'Cranford Cares' Can Get Food To Seniors Amid Coronavirus

CRANFORD, NJ — On Wednesday, Cranford officials announced that a group of Cranford residents have organized Cranford Cares. The group will help with shopping for those unable to get out, particularly the elderly or homebound.

Those in need can contact them at cranfordcares@gmail.com or check their Facebook page, Cranford Cares. They can also call 908-858-2717.

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Regarding Meals on Wheels, Mayor Patrick Giblin wrote in an email, "All remaining congregate sites are closed. Any person who previously ate at one of the 23 congregate meals sites and is unable to sustain without this assistance should call Union County Meals on Wheels 908-527-4870. Home delivered meals for persons with disabilities and seniors over 60 and older will continue and may be expanded for persons in need of food delivery in their homes."

Also in an email, Giblin said the number of confirmed cases in Cranford is up to 21 as of Wednesday. Many more people in the state are waiting for test results, or to be tested.

New testing centers are opening almost daily, including a new drive-through coronavirus testing facility in Union County.

A new testing facility that opened on Monday at the PNC Arts Center had to close by 10 a.m. because of the demand. (It was set to reopen Tuesday). The same situation occurred on Sunday in Bergen County.

In earlier coronavirus updates this week, Cranford Superintendent of Schools Scott Rubin wrote:

<blockquote>

In partnership with the township, the district would like to notify parents/guardians, students, and community members that, during this evolving situation, playgrounds and the Memorial Field Complex are closed to the general public to discourage large groups of individuals.

This virus can only spread with our help, and avoiding large groups is the best way to slow the spread and reduce the risk of infection.

If you decide to go to a park or one of the other school fields, please be sure to abide by the governor's recently signed "Stay at home" Executive Order No. 107 — the portion of the order related to outdoor activities is highlighted below. Additionally, we recommend that you maintain the CDC guidance of “social distancing” which includes maintaining separation (about 6 feet) between folks and practice proper hand hygiene. It’s particularly important for our students to be reminded of this important point.

Executive Order No. 107 (2020): All residents are to stay at home or at their place of residence unless they are leaving for the following reasons:

1) Obtaining goods or services from essential retail businesses;

2) Obtaining takeout or food beverages from restaurants;

3) Seeking medical attention, essential social services, or assistance from law enforcement;

4) Visiting family or close friends, caretakers, or romantic partners;

5) Reporting to or performing their job;

6) Walking, running, or engaging in outdoor activities with immediate family, caretakers, household

members, or romantic partners;

7) Leaving for an educational, religious, or political reason;

8) Leaving because of a reasonable fear for health or safety; or

9) Leaving at the direction of law enforcement or other government agency.

We value your partnership and we will get through this together!

</blockquote>

Residents who have questions about the virus can call 211 or contact the State of New Jersey's hotline at 1 (800) 222-1222. The hotline is home of the https://www.njpies.org/ New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, and is staffed 24 hours a day by state health workers.

Experts say that the novel coronavirus, because it's new, is more lethal and much harder to treat than the flu. More than 15,000 people have died worldwide.

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

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