Westfield School Staff Member Tests Positive For Coronavirus

WESTFIELD, NJ — Westfield Superintendent of Schools Margaret Dolan said in a letter Tuesday that a staff member at two of the district schools tested positive for coronavirus, but had no contact with staff and students.

The superintendent wrote, "This is to notify you that a staff member who works in Jefferson and Lincoln Schools has tested positive for covid-19. Through its contact tracing protocol, the Westfield Regional Health Department has concluded that there was no contact with or exposure to any student or employee at either Jefferson or Lincoln. Therefore, all of our schools will remain open for hybrid, in-person instruction."

In mid-September, the high school went fully remote for two weeks after six students tested positive for the virus.

(How many schools have switched to remote because of coronavirus? Read more: Gov. Murphy: 11 Coronavirus Outbreaks At NJ Schools In New Data)

"I cannot provide further details," Dolan wrote, "but I can say that the staff member — who is self-isolating — was interviewed extensively by the health department. As is the case in all of our schools every day, every area in both Jefferson and Lincoln has been thoroughly cleaned, disinfected, and sanitized."

She wrote, "The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority. We are following sound protocols aligned with expert health guidance to ensure that we are doing everything we can to protect the health of our students and staff. We want to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of wearing masks, staying 6 feet apart from others, and regularly washing your hands."

(Westfield Issues Guidance For Halloween Amid Coronavirus: Click here.)

Westfield Mayor Shelley Brindle said in an update on Tuesday night that the health department had reported three new cases of Westfield residents with coronavirus since the last update on Friday (one on Saturday, and two on Monday), bringing the total to 397 since March.

Friday's case total was up only 11 since Tuesday, Sept. 15, when Brindle reported a total of 383 cases.

The total fatalities in town remain at 43 since the most recent death was announced on June 3.

Here are some other recent Westfield coronavirus and reopening updates:

HALLOWEEN

Mayor Brindle gave some preliminary guidance Tuesday night. Read this story for the guidance, as well as links to local pumpkin patches, Halloween contests, and Addamsfest activities.

HOW TO GET TESTED

• Union County has added mobile walk up test sites in addition to the testing site located at Kean University. Testing is free for Union County residents and is by appointment only with no car required; participants must wear masks and observe social distance. Any Union County resident can make an appointment for a test, whether they have symptoms. To pick a location, date and time, and to make an appointment online, visit ucnj.org/coronavirus-update/walk-up.
• Union County residents who need to make an appointment by phone can call 908-518-4307 for assistance. Non-profit organizations and other community groups can call the Union County Office of Emergency Management at 908-654-9881 to request a visit from the Mobile Test Unit.

• To find out more, you can also contact your doctor, visit covid19.nj.gov/testing, or call 211.

SCHOOLS

• Westfield High School closed its on-site education for two weeks in September after a number of students were reported to have the virus. Some parents complained that school sports were canceled as well.

ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT/DINING

• See past Westfield Patch stories about Halloween and Addamsfest events.
• Tickets for the Westfield 300 Summer Movie Series are free but require advance registration here.
• Read about updated Quimby Street events, rules, and street closings here.
• Indoor dining is allowed at 25 percent capacity. For a list of rules, click here.
• To read about outdoor dining in Westfield, click here.
• Gov. Murphy recently signed an executive order allowing gyms, health clubs, and indoor amusement facilities to reopen at 25 percent capacity effective Sept. 1. Equipment must be adjusted to allow a minimum of six feet of distance, and must be sanitized between uses. Everyone must wear masks. More details can be found here.

NATIONAL TRENDS

• More than 211,000 Americans have now died of coronavirus, and more than 6.6 million have tested positive.
• More than 900 health care workers have died of the virus nationally. Others are simultaneously fighting misinformation and hoaxes as they try to fight the virus.

HOW TO GET HELP WITH HEAT, RENT, AND MORE

• During the State of Emergency in New Jersey, no tenant is permitted to be evicted from their home or apartment for the inability to pay rent. Talk to your local mayor's office if you are experiencing difficulties.
• The CARES act has made money available to help with rent in each city. More information is here.
• New Jersey residents can get help with heating and energy bills. Information is here.
• Various other avenues of relief and benefits have also been made available, including family leave for 12 weeks if you can't work due to your child's school or camp being closed, and changes to unemployment rules to help those who were at a job for a short time, or freelancing.

LONG-TERM CARE

• Recently, there were 159 long term care facilities with active outbreaks, the state Department of Health said last month. The state also announced that deaths at the facilities had more than doubled since May 1. The state was criticized because it stopped updating the numbers at facilities without current outbreaks.
• New Jersey residents have become alarmed at the high number of residents who have passed away in nursing homes, rehabs, and similar facilities.
• The state released death toll statistics for long-term care facilities like rehabs and nursing homes. See the list here.
• You can report problems with long term care facilities here, or if you suspect coronavirus related misconduct, here.
• Some New Jersey long-term care facilities reopened for limited visits, with precautions, in July.

Here are statewide coronavirus resources:

• NJ COVID-19 Information Hub: https://covid19.nj.gov/
• General COVID-19 questions: 2-1-1
• NJ COVID-19 hotline: (800) 222-1222

Got news? Email caren.lissner@patch.com. To be the first to get news alerts with breaking stories in Westfield, or to get a free local newsletter each morning, sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.