. Mercer County's 128 new positive cases bring its cumulative total to 15,755, with 645 confirmed COVID-19 deaths and 37 probable 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 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Dec. 11 announced 203,229 new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the cumulative total of positive cases in the United States to 15,474,800; and 2,760 additional deaths, bringing the cumulative total to 291,522 with 55 locations (50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, North Mariana Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands) reporting.
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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: (general COVID-19 questions) 2-1-1 (24/7)
Call: (medical COVID-19 questions) 1-800-962-1253 (24/7)
Text: NJCOVID to 898-211 to receive alerts
Visit https://covid19.nj.gov/ or nj.gov/health for additional information
PREVENTION AND SYMPTOMS
How COVID-19 spreads:
COVID-19 spreads easily from person to person, mainly by the following routes:
• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within 6 feet).
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, breathes, sings or talks.
People who are infected but do not show symptoms can also spread the virus to others.
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To ensure the lowest chance of obtaining the virus, and spreading the virus to others:
• Wear a face mask that covers your nose and mouth in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household. Masks help stop the spread of COVID-19 to others.
• Practice social distancing -- stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people who are not from your household in both indoor and outdoor spaces.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
• Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or use the inside of your elbow.
• Avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily.
Symptoms can appear between 2-14 days after exposure, though some people may not have any symptoms while still being contagious. Symptoms can include: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.
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. COVID-19 Symptom Checker
COPING WITH STRESS
If you’re feeling stressed, anxious or depressed due to COVID-19, please call New Jersey's MentalHealthCares Helpline at 866-202-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). Listing of additional resources.
JOBS AND HIRING
Did you lose your job or have your hours reduced as a result of COVID-19? The State of New Jersey has created a resource page to help you connect to benefits and resources you need while you are trying to safely get back to work, as well as some tips for coping with the stress of losing a job: covid19.nj.gov/work. In addition, Mercer County’s One-Stop Career Center has posted a list of employment opportunities.
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’s COVID-19 Business Resources page.
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