Hoboken Mayor Bhalla To Self-Isolate After Coronavirus Exposure

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, one of the first mayors in the Northeast to shut facilities and certain businesses in advance of the coronavirus pandemic in March, had to miss his city's Sept. 11 ceremony on Friday "due to one of his contacts recently testing positive for COVID-19," said city spokesman Vijay Chaudhuri on Friday evening.

[SEE UPDATE HERE: Mayor to continue 'self monitoring' for 14 days.]

"Out of an abundance of caution, Mayor Bhalla is quarantining safely at home for the weekend," Chaudhuri said in a short email. "He regrets he will be unable to give remarks at the September 11 interfaith service, but to protect the safety of all participants and residents, is holding to the same advice he gives to others who may have been at risk: self-isolate and avoid contact with others until it is safe to do so."

UPDATE: On Saturday, Chaudhuri clarified: "Mayor Bhalla will follow the guidance of medical professionals and the Hoboken Health Department regarding his self-imposed quarantine, and will no longer quarantine when it has been determined to be safe to do so."

Hoboken, a mile-square city of 53,000 people, is located across the river from Midtown Manhattan.

The city lost 56 community members on Sept. 11.

Hoboken has suffered 31 fatalities from coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic. The last fatality was in May.

Here are other Hoboken coronavirus statistics:

• Hoboken's total of Covid-19 cases as of the end of August was 718 known, confirmed cases. This past Thursday, Bhalla said in an update that the current case count was 729.
• See a recent update here.
• Here are statistics on Hoboken residents under 16 testing positive for the virus.

Here is other coronavirus information for Hoboken:

SCHOOLS

• The Hoboken public schools are slated to reopen Monday, Sept. 14 remotely, and then Sept. 21 on-site for those who requested it.
• The district has offered a reopening plan giving parents a choice of either full-time on-site learning (until 3 p.m.) or full-time distance learning. In the buildings, there will be restrictions, such as kids wearing masks and maintaining a 6-foot distance.

LIBRARY

See this story.

HOW TO GET HELP WITH HEAT, RENT, AND MORE

• During the State of Emergency in New Jersey, no tenant is permitted to be evicted from their home or apartment for the inability to pay rent. Talk to your local mayor's office if you are experiencing difficulties.
• The CARES act has made money available to help with rent in each city. More information is here.
• New Jersey residents can get help with heating and energy bills. Information is here.
• Various other avenues of relief and benefits have also been made available, including family leave for 12 weeks if you can't work due to your child's school or camp being closed, and changes to unemployment rules to help those who were at a job for a short time, or freelancing.

LONG-TERM CARE

• New Jersey residents have become alarmed at the high number of residents who have passed away in nursing homes, rehabs, and similar facilities. The state announced plans in May to increase testing at some long term care facilities and to bring in the National Guard to help make changes.
• The state released death toll statistics for long-term care facilities like rehabs and nursing homes. See the list here.
• You can report problems with long term care facilities here, or if you suspect coronavirus related misconduct, here.
• Some New Jersey long-term care facilities reopened for limited visits, with precautions, in July.

Here are statewide coronavirus resources:

• NJ COVID-19 Information Hub: https://covid19.nj.gov/
• General COVID-19 questions: 2-1-1
• NJ COVID-19 hotline: (800) 222-1222

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