Coronavirus: Montclair Moves To Safeguard Schools, Seniors

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Officials in Montclair are taking steps to safeguard the town’s public schools and senior citizens in the wake of the novel coronavirus dubbed COVID-19.

The coronavirus outbreak has reportedly infected more than 600 and killed at least 22 people in the U.S. As of Monday afternoon, there have been 11 cases identified in New Jersey, none of which have been fatal, officials say.

State health officials have maintained that most New Jersey residents are at "very low risk" of contracting COVID-19.

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Citing guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH), Montclair township officials have begun taking local precautions against the virus.

Those moves include taking safeguards for Montclair’s senior citizens, officials said.

On Monday, the Montclair Health Department announced that senior-related programming in the township is being temporarily suspended. The schools have canceled field trips and some activities.

Montclair health officials stated:

“The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) issued the latest guidance regarding COVID-19: individuals who may be ill or at high-risk for severe COVID-19 illness should not attend conferences or mass gatherings. Persons at high risk include people over the age of 60, people with underlying health conditions such as heart disease, lung disease or diabetes, and women who are pregnant.”

Montclair officials continued:

“Given the above CDC and NJDOH recommendation, township senior-related programming is temporarily suspended. This includes all Edgemont Park House activities and the remaining Montclair Institute for Lifelong learning (MILL) Folk Music Revival and Chair Yoga classes. Cancelation information is being disseminated to the senior community and the response is overwhelmingly positive and understanding.”

According to the Montclair Health Department, municipal staff members are working with volunteers to arrange for regular phone contact with our more vulnerable program attendees to ensure their well-being. The township is also exploring possibilities for remote programming via television, the internet and telephone.

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MONTCLAIR SCHOOLS

Meanwhile, the Montclair Public School District has been taking precautionary steps to protect students, staff and their families.

On Friday, the spouse of a district employee was evaluated for possible exposure to the Coronavirus. By extension, the employee was evaluated as well, school administrators said.

Both have tested negative and are cleared by health officials, administrators said.

“Unfortunately, this type of news may become more prevalent in the days to come,” district officials added.

According to administrators – who have been in daily communication with the Montclair Department of Health – here are some of the ways that the district is making preparations in regard to the novel coronavirus:

• “We are meeting or exceeding NJDOH guidelines for schools.”
• “We have procedures in place to ensure students and staff who become ill at school will be attended to and sent home as soon as possible.”
• “We are evaluating field trips on a case-by-case basis.”
• “Notice will be provided if school closure is necessary, and we are preparing for continuation of learning.”
• “Our custodial staff will increase the level of cleaning and disinfecting in each building.”

There are a few things that local parents and guardians can do to help, district administrators said. Those include:

• “We request parents/guardians make sure their contact information is correct in Genesis. A parent/guardian or emergency contact should be available to pick up a sick student within a half hour.”
• “We want to remind everyone that the best defense is hand washing.”
• “Please keep your child home if sick.”
• “If you or your children are traveling abroad, you please notify respective schools about the location of travel.”

See more information about COVID-19 from the Montclair Public School District.

WHAT IS COVID-19?

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.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. You should only wear a mask if a health care professional recommends it. A face mask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms. This is to protect others from the risk of getting infected. The use of face masks also is crucial for health workers and other people who are taking care of someone infected with COVID-19 in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

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

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