I’m a nun and I’ve been social distancing for 29 years. Here are tips for staying home amid coronavirus fears.

For the past 29 years, I’ve chosen to practice social distancing.

Of course, I and the 17 other nuns I live with don’t call it that.

We are formally called cloistered sisters, meaning we never leave our walled-off monastery in Summit except for doctors’ visits or perhaps shopping for a specific item. We don’t go to parties or weddings or out to eat with friends. I often go months without leaving our 8-acre home.

The coronavirusis forcing many people in New Jersey and across the world to stay home, limit outside contact — and in a way, start living life like cloistered nuns.Of course, this virus i… Read the rest of this entry »

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Bergen County Assemblywoman Is Self-Quarantined

Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi

Assemblywoman Holly Schepsi, (R-Bergen) announced on facebook that she is one of the New Jersey residents on self-quarantine due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

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Hornik Announces Restrictions On Restaurants in Marlboro

Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik

Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik is restricting the hours of operation and the seating capacity at restaurants in the Township due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hornik signed Executive Order 2020-2 today which orders that bars and restaurants close at 10 p.m. and seat only 50% of their occupancy capacity.

“In light of the Local State of Emergency and the State of Emergency issued by Governor Murphy, it is a matter of public health and safety that these restrictions be put into effect,” Mayor Hornik said. “The public and local businesses should be prepared for further restrictions and possible restaurant closures in the next coming days or weeks and furthermore, state health department may take additional action to prevent the spread of the virus in our community.”

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Red Bank Shuts Down Bars, Restaurants, Theaters and Gyms

The Borough of Red Bank has declared a State of Emergency due to the COVID-19 virus and has order all non-essential businesses with an occupancy of 25 people or more to close their doors effective at 11:59 p.m. tomorrow, March 16, according to announcement on town’s website.

Mayor Pat Menna told MMM that the intention is not to shut down retail activity, but specifically to thwart the spread of the virus at bars, restaurants, theaters and gyms.  Essential services like hospitals, doctors’ offices, grocery stores and pharmacies are exempt from the shutdown. Menna said the situation will be revisited as the week unfolds.

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Mehta Wins Middlesex GOP Line for U.S. Senate

Rik Mehta

Rik Mehta, a former Food and Drug Administration official. won the Middlesex County GOP endorsement for U.S. Senate in online balloting that was tabulated this afternoon. Mehta’s name will appear below President Trump’s on the ballot in Middlesex in the Republican primary on June 2.

The Middlesex Republican nominating convention, originally scheduled for March 14, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Delegates voted online with balloting closing at midnight on the 14th, GOP Chairwoman Lucille Panos told MMM.  The Middlesex GOP Executive committee tabulated and certified the votes today.

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Asbury Park Declares A State Of Emergency, Imposes 10PM Curfew On Service Business

The City of Asbury Park has declared a State of Emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic, closing all municipal government facilites to the public and imposing a 10 pm curfew on all City service establishment.

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All New Jersey public schools will be ordered on Monday to close because of coronavirus, governor says

Gov. Phil Murphy said he expects to announce Monday that New Jersey will order all of its public schools be shut down until further notice to minimize exposure to the coronavirus.

Murphy said during a telephone briefing with reporters Sunday that an “extended statewide school shutdown is imminent” and will likely be announced at a news conference Monday.

The state will communicate with school officials and other leaders through Monday morning to “ensure a singular message,” the governor said.

Murphy said he wants to make sure school officials, parents, and students have “clear guidance and are pre… Read the rest of this entry »

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NJ Health Commissioner: A family gathering in Monmouth County led to one COVID-19 death and several positive tests

New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said that a family gathering has resulted in one Monmouth County death from COVID-19 and several positive tests for the virus.  The women who died at CentreState Medical Center on Thursday, was related to a sibling of the Bergen County man who died earlier last week.

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Another Little Silver Case of COVID-19 reported

There is a third case of COVID-19 in Little Silver, according to an announcement on the Borough’s website.

In the six days following the first presumptive positive case of coronavirus in Little Silver, the Monmouth County Regional Health Commission has been investigating, tracking down contacts, and attempting to identify anyone who may have been exposed so that further testing can be performed. As previously reported, a close family member of the first patient tested presumptively positive the following day. Since then, we learned today (Saturday) that a single additional person has tested presumptively positive.  The new presumptive positive is an adult female.  How she contracted the virus is the subject of further investigation, and those she has had contact with are being identified and notified. 

 

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Murphy: ‘More draconian steps’ to stop coronavirus spread likely coming to N.J.

As coronavirus cases continue to grow, New Jerseyans can expect “more draconian measures” in the coming days and weeks to prevent its spread in the state, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Sunday morning.

He said people should look to Hoboken and Teaneck, where curfews and calls by local officials to self-quarantine have been put in place, as examples of what to expect as the numbers of people who test positive for the virus rise.“(It’s) the notion of keeping population groupings low,” Murphy said on a morning call to WBLS to discuss the state’s response.“We will be looking at more draconian steps,” he s… Read the rest of this entry »

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