By Allison Perrine
NEW JERSEY – Can you remember where you were this time last year? Probably at work. Thursday, March 4, marks the one-year anniversary of the first positive case of COVID-19 in New Jersey. Less than a week later the governor ordered a mandatory statewide shutdown which restricted millions of New Jerseyans to home: no going to work or school, gathering with friends and family – or doing anything other than the most basic tasks in public.
Social distancing became a common household term and masks and other personal protective equipment and supplies ran short – even toilet paper. Most people transitioned to a much more digitally focused lifestyle as companies began operating over webcam applications like Zoom and children started learning remotely.
But life is slowly creeping back to pre-pandemic activities as restrictions continue to loosen. Supplies are more readily available and vaccines, developed in record time, are now being distributed and administered.
“I, for one, will not easily forget that date,” Gov. Phil Murphy said of March 3, 2020, when a male in his 30s was admitted to the hospital in Bergen County with a positive diagnosis of COVID-19. That same day, Murphy underwent surgery to have a tumor removed.
Murphy said he and others in his administration were not surprised the virus made it to New Jersey. With the state being “an international travel and trading hub” and with its close proximity to New York City, officials began preparations mid-January 2020 as international concerns about the virus grew. But no one could have imagined what the state was up against – sick and dying patients, struggling businesses, mental health tolls and so much more.
Since that initial case in New Jersey last March, the statewide total has now reached almost 800,000 – with 710,046 positive COVID-19 PCR tests and 89,430 positive antigen tests recorded as of Wednesday, March 3.
In the Two River area specifically, that cumulative total includes Atlantic Highlands, 252; Colts Neck, 807; Fair Haven, 349; Highlands, 301; Holmdel, 1,259; Little Silver, 466; Middletown, 4,817; Monmouth Beach, 265; Oceanport, 512; Red Bank, 1,452; Rumson, 523; Sea Bright, 118; Shrewsbury Borough, 459; and Tinton Falls, 1,385.
“We also know that there are likely many more who had contracted this virus but have never known it, especially in the spring in the early days of the pandemic when testing supplies in New Jersey and in the country indeed were so scarce,” said Murphy.
And while a vast majority of individuals who contracted the virus survived and are back to their lives in good health, others have not been as fortunate. Of the nearly 800,000 who have contracted COVID-19, there have been 21,052 official deaths.
“For 12 months we have had to take extraordinary and painful steps in an effort to beat back this virus and save lives. We have asked a lot of you,” Murphy said, including prohibiting residents from gathering at funerals for those who died from the virus. “Especially those who lost a loved one in the spring into the summer, you had that triple reality of losing a loved one, you couldn’t see them in the hospital at the end of their life and then you couldn’t give them a proper farewell and send-off.”
A silver lining from the tragedies of COVID-19 is the kindness many community members across the country have shown to others, including in the Two River area. Some began sewing and donating masks to those in need. Some donated food to hospital workers and other frontline heroes working around the clock to help those struggling with the virus. Some landlords allowed their tenants to skip some months’ rent after being laid off due to the draining financial burden this pandemic has placed on so many people and businesses.
Looking ahead, Murphy said he expects the state will be in a much better place this summer with an open Jersey Shore. On Wednesday, he announced that sleepaway camps can safely resume their operations this summer. Additionally, an increasing number of students are returning to in-person learning in classrooms with over 900,000 operating on a hybrid or all-day in-person schedule.
“We know this has been an incredibly rough and challenging road for our students, our educators, our support staff, parents, school leaders, educational communities, and we thank them for their incredible work,” said Murphy.
The governor signed another executive order Wednesday allowing wedding receptions to proceed at 35 percent of a venue’s indoor capacity up to 150 people and the same limitation of 150 individuals at outdoor receptions. Indoor receptions must follow the same protocols as restaurants that allow indoor dining with patrons wearing facial coverings unless they are eating or drinking. The order takes effect Friday, March 5 at 6 a.m.
“As we slowly recover, we want people to be able to celebrate the good things,” Murphy said. “And when you look at summer camps and wedding receptions, they have one thing very much in common – they take months to plan.”
“We’re not declaring victory here as it relates to coronavirus. Our numbers are down but they’re sort of in a zone right now. But we do believe we’re going to get there.”
The article originally appeared in the March 4 – 10, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
