By Allison Perrine
MONMOUTH COUNTY – COVID-19 cases are again on the rise across the U.S., especially the delta variant, and Monmouth County is no exception.
In the past several weeks, daily reports of the infectious disease in the county have increased from a few dozen to a few hundred. And according to Monmouth County Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone, that is not surprising.
“Monmouth County is a popular tourism destination with a substantial increase in residents during the summer,” Arnone told The Two River Times in an email. “Along with visitors to Monmouth County substantially increasing since the Public Health Emergency ended, it is not surprising that COVID-19 numbers would increase. The good news is that we are not seeing a significant increase in hospitalizations or deaths related to COVID-19 at this time.”
After over a year of requiring individuals to wear facial coverings in public, in May the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued guidance largely permitting fully vaccinated individuals to enter public spaces without a mask. But due to the rising cases of the delta variant (B.1.617.2) of the disease, which originated in India, the organization recommended July 27 that even the fully vaccinated should wear masks indoors in public, including in school settings.
“As the Centers for Disease Control has reported, the delta variant is considered highly contagious and is highly transmissible,” Arnone wrote. “The County Commissioners and the Monmouth County Health Department (MCHD) are reminding residents to do their part to slow the spread by following the updated Center for Disease Control guidelines as they become available.”
He noted that although cases are on the rise, Monmouth County remains “one of the highest vaccinated counties” in New Jersey with more than half of its municipalities having at least 70 percent of their populations vaccinated. He added that Monmouth County is also one of the only counties to offer free weekly COVID-19 testing to its residents; some locations also offer vaccinations for those interested. That includes Brookdale Community College which allows county residents to get vaccinated every Tuesday from 2 to 6 p.m., no appointment necessary.
“Monmouth County will continue to follow direction from the Governor’s Office and the New Jersey Department of Health regarding mask wearing, vaccinations and any other COVID-19 mandates from those entitles as we have throughout the pandemic,” said Arnone.
As of press time Wednesday, cumulative COVID-19 cases in the Two River area include Atlantic Highlands, 365; Colts Neck, 1,057; Fair Haven, 520; Highlands, 376; Holmdel, 1,667; Little Silver, 626; Middletown, 6,677; Monmouth Beach, 348; Oceanport, 673; Red Bank, 1,766; Rumson, 721; Shrewsbury Borough, 541; and Tinton Falls, 1,860.
On Monday, Aug. 2, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced that all workers in specific state and private health care facilities, as well as high-risk congregate settings, will soon be required to be fully vaccinated against the virus or be subject to COVID-19 testing at least once or twice a week. This includes county jails, long-term care and assisted-living facilities, short-term rehabs, licensed behavioral health facilities, state correctional facilities, juvenile justice commission facilities and more. The goal is to increase protection against the spread of the virus, including the delta variant.
“While reaching our statewide vaccination goal has so far dampened the impact of the Delta variant in New Jersey, some of our most vulnerable populations remain at risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19 primarily due to exposure to unvaccinated individuals,” said Murphy in a statement Monday. “We are taking this step today because it has been proven time and time again that vaccines save lives and are our way out of this pandemic. Individuals in health care facilities should have confidence in their caretakers, and this measure will help ensure peace of mind for those in higher-risk
settings.”
He added that the state is “prepared to consider additional measures” if officials don’t see “a satisfactory increase” in vaccination rates in those areas after the requirement is in effect. Health care and other impacted workers under the requirement will have until Sept. 7 to get fully vaccinated, the order states. By then, if not all employees in a given facility have been vaccinated, the organization will be required to put a plan in place for weekly testing.
“Vaccination is the best tool we have to end this pandemic,” said state Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. “None of us would want our vulnerable loved ones put at further risk due to their caregiver or healthcare provider. Ensuring these individuals are fully vaccinated or have been tested will help protect those who live in these congregate settings or need hospital care.”
A representative of Riverview Medical Center said, “The low number of patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 requiring admission has been stable for the past two months and manageable.”
The article originally appeared in the August 5 – 11, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
