South Brunswick Holds Meeting To Prep For Coronavirus

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — The state of New Jersey is preparing for coronavirus — and so is South Brunswick.

Although there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in New Jersey, the virus has the very likely risk to cause a pandemic, according to South Brunswick police. For comparison, the flu is also considered a pandemic, which means a disease that is prevalent all over the world.

As of 2:50 p.m. Monday: Murphy Says New Probe Into Possible Coronavirus Case In NJ

South Brunswick police and the mayor held a meeting Monday morning with the South Brunswick Office of Emergency Management, leaders from the public school system and Middlesex County to discuss preparation and response to coronavirus.

The meeting reviewed basic steps businesses, schools and employers can take to help limit the spread of the virus. The meeting was attended by more than two dozen stakeholders representing South Brunswick public schools, EMS, fire, health, elected officials and the Township.

The Middlesex County Health Department was also present to provide an updated assessment of the virus and guidelines for limiting its spread.

There is one singular case so far of coronavirus in New York: A woman in her 30s tested positive for the virus; she is quarantined at home and is not in serious condition, said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Important to note: The CDC advises at this time most people in the United States will have little immediate risk of exposure to coronavirus. This virus is NOT currently spreading widely in the United States.

However, local government in New Jersey is preparing, just to be on the safe side:

“Public health is a top priority and making sure we have accurate information going out to the public is key,” said South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka. “Bringing all our partners together to discuss plans and response today will help us face any challenges if the virus impacts our community.”

Like South Brunswick, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy held an emergency meeting Monday morning to prepare New Jersey's response to the virus.

New Jersey has established a 24-Hour Hotline - 1-800-222-1222 for people with questions about the coronavirus. The hotline is staffed by trained healthcare professionals. To date, the hotline has received more than 800 calls from the public.

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.