Cabin fever is driving out the masses. Yes, it's still perfectly safe to step outside and get moving in most places, provided that you're healthy and aren't part of a high-risk population. But remember, going outside isn't a free-for-all. The CDC warns that you should maintain at least six feet of distance between you and others, so if you go outside, keeping your distance is a great first line of defense. Skip the mask - healthy exercise requires plenty of access to oxygen, and wearing a surgical mask or N95 respirator makes it much harder to breathe. Use best disease prevention practices - the best way to prevent coronavirus after venturing outside is still to obey tried-and-true public health measures including: washing your hands, avoiding touching your face and frequently disinfecting used items and surfaces. Go get some fresh air and exercise!

Effective immediately, all Borough of Merchantville government facilities are closed to the public. Specifically, both Merchantville Borough Hall and the Merchantville Community Center are closed to all members of the public until further notice. These measures are necessary to do our part in the Borough to reduce the spread and transmission of Covid-19, the novel coronavirus, which has reached pandemic level.should you need to conduct business with the Borough for any reason, go to our website, call (856-662-2474) or e-mail the Borough department you need and they will work with you and if appropriate, will schedule a meeting or call. 

Governor Phil Murphy today signed Executive Order No. 104, implementing aggressive social distancing measures to mitigate further spread of COVID-19 in New Jersey. Among the directives, Governor Murphy’s Executive Order indefinitely closes all public and private preschool, elementary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher education, as well as closes all casinos, racetracks, gyms, movie theaters, and performing arts centers. The order also mandates that all non-essential retail, recreational, and entertainment businesses must cease daily operations from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. All restaurant establishments, with or without a liquor license, are limited to offering only delivery and/or take out-services only, both during daytime hours and after 8 p.m. In order to slow the spread of COVID-19, Governor Murphy’s executive order directs the following.

The Camden County Department of Health is announcing additional 4 positive cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) identified in Camden County between their 40's and 60's - 3 in Cherry Hill and 1 in Pine Hill. “As testing volume increases, we are going to see the number of cases in our community continue to increase,” said Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. “It is critical at this moment that everyone takes this threat extremely seriously. Social distancing, staying home as much as possible and avoiding contact with others, is the only way we will be able to slow the spread of this disease and reduce the toll this pandemic has on our community. As we have with our first three cases, we are continuing to work with the New Jersey Department of Health to identify individuals who may have been in contact with anyone confirmed of having contracted the illness.” On Monday, March 16, the Freeholder Board declared a state of emergency in Camden County. Continue to follow updates here.

The ideal goal in fighting an epidemic or pandemic is to completely halt the spread. But merely slowing it — mitigation — is critical. This reduces the number of cases that are active at any given time, which in turn gives doctors, hospitals, police, schools and vaccine-manufacturers time to prepare and respond, without becoming overwhelmed. Lisa McHugh, the program coordinator of infectious disease epidemiology at the state Department of Health, said with social distancing and other mitigation activities, “you try to bring the peak down, have it come out over several weeks rather than having it over a shorter two or three week time frame.”
Most hospitals can function with 10 percent reduction in staff, but not with half their people out at once. Some commentators have argued for getting the outbreak over with quickly. That is a recipe for panic, unnecessary suffering and death. Slowing and spreading out the tidal wave of cases will save lives. Why does "flattening the curve" matter? Flattening the curve keeps society going.

These guidelines from the CDC are focused on household settings and are meant for the general public. Cleaning refers to the removal of germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces. Cleaning does not kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection. Disinfecting refers to using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection. For disinfection, diluted household bleach solutions, alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol, and most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective.