PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—On Monday, March 9, the same day Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency over the rapidly spreading COVID-19 virus, the River Vale Police Department issued a warning over a brand of skin sanitizer sold at a local convenience store that’s been linked to a child’s apparent chemical burns.
They victim went to the emergency room, where he was covered in ointment and put on an intravenous drip. [See our updated story, Store Owner Charged After Bogus River Vale ‘Sanitizer’ Burns Four Children.]
And on March 5, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco III announced that the Division of Consumer Protection of Bergen and Passaic Counties are warning residents to be aware of potential COVIS-19-related price gouging.
Murphy’s emergency declaration, issued by executive order, is aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19. It enables “state agencies and departments to utilize state resources to assist affected communities responding to and recovering from COVID-19 cases.”
It also prohibits price gouging and will “expedite the delivery of goods and services necessary for coronavirus preparedness and response efforts.” His office explained the declarations speed access to resources for state agencies.
Cases growing fast
At least nine states have declared public health emergencies over the outbreak as of March 9. Murphy declared the state of emergency two days after New York Gov. Mario Cuomo did the same in his state—and shortly after trading on the New York Stock Exchange was halted temporarily for the first time since October 1997, all stemming from coronavirus’s economic fallout.
According to U.S. health sources, as of Tuesday there were 15 presumed positive cases of coronavirus in New Jersey, with one death, in Englewood,—out of 754 cases in the United States, with 28 deaths. Worldwide there have been 113,580 cases, with more than 4,000 deaths.
[Editor’s note: This is an ever-moving target. Our report is current as of 2:40 p.m. Tuesday, March 10.]
An excellent coronavirus visual dashboard by Johns Hopkins University’s Whiting School of Engineering also shows recoveries from COVID-19.
As the disease gains ground, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said communities will need to start considering canceling large gatherings, closing schools, and letting more employees work from home.
Murphy said, “We are acting based on the facts on the ground and by the latest medical science.”
He added, “We have been ahead of the curve in terms of our whole-of-government preparations and this declaration will help keep us there.”
Allegedly dangerous sanitizer pulled from shelves
On March 9, the River Vale Police Department responded to the 7-Eleven on Rivervale Road at 8:13 p.m. after area mom Lauren Michele Gehm posted pictures of her son with first-degree burns on his arms and legs after he applied an item sold as airplane carryon “Spray Sanitizer.”
She said the spray was “loaded with ammonia” and “probably made in a back alley due to all this hype nonsense.”
At the store, police seized the remaining bottles. RVPD Lt. John DeVoe announced, “While further investigation is underway, our first priority is to make the public aware that they should not use this item if they purchased it at the River Vale 7-Eleven.”
He added, “As far as we know, this issue is limited to the River Vale store. From the information that we received, approximately one dozen of the bottles were sold to customers today.”
DeVoe said the RVPD alerted local, county, and state authorities. Anyone who purchased this item from the River Vale 7-Eleven is asked to contact the River Vale Police Department at (201) 664-1111.
Report price gouging
In light of the news that the COVID-19 virus has reached Bergen County, Tedesco said thecounty is asking Bergen and Passaic County residents to report any merchants that dramatically increase prices for surgical masks, gloves, sanitizing products such as hand sanitizer, Lysol/Clorox wipes and sprays in an apparent attempt to take unfair advantage of a health emergency.
Excessive price increases are defined as those marked up more than 10% higher than the price at which merchandise was sold during the normal course of business prior to the State of Emergency.
Price-gouging violations are punishable by civil penalties of up to $10,000 for the first offense and $20,000 for the second and subsequent offenses. Each individual sale of merchandise is considered a separate and distinct event.
Consumers who suspect price gouging and other COVID-19 related fraud should contact the Division of Consumer Protection immediately at (201) 336-6400, or visit the Division of Consumer Affairs.
Investigators are ready to take immediate action to protect consumers. Please leave your name, contact information, nature of the complaint, and the name of the business and location,” Tedesco said.
He added, “We are urging Bergen County residents to remain calm, not spread fear and panic, and to be assured that we are all working together and utilizing all of our resources to protect the public from the spread of COVID-19.”
Story updated Tuesday, March 10 at 8:24 p.m. to reflect the news that authorities had moved against the owner of the 7-Eleven that sold alleged bootleg sanitizer that injured four children.
