‘We Are Prepared’ Says South Brunswick As COVID Surges Statewide

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — Visitors to any Township municipal building or facility will now have to mask up. South Brunswick has reinstated mask-wearing in municipal buildings for employees and visitors amid a statewide COVID-19 surge, Mayor Charlie Carley told Patch.

“This public health crisis is an odd-shaped bouncing ball that requires quick and nuanced approaches,” Carley said. The township is also exploring the possibility of regularly testing unvaccinated township employees.

“A draft of that policy has been sent to labor unions, so we’re waiting on that,” said Police Chief and head of the OEM, Raymond Hayducka.

In South Brunswick, 100 percent of residents who are 65 years and older have been vaccinated, according to the state's COVID-19 dashboard. The vaccination rate among those who are aged 30 and above is 86 percent, and 88 percent of residents aged 18 and above have been vaccinated. Overall, the percentage of vaccinated residents in South Brunswick is 71 percent.

However, the rapid spread of COVID-19's Delta variant is a cause of concern. The highly transmissible variant now accounts for 90 percent of positive cases in the state, according to recent data.

Read More Here: What New Jersey Should Know About Delta Variant Vaccinations

Read More Here: How New Jersey Ranks In New COVID-19 Hospitalizations

Read More Here: Coronavirus Transmission 'Substantial' In Middlesex County: CDC

To curb the spread, the township is forming partnerships with Ridgewood Laboratory and Penn Medicine to “determine whether and how we can provide free testing and vaccination opportunities to our residents,” Carley said.

The OEM is coordinating with the health department and in the coming days there will be more guidance and information released to the public, Hayducka said.

The Centers for Disease Control said that all of New Jersey's 21 counties have entered "high" or "substantial" levels of coronavirus transmission as of Monday. CDC now recommends masks in workplaces, public buildings, and stores in areas of substantial or high spread, regardless of vaccination status.

Read More Here: Masks Now Recommended In All 21 NJ Counties, CDC Says

In South Brunswick, officials are confident of curbing the spread of the Delta variant. “We are much better prepared from experience and education,” Hayducka said.

"In 33 years, I’ve seen a lot – crimes, natural disaster, shootings. The most difficult time of my career has been the pandemic,” Hayducka said. He asked the community for patience and understanding as the Delta variant spurs a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases across the country.

“I’ve seen people lose their patience at hotels and restaurants. We’ve got to be patient and kind,” he said.

South Brunswick isn’t the only township to reinstate COVID-19 safety protocols. Princeton, Cinnaminson, Metuchen, Maplewood, and Teaneck are requiring employees and visitors to mask up when visiting any municipal building.

The recent uptick in COVID-19 cases statewide also lead Gov. Phil Murphy to make two announcements last week.

On Aug. 6, he announced that students, educators, staff, and visitors in all NJ K-12 schools will have to wear masks when the school year begins in September. And then on Aug. 2, he announced a vaccine mandate for many health care workers throughout the state, with affected employees required to take regular COVID-19 tests if they're not fully vaccinated against the disease.

Thank you for reading. Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com

Get breaking news alerts on your phone with our app. Download here. Sign up to get Patch emails so you don't miss out on local and statewide news.