Breaking News: The FEMA testing site at Bergen Community College in Paramus reached capacity on Sunday, March 22 in less than one hour. The site is closed for the day and will reopen Monday, March 23. More on that below…
BERGEN COUNTY, N.J.—There are confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus COVID-19 in 63 out of 72 Bergen County municipalities, with 363 confirmed in the county on March 21—and those numbers expected to multiply.
Most of us are expected to get Coronavirus, Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said March 21, urging people to heed social distancing guidelines.
“Incidents of Coronavirus will be significantly widespread,” said Persichilli. “Social distancing is the key to stopping this.”
Bergen County Executive James Tedesco had attempted to accelerate social distancing measures on Monday, March 16, but his order was delayed by the governor’s office.
Gov. Phil Murphy on March 21 issued a stay at home order for all New Jersey residents with non-essential jobs, and shut all non-essential retail stores. Officials say an surge of virus patients could overwhelm the hospital system and increase mortality during this pandemic, arguing instead to suppress the spread of the virus through aggressive limits on civil life.
“I support the steps announced by the Governor in his latest Executive Order as we continue to fight this deadly virus in the hardest hit county – Bergen County,” said County Executive Tedesco. “When we implemented measures to fight COVID-19 two weeks ago, we knew that we had to take aggressive action to protect our residents. The Governor’s actions will help slow the rapid spread of COVID-19 here in Bergen and flatten the curve statewide. “
A Bergen County spokesperson sent out an update March 21 confirming local cases among the many around:
• 97 cases in Teaneck;
• 23 cases in Englewood, and two in Englewood Cliffs;
• Seven cases in Old Tappan;
• Six cases in Montvale;
• Five each in Township of Washington, and Woodcliff Lake;
• Three cases in both Demarest, and Westwood
• Two in Norwood;
• One case each in Alpine, Closter, Cresskill, Emerson, Hillsdale, and River Vale.
Of those who contract COVID-19: 85 percent will recover; 15 percent will need to be admitted to the hospital; and 5 percent will need critical care, said Persichilli.
The mortality rate could be 1 percent of those who contract COVID-19, going up to 3 percent, depending on the hospital system’s ability to respond, she said.
Persichilli said we should wash hands frequently, warning: the droplet infection can stay on inanimate objects for three to five hours. She said she uses hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol when performing her public duties.
“Coughing into your sleeve, social distancing, staying six feet away from people: I can’t emphasize that enough,” she said. “Stay home, practice good hygiene and do it for a long period of time.”
Murphy said immediate goals are to: expand hospital capacity, suppress new cases, and expand testing capacity.
“We are almost certainly going to need every critical care bed in the State of New Jersey,” said Gov. Murphy said, and the state is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expand that capacity.
All hospitals in New Jersey are expected to respond, Persichilli said. There are about 2,000 critical care beds currently operating in New Jersey, and Persichilli said expanding current capacities can likely handle a moderate surge of new patients.
Building field hospitals, reopening closed wings or shuttered hospitals, and decanting entire hospitals could be utilized to handle a moderate increase.
“If it goes to a more significant increase, we need to be able to adjust critical care,” said Persichilli.
“I’m more concerned, quite frankly, with the availability of the workforce, and the availability of ventilators, since this is a pulmonary disease,” said Persichilli. “It’s hitting the lungs; it’s causing bad pneumonias. [Those are the two things we’re working on:] workforce, with the nursing association, and ventilators, with aggressive outreach to vendors: That’s worked on 24/7…”
If you think you may have the virus, stay at home, she said. Monitor yourself for 72 hours, monitor your temperature, and be in touch with your health care provider.
Murphy, speaking on Saturday, March 21, said the Federal Emergency Management Agency drive-thru testing center at Bergen Community College in Paramus has tested about 1,000 people in two days.
The FEMA testing site is only for people who have symptoms of Coronavirus—such as cough, fever and shortness of breath—not the worried well, Murphy has said.
The FEMA testing site in Paramus opens at 8 a.m. daily and remains open while testing supplies last. People should bring identification, but fees have been waved for those who do not have insurance.
The testing center closed early Friday, Saturday, and Sunday March 20, 21 and 22. It will reopen Monday, March 23 at 8 a.m.
“The FEMA test site at Bergen Community College has reached capacity and will reopen tomorrow, Monday, at 8 a.m. to continue testing residents for COVID-19,” said Tedesco. “Bergen County has the most COVID-19 related cases in the state, with five deaths. It is important that we test as many symptomatic residents as possible. We encourage those coming to the FEMA test site to please remain patient as we continue the process of administering tests.”
OTHER CASES CONFIRMED AROUND BERGEN COUNTY AS OF SATURDAY, MARCH 21: Allendale, 2; Bergenfield, 23; Bogota, three; Carlstadt, one; Cliffside Park, five; Carlstadt, one; Cliffside Park, five; Dumont, six; East Rutherford, one; Elmwood Park, eight; Fair Lawn, 16; Fairview, two; Fort Lee, nine; Franklin Lakes, seven; Garfield, five; Glen Rock, five; Hackensack, 11; Hasbrouck Heights, one; Ho-Ho-Kus, three; Leonia, three; Little Ferry, three; Lodi, four; Lyndhurst, six; Mahwah, four; Maywood, five; Midland Park, one; Moonachie, two; New Milford; five; North Arlington, one; Oakland, one; Oradell, eight; Palisades Park, two; Paramus, six; Ramsey, one; Ridgefield, one; Ridgefield Park, two; Ridgewood, 12; River Edge, one; Rochelle Park, one; Rutherford, two; Saddle Brook, three; Saddle River, two; South Hackensack, two; Upper Saddle River, three; Waldwick, one; Wood-Ridge, four; and Wyckoff, three.
This article was first published Saturday night, March 21 and has been updated to include information about the FEMA testing site reaching capacity on Sunday morning, March 22.