If You Were At Hoboken Protest, Get Coronavirus Test, Mayor Says

HOBOKEN, NJ — Two days after a protest drew more than 7,000 marchers in Hoboken in the wake of the death of George Floyd, Mayor Ravi Bhalla, who participated in the protest, sent out an alert saying attendees should get a coronavirus test and self-isolate. Last week, mayors of Newark and Princeton had made the same requests after protests there.

A Nixle alert sent out Sunday afternoon, 48 hours after the protests began, stated, "Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla and the city of Hoboken ask all residents who attended Friday’s peaceful demonstration for racial justice to make an appointment for a COVID-19 test. Health experts, along with Governor Murphy, have also asked any participant in a demonstration to get a test, out of an abundance of caution, to protect the health and safety of local communities."

The message also included this information:

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Residents can schedule a test with their primary care physician or utilize Riverside Medical’s testing facility which is open to all residents by appointment. To make an appointment for a COVID-19 test through the city’s partnership with Riverside Medical, which is open to all residents, please call the Community Emergency Response Team hotline at 201-420-5621 Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Symptoms of COVID-19 are not needed to receive a test.

On the advice of health experts, the city recommends residents who attended the demonstration, self-isolate whenever possible and avoid any contact with vulnerable populations, including the elderly, until receiving the results of a COVID-19 test. If a resident does not have health insurance, the city will pay for the cost of a test with Riverside Medical. Riverside and the city have also made testing available to any employee of any Hoboken business in advance of a gradual re-opening. The results of a COVID-19 test at the Riverside site are provided within 15 minutes, on site.

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Bhalla said, “Friday’s demonstration was a powerful statement in the struggle for racial equality. At the same time, to keep our community safe, I ask any resident who attended the event to please schedule a COVID-19 test given the practical difficulties of social distancing at the demonstration.”

On Sunday, Gov. Phil Murphy said that the number of coronavirus cases in New Jersey had risen by 426 over the previous 24 hours, and deaths by 79. The total coronavirus death toll in the state is now 12,106, with 163,893 confirmed cases.

Murphy said he may make an announcement Monday about public pools and about schools. As of now, certain businesses, like salons and establishments with outdoor dining, can re-start service on June 22, with specific precautions.

Murphy has said businesses and facilities must reopen in stages to avoid a new spike. On April 30, 460 New Jersey residents died of the virus in 24 hours, or one every 3 minutes.

The Hoboken protest

Some news outlets estimated that 10,000 people attended the Hoboken protest on Friday afternoon. A city spokesman suggested the number might be closer to 7,500.

The event started at Maxwell Place Park uptown, headed south along the waterfront, then made a u-turn and continued a march up Washington Street.

Bhalla and other officials who've allowed protests have taken criticism, as the protests are larger than the 25-person limit for gatherings handed down from Murphy's office, and people were closer than 6 feet, a recommendation amid the spread of coronavirus.

Bhalla has continually warned people not to loosen social distancing as the weather gets warmer. He was an early proponent of restrictions in his mile-square city of 53,000 to slow the spread of the virus. The city has seen 29 deaths from the virus.

Bhalla's spokesman responded on Saturday, "Mayor Bhalla advised all residents and visitors to wear face masks and social distance whenever possible, which he and his family did his best to follow during the demonstration."

Bhalla said Saturday, "I want to express my sincere thanks to everyone who joined the demonstration, sharing your stories, and exercising your First Amendment rights, as well as the Hoboken Police Department for taking the precautions to keep our residents safe. Our community and country will be stronger because of it."

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