With the positive news of a vaccine on the horizon, it’s easy to forget that we are amid the second significant spike in COVID-19 cases. As the U.S. surpasses 13.5 million COVID-19 cases, many metropolitan areas are strengthening safety regulations.
On November 18, Mayor Ravi Bhalla and the Hoboken Office of Emergency Management publicized their intent to increase and strengthen contact tracing with businesses in an effort to protect the Hoboken community from further spreading the virus. Effective November 20, Hoboken businesses will be required to note arrival times and contact information of customers and share this information with the Hoboken Health Department. Customer information will only be used for contact tracing and will be discarded by businesses after 30 days. Some examples of businesses that must adhere to these regulations are restaurants, bars, gyms, and salons, among others. Businesses that are exempt from these regulations include take-out services, delivery services, grocery stores, and other establishments where there is limited contact with customers and employees.
Another change is Hoboken’s partnership with Medicine Man Pharmacy and ivee, who both provided significant testing services before Thanksgiving for Hoboken residents. Although Hoboken discouraged residents from meeting friends and family this Thanksgiving, they still provided testing and quarantine protocols for unavoidable gatherings. Medicine Man Pharmacy has provided Hoboken with about 250 rapid tests, which deliver results three to six hours after testing. Additionally, ivee has provided Hoboken with over 275 PCR tests, which provide results 24 to 48 hours after testing. Other available testing in Hoboken came from previous partnerships with PromptMD, which provided an increased number of tests, and Riverside Medical Group.
With increased contact tracing and COVID-19 testing, Bhalla is appreciative of businesses for adhering to this request. He believes the collaboration between businesses and the health department can mitigate the spread of COVID-19. These methods of contact tracing have already been implemented in areas like New York City and Michigan, which is why Bhalla has confidence in their effectiveness.
Since the start of the pandemic, Hoboken has had 1,264 confirmed cases with 31 confirmed deaths. The Hoboken Health Department has reported a recent increase in COVID-19 cases. On November 19, there were 32 new COVID-19 cases, a new high for a one-day increase. This trend has been apparent throughout New Jersey, with about 4,000 new cases being reported every day. “The numbers in Hoboken and New Jersey are troubling,” said Bhalla in a news update detailing the rising number of cases, “It’s critical to re-double our efforts in the coming weeks, to help mitigate the substantial increase in cases.”
Image courtesy of Jones Day.
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