Schools in New Jersey will remain closed through at least April 17 as part of the state’s plan to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Bergen Community College in Paramus and the PNC Bank Arts Center will change their schedules starting March 28, setting aside days just to test those working on the frontlines of the outbreak. North-JerseyNews.com
Morris County hospitals will be the first in the state to struggle with bed shortages no matter the adherence to social distancing, according to a new analysis by Rutgers University researchers. Moderate social distancing could swamp hospitals starting next week and result in a shortage of more than 190,000 beds statewide, while strong social distancing would result in hospitals being overwhelmed with patients at the start of April and be close to 60,000 beds short. NJ Spotlight
New Jersey officials are beginning to discuss which critically ill patients with COVID-19 will be cared to as a result of equipment shortages. The Medical Society of New Jersey is putting together an advisory committee to address the bioethical considerations of the availability of particularly life-saving devices like ventilators. Politico NJ
The state launched a website to help get doctors, nurses and hospital workers receive personal protective equipment (PPE). Any business, non-hospital healthcare facility or institution of higher learning that has PPE, ventilators, respirators, or anesthesia machines must submit the information to the state by 5 pm March 27. News12 New Jersey
Bergen County closed three of its largest parks in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. Ramapo Valley County Reservation, Campgaw Mountain Reservation and Darlington County Park are now off-limits after the parks saw large numbers in parking lots and those in the parks not maintaining the 6 feet of separation recommended to avoid the spread of coronavirus. Other county parks, like Van Saun Park in Paramus and Overpeck Park in Leonia, will remain open for now, but will prohibit cars. The Record
Newark issued a shelter-in-place for the city. The order says people should not leave their homes unless there is an emergency or they need to buy essentials like groceries or medicine. The city plans to use $6 million to help city residents and businesses stay financially afloat during the coronavirus pandemic. News12 New Jersey
Two Jersey City police officers are currently in serious condition at Jersey City Medical Center, while 42 officers are out with symptoms, and 16 quarantined. Several new policies and safety measures were implemented, including roll call is no longer done, face-to-face officer reliefs being done over the phone and all four districts deep cleaning twice a week. Hudson Reporter
A staff member at Morristown’s Alexander Hamilton Elementary School was diagnosed with COVID-19. Health department advises anyone who attended or worked at the Morristown school during this time to self-quarantine at home for 14 days after the last date of possible exposure, which was March 13. The Daily Record
Gov. Phil Murphy said a plan is being discussed to give relief to residents on their mortgages. Murphy, who previously ordered evictions and foreclosures to stop, said he couldn’t promise “when and exactly what it” would look like, but added its beings discussed. NJ.com
New Jersey saw a 1,546% increase in unemployment claims week-over-week. The 156,000 claims surpasses the state’s previous record of 46,000 claims filed in a single week in November 2012, after Superstorm Sandy. A record 3.28 million people filed unemployment claims last week, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The Wall Street Journal
The federal stimulus bill would provide $3.4 billion to New Jersey to help the state cope with the coronavirus. The allocation comes from a $150 billion relief fund for states included in the $2 trillion package. NJ.com
And finally…The “Living Room Concert for America” will feature a lineup of pop singers who will perform from the comfort of their own homes. NJ.com
