Full Notification

Below is an update from Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla on COVID-19: 
 
The Hoboken Health Department has reported the following, new COVID-19 cases in Hoboken: 
 
March 28: 61 
March 29: 18 
March 30: 29 
March 31: 40 
April 1: 45 
April 2: 35 
April 3: 38
April 4: 16
 
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Hoboken has had 4,532 known, confirmed COVID-19 cases, along with 49 COVID-19 related fatalities. Carepoint is currently treating 15 patients with COVID-19, which includes two Hoboken residents. 
 
I’m saddened to learn of the recent passing of Frank Volpe, who had been battling complications of COVID-19 for the past two months. Frank was the dedicated owner of Napoli’s in Hoboken, and one of Hoboken’s finest business owners. Frank, known as Frankie to his friends and family, is survived by his wife, Jocelyn and three sons, and I send my deepest condolences to them and all those who were fortunate to know him.
 
Taking precautions and contact tracing update 
 
With a rise of variants across New Jersey combined with increased travel, we continue to see a substantial rise of cases in Hoboken, matching a trend throughout New Jersey and other parts of the country. I ask residents to please take extra precautions given this nationwide surge, and continue to wear a mask, social distance, avoid large crowds and indoor gatherings, and prioritize outdoor activities.  
 
Contact tracing from the Hoboken Health Department indicates that many of the new cases can be traced to the following: 

• Indoor parties and social gatherings of friends and non-household members 
• Spread among household members 
• Participation in indoor recreation activities 
• Travel to other hot-spot states and internationally 
• Certain instances of spread within schools, with 300 children having either tested positive or quarantined throughout March 

Thankfully, due to the vaccination efforts in Hoboken and across the State, new cases of residents above 60 years of age have fallen dramatically.  
 
Please be safe and take precautions during spring break 
 
With spring break upon us, I once again ask residents and families to please take the proper precautions to keep our community safe. While the safest option is to avoid traveling out of New Jersey, if you do decide to travel, please try to avoid large crowds, quarantine to the best of your ability upon your arrival in Hoboken, and get tested 3-5 days after returning even if you do not have symptoms. This is especially important given that variants are spreading all across the United States and in other countries, and in many cases are causing increased community spread. Given our numbers, this very well could be the case in Hoboken as well.  
 
If you have been fully vaccinated, you do not need to get a COVID-19 test or quarantine upon returning from travel, reflecting updated CDC guidance. 
 
Update on vaccines 
 
Thanks to an increased allocation from the State of New Jersey and Hudson County, we are continuing to expand our vaccine operations with weekly allocations of 1,170 first-dose Pfizer vaccines, as well as completing second dose Moderna vaccines. This increased supply has allowed us to vaccinate more eligible individuals off of our pre-registration list and provide as many residents as we can an option for a vaccination within our Mile Square. We continue to advocate for even more of a supply through the State and County as eligibility increases in New Jersey. 
 
I’m glad to share that some local pharmacies, including Hoboken Family Pharmacy and Medicine Man Pharmacy have received an initial supply of Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Last Thursday, we partnered with Medicine Man to administer these vaccines at 605 Jackson to residents on our pre-registration list, and plan to do so again this week, pending confirmation of supply.
 
Some residents have asked whether or not there is a specific list to sign-up for a Johnson & Johnson shot. Currently, given the supply, we are not able to do so, however residents on our pre-registration list will be given opportunities at certain times to register for these clinics. 
 
This week, we anticipate working with Hoboken Family Pharmacy to begin our homebound vaccinations with a Johnson & Johnson supply given to the Hoboken Health Department. Those residents on the “homebound” pre-registration list should be getting called to confirm an appointment in the next couple of days. 
 
As of Saturday, the Hoboken Health Department and Carepoint have administered 5,954 total vaccinations, which include 1,922 second doses as well as 98 Johnson & Johnson doses. As of last Monday, 3,396 total doses were administered by Hudson County to Hoboken residents, which include 2,195 first doses and 1,201 second doses. Riverside Medical Group’s location in Hoboken has administered 4,069 first-doses, and nearly 3,000 second doses, the majority of them to Hoboken residents.
 
