Westfield Implements Youth Curfew, Confirms 2nd Coronavirus Case

WESTFIELD, NJ -- On Monday evening, the town of Westfield confirmed a second case of coronavirus and said it would institute a youth curfew. The letter to residents follows.

Also Monday night, the state of New Jersey confirmed its third death from the virus, a man in his 90s who was being treated at Hackensack Medical Center.

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Strategies for social distancing were explained by Mayor Shelley Brindle and Regional Health Officer Megan Avallone on a panel on Friday.

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COVID-19 UPDATE: MARCH 16
Thanks to everyone for your continued patience as information continues to evolve and inform our decision-making process to help protect the community.

CONFIRMED CASES
As of today, there are 178 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Jersey, eight of which are in Union County. This includes a second confirmed case in Westfield -- a 45 year-old male who is stable and managing symptoms at home. All individuals considered to be close contacts have been reached and asked to self-quarantine for 14 days.
The county today indicated that plans are underway to establish a drive-up COVID-19 testing facility location, with anticipated timing for a limited initial roll out expected within the next week.
As a reminder, now is the time to stay home as much as possible, avoid crowds, and keep 6-10 feet apart from other people if you have to go out. All non-essential travel and outings should be postponed.

MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY OPERATIONS
Beginning Tuesday, March 17, all municipal buildings in Westfield will be closed to the public, with the exception of the entrance to the Police Department. All non-essential Town employees will be sent home to work remotely, and residents are reminded to use email addresses and phone numbers listed for each department on the Town website, and to make payments online when possible.
A drop box for payments will be available in the Police Department, and a bin for the deposit of building applications and other paperwork relevant to Planning, Zoning, and Engineering will be available outside of the Public Works building at 959 North Avenue. Essential service employees such as Public Works, Police, Fire, and EMS have taken additional precautions, such as staggered shifts and reduction in shared vehicles as much as possible. In addition, all Union County buildings will close to the public beginning tomorrow.

EXECUTIVE ORDER ISSUED BY GOVERNOR MURPHY
As part of a regional approach by New Jersey, New York and Connecticut to combat the coronavirus, today Governor Murphy called for the closure of restaurants and bars for eat-in service. Movie theaters, gyms and casinos are also temporarily closed. Supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations and medical offices will remain open, and all non-essential travel between 8:00PM and 5:00AM is highly discouraged.

These measures are largely in line with what we announced yesterday for Westfield as part of the Virtual Downtown model we are pursuing to help support our local businesses while also prioritizing public health. I remain grateful to our businesses for their flexibility and patience in these unprecedented times. Additional details about delivery and curbside service will be available shortly from the DWC.

SUGGESTED JUVENILE CURFEW
While the state has asked that all residents suspend non-essential travel between 8 p.m. and 5 p.m., the Westfield Police Department is implementing a public curfew for those under 18 during these hours without being accompanied by an adult. While this isn’t mandatory, we strongly encourage parents to ensure their children comply.

PARKING
As announced yesterday, the Town will suspend enforcement of all metered parking effective March 17. In order to help facilitate curbside pick-up from restaurants and retail establishments, the spaces along Quimby, East Broad (Prospect to Elm), Elm (North to East Broad), and South Avenue are designated as 15-minute spots for this purpose. All employees of local businesses are required to park in municipal lots or in their permit-assigned areas.

RECYCLING
The Town’s recycling provider, Giordano Company, Inc., continues to provide all scheduled service at this time.

GROCERY STORES
In an effort to help with crowding issues, area grocery stores -- including Stop & Shop, ShopRite, King’s, and Trader Joe’s -- have made changes to their schedules and, in some cases, are providing dedicated entrances or shopping hours for senior citizens. We have also asked them to limit crowd capacity to 50%. We are prepared to implement voluntary crowd management protocols if crowds continue. Please be sure to check with them for updated information.

STAY INFORMED
Thanks to all of you who have committed to staying informed as we communicate a significant amount of information each day. We are doing everything we can to answer your questions and provide clarity, and we ask for your patience as we work through some of these unprecedented issues with the benefit of the community always top of mind.
As a reminder, here are the best ways to receive information:

• Follow Mayor Brindle and the Town of Westfield on social media (@MayorBrindle and @TownofWestfield)
• Refer to the Coronavirus Information Center on our website: westfieldnj.gov/coronavirus
• Subscribe to Nixle alerts by texting 07090 to 888-777
• Enroll in our email updates: westfieldnj.gov/townupdates
• Seniors requesting information about services can call 908-301-1287 , or email westfieldnjseniors@gmail.com
• For all other questions about the Town’s efforts related to COVID-19, email covid19@westfieldnj.gov.

We will host another Facebook Live session on Wednesday 10:00AM. Questions can be submitted at westfieldnj.gov/covid19update.

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Experts say that the novel coronavirus, because it's new, is more lethal and harder to treat than the flu.

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.

Got a Westfield news tip or want to reach out? Email caren.lissner@Patch.com.