With all the debate that has come regarding the pace of reopening, it’s important to note one thing on which all New Jerseyans can agree: We’re in a much better place than we were three months ago.
And much better doesn’t begin to describe it.
Comparing the hospital metrics Tuesday with those on April 14 — the state’s peak, within a day or two — is astonishing. Consider:
On Tuesday, the state is reporting we have 888 patients in hospitals. On April 14, that number stood at 8,065.
The state also is reporting just 149 people in intensive or critical care. That’s down 17 from a day ago — but nowhere near where we stood April 14, when 2,002 people were in intensive care.
The number of patients on ventilators dropped to 79. That number stood at 1,705 on April 14.
The state also announced Tuesday that the rate of transmission remained at 0.91 — which means it remains under the coveted 1.0 mark.
Of course, not all of the news is good.
Gov. Phil Murphy said the state was announcing 423 additional COVID-19 cases, raising the state total to 175,915. And there were 28 more fatalities, pushing the state total to 13,635. That number does not include 1,947 probable fatalities.
Other notes from Tuesday:
Quarantine states
New Jersey added four new states to the quarantine list Tuesday (Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio and Wisconsin) and dropped one (Delaware). The overall total now stands at 22.
Individuals traveling to New Jersey from those states — which New Jersey officials have determined have a significant community spread of COVID-19 — are being advised to quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state.
The states on the list by region:
- South: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
- Central: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas andWisconsin.
- West: Arizona, California, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevadaand Utah.
“We must remain vigilant and committed to our collective effort of beating COVID-19 and reducing the rate of transmission throughout New Jersey,” Murphy said in a release. “In order to continue moving forward with New Jersey’s restart and recovery process, I strongly urge individuals arriving from these 22 states to self-quarantine and proactively get a COVID-19 test to prevent hotspots from flaring up across our state.”
Travelers and those residents who are returning from impacted states should self-quarantine at their home, hotel or other temporary lodging. Individuals should leave the place of self-quarantine only to seek medical care/treatment or to obtain food and other essential items.
Hoboken business relief
U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), U.S. Rep. Albio Sires (D-8th Dist.), Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise and Hoboken Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla will announce millions in federal funding to help Hoboken small businesses and the city’s response to COVID-19 on Wednesday.
The money will be used for expanded testing, meals for seniors, disinfecting of public buildings and housing, and more.
The final word
Murphy on New Jersey being one of 15 states to sign a memo of understanding to accelerate bus and truck electrification:
Today’s action will support the electrification of medium and heavy-duty vehicles by building on New Jersey’s comprehensive strategy that includes reentry to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, from which auction proceeds will go toward clean energy initiatives particularly for our environmental justice populations. Taken together with the blueprint outlined in our Energy Master Plan, these efforts demonstrate New Jersey’s unwavering commitment to 100% clean energy by 2050, creating a healthier environment for everyone.”
