Coronavirus: Visitors Restricted At Chelsea Senior Living

FANWOOD, NJ — Chelsea Senior Living is imposing new restrictions for visitors at all its New Jersey and New York locations, including Fanwood, to help safeguard residents and staff from the new coronavirus.

"We've had no cases to date," said Roger Bernier, president and chief operating officer of Chelsea Senior Living. "And while this may pose a temporary inconvenience to visitors including family members of our residents, we think it's an important step to safeguard the health of our residents and staff."

Notices have been posted advising visitors they may be denied entry if they or family members have symptoms including: sore throat, cough, fever, shortness of breath, diarrhea, nausea, a generalized feeling of being unwell or history of recent travel to impacted areas, domestic or international, within the past 30 days.

Staff members have also been re-instructed on proper hand washing and symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) and have supplies of masks and gowns.

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Developments in the new coronavirus outbreak continue to unfold rapidly in New Jersey now that the number of cases has risen to 15, and one person has died. Among the reported cases in NJ includes one Union County man. (See Related: First NJ Coronavirus Death; Total Cases Rise: Governor)

A 48-year-old from Berkeley Heights developed symptoms on March 1. The person was hospitalized at Overlook Medical Center in Summit. He had symptomatic friends from Italy, but they all tested negative. (See Related: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know)

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, also 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 and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way to prevent the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and 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 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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