Monday, March 23

You have symptoms of respiratory illness. You are not sure if it is the flu or COVID-19, but you can’t afford to see a doctor. What can you do?

Contact your nearest federally qualified health center (FQHC). These are federally funded clinics and see anyone and payment is determined by income/sliding scale. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, call the nearest FQHC to inquire about appointments and fees. COVID-19 testing is free of charge, regardless if you have insurance or not.

Businesses across New Jersey are looking to hire THOUSANDS OF WORKERS, including those who lost their jobs or have had hours reduced as a result of COVID19. Learn more about who is hiring in your community here. If your business is facing urgent staffing shortages due to COVID-19, fill out our Intake Form and get connected to New Jersey's best-in-class talent pool. https://jobs.covid19.nj.gov/intake

Recently I provided an article that discussed how long the virus lasts on surfaces. Cardboard caught my eye. In the graph below you see blue and red. Blue is SARS (also a corona virus). Red is COVID-19 virus. You can see the active virus amount drops as time goes on and is gone at about 24 hours.

I'm going to give my own advice here. I HAVE NOT SEEN IT ON CDC or heard it from Dr. Lord Fauci so grain of salt here.

I'm leaving my Amazon delivers out for a day before I touch them. Yes I know I'm putting this out when it's pouring outside. So if I have to move it then I'm going to put it in a dry spot, wash my hands immediately and then leave it alone for a day. Not perfect but the best I can do.

UPDATE

NIH has weighed in on this with ... The scientists found that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detectable in aerosols for up to three hours, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel.

Mildly ill patients should be encouraged to stay home and contact their healthcare provider by phone for guidance about clinical management. Patients who have severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, should seek care immediately. Older patients and individuals who have underlying medical conditions or are immunocompromised should contact their physician early in the course of even mild illness.

STOP THE SPREAD OF GERMS

• Practice social distancing by maintaining a six-foot distance from others
• Avoid contact with people who are sick
• Cover your cough or sneeze
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
• Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol

COMMUNITY-BASED TESTING CRITERIA: Must be a New Jersey Resident experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness including, but not limited to:

• Cough
• Fever (at or above 99.6°F)
• Shortness of breath

If an individual does not meet the above criteria, they will not be tested.

WHAT TO BRING:

• Proof of current New Jersey residency through government-issued photo ID.
• Parent/guardian of an individual less than 18 years of age must be present.
• Healthcare/Medical insurance card, if applicable.
• Healthcare/medical insurance is not a requirement to be tested.

PROCESS:

• Individuals will drive through a secured area and will remain in their vehicles throughout the entire testing process.
• Be prepared for long wait times. No restrooms will be available.
• Bring water and other items to be comfortable while waiting.
• Even though we highly discourage it, members of the media may be present. Every effort will be made by managers of the sites to maintain patient privacy.
• Interpreters may be available to accommodate residents for whom English is not their primary language.
• For the safety of everyone, hours of specimen collection will be 8:00am to 4:00pm.
• If you are having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1. Do not report to a testing site or wait at a testing site. Testing sites are not emergency care facilities. Call 9-1-1 and tell the dispatcher about your symptoms.

This is from Councilman Sivaraman Anbarasan

• https://www.khanacademy.org/
• https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html

https://www.edx.org/about-us>
• https://www.edx.org/about-us
• http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses
• https://openlearning.mit.edu/courses-programs/mit-opencourseware
• https://www.extension.harvard.edu/open-learning-initiative
• https://www.classcentral.com/collection/ivy-league-moocs

• https://www.co.somerset.nj.us/government/human-services/greater-raritan-one-stop-career-centers/skillup-greater-raritan/
• https://www.sba.gov/learning-center
• https://www.edx.org/school/microsoft

• https://stories.audible.com/start-listen - Audio books
• https://www.coursera.org/learn/childnutrition - Online courses - General wellness
• https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being
• https://www.coursera.org/learn/mythology
• https://www.metopera.org/user-information/nightly-met-opera-streams/ Nightly Met Opera Streams – past shows
• https://seattlesymphony.org/live
• https://ymca360.org/ - Fitness
• https://www.facebook.com/BlinkFitness/
• https://www.orangetheory.com/en-au/member-communication-regarding-coronavirus/
• https://www.youtube.com/user/305Fitness
• https://www.goldsgym.com/anywhere/
• https://www.facebook.com/RetroFitness/
• https://www.corepoweryogaondemand.com/keep-up-your-practice - Yoga

• Day care for children and for adults is still open, pending additional guidance from the state.
• Somerset County Health Care officer Reddy reports the following:
  • 55 cases, 11 new including 4 in Franklin
  • 2 deaths including 1 in Franklin -- the 73 yo male who was the first person in Franklin reported as infected
• Somerset County is working with Hunterdon County to create a shared testing site. Test kits are the only thing they don’t have. Test turn around is currently 5 day but with increased testing will likely get longer.
• At the Bergen County testing site, the line was closed 30 minutes before it opened. People had waited in line since midnight and they only tested 250, not the advertised 350.
• Union County is opening a test site: a doctor's prescription and an appointment will be required.
• Legislation on property tax extension is being considered.
• NJ Income Tax filing and payment deadline delayed until July 15th
• The state is determining how to handle ICE detainees.

"NJ TRANSIT remains committed to the safety of our customers and employees and is working to ensure a safe environment by following the health standards set by the CDC through the sanitation of our facilities and vehicles and the cleanliness practices amongst our employees. Additionally, NJ TRANSIT remains committed to providing reliable and dependable service. To that end, please see the announcement below, reflecting the latest service information. NJ TRANSIT is running special weekday service beginning Monday, March 23rd, 2020. The NEC special weekday schedule maybe be found on NJ TRANSIT’s website."