CRANFORD, NJ — On Friday evening, the town of Cranford gave an update on coronavirus statistics in town, including new cases since the Aug. 5 newsletter nine days earlier.
In Cranford, there have been 3 new cases in the community and no new fatalities, bringing the total confirmed cases to 521 since the beginning of the pandemic. There have been 96 fatalities among residents overall, many of them in long-term care facilities.
The town also thanked the more than 20 Cranford residents who are part of “NJ Sews In Unity,” a group that has been sewing masks, scrub caps and surgical gowns for 198 organizations in NJ that serve vulnerable populations like the elderly, veterans, handicapped, women’s shelters, children’s clinics and more.
The Cranford Township Committee issued a proclamation to thank the volunteers.
Rise and fall
Cranford issued these weekly updates on coronavirus statistics over the past few weeks:
Aug. 5:
July 29:
July 22:
The city experienced an uptick in new cases in July, after many New Jersey cities had gone through a week in which they had few or no cases. But facilities started reopening and people traveled to states with higher numbers.
As of Thursday, 165,000 Americans had died of coronavirus, and more than 5 million have tested positive.
In New Jersey on Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy said the number of coronavirus cases statewide has risen to 186,594, with 14,054 confirmed deaths. That included 699 new cases since the day before and eight newly confirmed deaths.
The daily death rate in New Jersey has been declining since back on April 30, when it reached a peak of 460 residents in 24 hours.
Many other states reached record daily death rates in July (see the daily totals in each state here). They have pulled back on their reopenings, including Texas, which closed bars after seeing record numbers of hospitalizations and deaths.
On Tuesday, New Jersey updated its list of states that residents must quarantine upon returning from. Two new states have been added. Read more: NJ Updates Coronavirus Travel Quarantine For 31 States
As of Sunday, 35 states remained above the positive testing rate recommended by the World Health Organization to safely reopen. WHO recommends states remain at 5 percent or lower for at least 14 days. Read more: More Kids Getting Coronavirus.
See below for other recent Cranford coronavirus and reopening updates related to schools, testing, reopenings, and more:
SCHOOLS
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Cranford schools will reopen, with various distance and in-person learning options, on Sept. 8.
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Cranford Superintendent of Schools Scott Rubin released a final reopening plan in late July. Elementary students will go to school every weekday, with single-session days and no lunch. Middle school students will attend every other day, and high school students will go two to three days per week, alternating. Students may also go remotely, full-time.
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Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration released its broad school reopening guidelines to the districts in late June. He also said all districts must offer a distance learning option.
ENTERTAINMENT
TESTING
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If you’re a Union City resident, you can make an appointment at the testing site by calling 908-214-7107.
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You can also contact your physician or the state 211 hotline for more information.
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The schedule for the Union County drive-through testing center has changed several times. Thus, call to find out the current schedule.
LOCAL BUSINESS/JOBS
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Outdoor dining reopened in Cranford on June 15. Read more here.
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Hair salons and other personal care businesses were able to reopen June 22. State rules can be found here.
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Read more about unemployment, small business, and other coronavirus regulations and benefits in New Jersey here.
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Turtleback Zoo has job opportunities in guest relations, paddle boats, Treetop Adventure, parking and maintenance, must be 18 years of age. Please visit the link for a list of available jobs and how to apply: https://buff.ly/2QWodaV
HOSPITALS/NURSING HOMES
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New Jersey residents have become alarmed at the high number of residents who have passed away in nursing homes, rehabs, and similar facilities, and have charged that the facilities are undercounting the numbers and not adequately protecting residents and staff. The state has faced questions for weeks from the press about how they will address the problems.
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There is now a state website with numbers for people at individual nursing homes.
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You can report immediate issues with long term care facilities here, or if you suspect coronavirus related misconduct that should be reported to the Attorney General, here.
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Some long-term care facilities have begun allowing socially distanced visits.
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Local hospitals updated their visitor guidelines recently. Read more here.
GIVING AND GETTING HELP
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To find out about help for the needy and seniors, or get food or food bank information, contact your town via the Cranford town website.
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To read about Feed the Front Lines, click here.
Here are additional statewide coronavirus resources:
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NJ COVID-19 Information Hub: https://covid19.nj.gov/
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General COVID-19 questions: 2-1-1
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NJ COVID-19 hotline: (800) 222-1222
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This article originally appeared on the Cranford Patch