May 26, 2020 MESSAGE FROM MAYOR & COUNCIL - CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
Good afternoon, I am Mayor Paul Medany, today is May 26th, 2020 on behalf of Township Council we are back with regular updates and information on COVID-19.
First, we hope you had a safe Memorial Day and we thank our soldiers for giving us the opportunity to do just that.
COVID-19 statistics; Deptford has a number of cases at 479 as of today. There are 371 cases from our long term care facilities in Deptford.
New Jersey totals are 11,191 folks have passed away from COVID-19, there are currently 155,764 cases in the state. The county has 2,104, I’m reading these from the paper we just got.
Go to our website, www.deptford-nj.org for more information, for service requests, anything about Deptford Township and other information related to COVID-19.
These videos are put out to give you solid information on what we are doing in Deptford Township.
There are two issues going on. First, we must protect the health and safety of our residents from COVID-19. One way we are doing that are these constant updates and reminders on what to do as preventive measures. The second looming issue is the economy.
Let’s talk about the virus first. This and most viruses are spread by droplets from talking, sneezing and coughing. That’s right simply talking can spread droplets. Sounds simple and it is in a couple of ways. Viruses need a place to live and that place is in your body.
They die without a host. They have evolved to become hitchhikers basically. They have figured out ways to get in to your body and thrive and then you get sick as your body fights off the invaders basically to evict them.
One example from viruses is that we all get is the common cold at one time or another. The common cold is also in the Coronavirus family of invaders.
There are ways to protect us, and one is a vaccine. There is no vaccine for this COVID-19 virus coming anytime soon, there is certainly work being done by scientists but don’t expect one for quite a while because of testing. There is no drug to prevent it. You are the frontline defense.
Not only must we keep ourselves safe but by following safety measures, we are protecting everyone around us especially the more susceptible part of our population.
The second issue is our economy. Let’s be clear this is a very serious situation. We must get back to businesses opening now. It will be up to state leaders making these decisions but here at the municipal level we are seeing and hearing every day the economic devastation of shutdowns.
It is a challenging situation giving the all clear signal that everything can open up, we realize that. The problematic part is there will not be a 100% all clear for quite a while.
It is disturbing to watch big box stores never close while our other businesses are suffering, and employees are out of work. The State has figured out a way to let them stay open, and we must do the same for all the other stores right now!
Do not make the mistake of assuming this particular virus is going away, it is not. We have said it repeatedly and we are going to have to learn to live with it.
The point of the shutdown was that the medical system could not handle a huge influx of COVID-19 patients.
That is no longer the case in our region. But we cannot ignore guidelines and have a huge uptick in cases.
The solution is not guaranteed by a long shot but we all must stay with protecting ourselves.
Physical distance, wash your hands, use hand sanitizer, don’t touch your face, and wear a mask. For now, and probably always, stop shaking hands, stop hugging, and stop talking close to someone else’s face. Stay away, physical distance.
Droplets can travel 3 to 6 feet, that’s why you constantly see 6 foot markers in all the stores.
Wash your masks, follow guidelines by the CDC and clean them by certain methods, you can get these guidelines on their website.
Back to Deptford Township. We have been planning for full reopening every day. Our building is still closed to the public for right now. We are ramping up municipal services such as yard debris pickup, maintaining parks, doing much needed renovations, and all of the municipal services that we have been providing and will provide.
Planning and zoning meetings continue. Our business advisory group has been working with businesses to plan reopening’s, and on and on and on.
So, one thing I want to say real quick is I want to thank Township Council for their work during this emergency situation, making the hard decisions they have to make, and helping the administration keep Deptford Township running.
So for now, we will live with a new normal. Do it and follow it. We all must cooperate and get back to events, social gatherings, church, movies, playgrounds. Our life is going to change, but we’ll adapt, and we must come out stronger for it.
We will see you soon, thank you.
Stay informed:
Visit the Center for Disease Control website at https://www.cdc.gov
Visit the State Department of Health website at https://www.nj.gov/health/
Contact the NJ Coronavirus Center hotline at 800-222-1222
Sincerely,
Mayor Paul Medany & Township Council