According to WHYY, New Jersey reported another 518 cases of coronavirus on Friday, September 11th, bringing the cumulative total over the last six months of the pandemic to 195,888 positive cases. The state also reported another nine deaths related to the virus, bringing the total to 14,234 confirmed fatalities and 1,789 probable deaths from COVID-19. The state’s rate of transmission was 1.08, meaning for every 100 people testing positive, the virus spreads to 108 more people. Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli noted that young people are driving new cases through large social gatherings as well as the return of some college students to campus. People aged 14-18 accounted for 4% of the new positive cases, and residents between the ages of 19-24 made up 6% of new cases. Camden County urges youth to make sure they keep their friends and family safe through a new ad campaign - "Protect Your Circle".

Covid-19 numbers have held steady at 78 cases and 3 deaths from 9/2-9/10/20 in the Borough. However, the County Department of Health announced 46 additional confirmed cases, 18 of which are in the surrounding towns of Pennsauken (930/23), Cherry Hill (1,365/166) and Camden (2,693/75) Merchantville's most recent cases include adults under age 30, teens and adolescents. Protect Your Circle, Merchantville. The Danger Is Invisible. As Mayor Brennan says, "Let’s be part of the solution; wear a mask or face covering. Reducing transmission of COVID-19 is essential for us to keep people safe, speed up a return to some normalcy and getting our economy, and our friends and neighbors who may be struggling, back to work."

As of 7/28/20, travelers from 36 states and two territories who are arriving in New Jersey are asked to self-quarantine and/or get a COVID-19 test. The list includes frequently visited states like Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia. People arriving in New Jersey from a state with a COVID-19 positive test rate higher than 10 infected people per 100,000 residents, or a state with a 10-percent-or-higher positivity rate over a seven-day rolling average, are asked to self-quarantine for 14 days or get a COVID-19 test when they arrive, and self-quarantine until they get the results. The travel advisory does not apply to people briefly passing through states on the list (stopping at highway rest stops; layovers for air, bus, or train travel). Complete information available here.

Help Camden County educate others and spread the word about protecting their circle of friends. Camden County provides digital images for your social media pages & feeds on their website. Upload a Facebook Frame: Click the Camera Button next to your profile image on Facebook, choose “Update Profile Picture”, then choose “Add Frame” and search “Camden County – Protect Your Circle”. What you need to know: In general, the more closely you interact with others and the longer that interaction, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spread. The Danger Is Invisible. Make sure you keep your friends and family safe by: Wearing A Mask, Avoiding Groups, Staying 6 Feet Apart and Getting Tested. If you decide to engage in public activities, continue to protect yourself by practicing everyday preventive actions. Keep these items on hand when venturing out: a face mask, tissues, and a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if possible. Should you go out? Learn what factors to consider before you head out and about specific tips for different places. 

The list of New Jersey school districts asking the state to let them start the school year with all-virtual classes is growing as local officials reconsider their plans in the wake of Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement that the state is revising its reopening guidelines. Murphy said Wednesday the state’s nearly 600 districts can ask to delay the start of in-person classes if they can prove to the state Department of Education that they can’t meet the social distancing and safety guidelines released by the state in June. Students in all districts continue to have the option of choosing all-remote learning at home, even if their school is holding in-person classes, under the state’s guidelines. Merchantville School's Re-opening plan was approved by the Board of Education on July 28th and the completed plan is here. 

All 50 states have moved to reopen their economies, at least partially, after shutting down businesses and gatherings in response to the coronavirus pandemic but, only 3 states meet these basic criteria to reopen and stay safe. They need to ensure the SARS-CoV-2 virus is no longer spreading unabated, the testing capacity to track and isolate the sick and their contacts and, the hospital capacity to handle a potential surge in Covid-19 cases. A Vox analysis suggests that most states haven’t made the preparations needed to contain outbreaks putting themselves at risk for a rise in Covid-19 cases and deaths should they continue to reopen. As of July 22nd, just three states, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, met four or five of the goals, which demonstrates strong progress. Twenty-two states and Washington, DC, hit two or three of the benchmarks. The other 25 achieved zero or one.