Newly eligible residents and appointments available for this week
 
As we’ve shared, additional eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine opened up today, as determined by the State of New Jersey. Those who have become eligible today include:

• Individuals ages 55-64; 
• Individuals ages 16 and up with intellectual and developmental disabilities; 
• Educators, including support staff, in higher education settings; 
• Communications infrastructure support, including engineers, and technicians, and members of the press; 
• Real estate, building, and home service workers, including construction workers, code officials, plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, property management, and maintenance workers; 
• Retail financial institution workers, including bank tellers, lending services, public accounting, and check-cashing workers; 
• Sanitation workers providing disinfection and janitorial services, city sanitation workers; residential, commercial, and industrial solid and hazardous waste removal workers; 
• Laundry service workers, including those working in laundromats, laundry services, and dry cleaners; 
• Utility workers including, electrical generation and supply system, natural gas delivery, nuclear power plant, water supply, telephone, cable/fiber/optical/broadband/cellular service workers; and, 
• Librarians and support staff at municipal, county, and state libraries. 

For up-to-date eligibility information, please visit our dedicated vaccine page at http://www.hobokennj.gov/vaccine. 
 
If you currently meet eligibility, you can pre-register to receive the vaccine through the Hoboken Health Department at Carepoint at http://www.hobokennj.gov/vaccinesignup. Appointments are currently available this week for eligible residents who pre-register.
 
If residents are eligible but do not have access to the internet, they can call the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) at 201-420-5621 between 9 am and 12 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and leave a message outside of those hours with contact information and address.
 
Hudson County recently received a substantial increase in overall supply from New Jersey, which they’re administering at their site in Kearny, and are regularly releasing appointments. If you meet eligibility and are able to travel, check for availability at https://hudsoncovidvax.org/ 
 
Last week, the State of New Jersey released a new, user-friendly portal to search for available appointments state-wide. To use this new system, visit https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/finder. 
 
A twitter account eligible residents may find helpful in also finding available appointments is twitter.com/nj_vaccine.  
 
As before, we strongly encourage residents to get vaccinated when eligible, and to utilize the first vaccine option available to you.
 
April 19 – all Hoboken residents ages 16 and up will be eligible
 
Governor Murphy this afternoon announced that all New Jersey residents ages 16 and up will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as of Monday, April 19. While not everyone will be able to get an appointment that day or in the days after that given the expected high demand, residents will be able to pre-register to eventually receive the vaccine through the Hoboken Health Department and Carepoint, as well as certain other locations in New Jersey.
 
Continuing testing for residents and business employees 
 
As before, we continue to have robust testing options available for residents and employees of Hoboken businesses. You can get tested for any reason, and if you do not have insurance, Hoboken will pay for the cost of up to two tests per month. 
 
Testing is also available this Friday through our continued partnership with the New Jersey Department of Health from 1-7 pm at 221 Jackson Street (community room), with no appointment needed, and I thank the NJDOH for continuing this testing in our Hoboken Housing Authority. 
 
For the complete COVID-19 testing options available to residents and Hoboken business employees, please visit our dedicated COVID-19 testing page with appointments at http://www.hobokennj.gov/testing.  
 
$25 million for small businesses with five employees or less 
 
Last week, Governor Murphy signed a bill allocating $25 million to New Jersey microbusinesses, with five employees or fewer. This is welcome news for our small businesses who have been hard hit during the pandemic, and as we receive more information about how to apply for funding through this bill, we will share it with the community. 
 
Next City-sponsored blood drive 
 
The next City-sponsored blood drive will take place Friday, April 16 at the Multi Service Center (124 Grand Street) from 12 - 6pm with Vitalant New Jersey. An appointment is required to donate, and please be sure to wear a mask. Those who are symptomatic or who have been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID within the last 14 days will not be eligible to donate. To sign up for an appointment, please visit https://donor.cbsblood.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/53334
 
Thank you Hoboken, please stay safe and continue to remain vigilant. 
Sincerely, 
 
Ravi S. Bhalla 
Mayor