Be sure to keep up with any updates from local and national news sources, but don’t forget to take breaks from the overwhelming amount of information being provided on a daily basis.

If you think you qualify for testing, find local health centers and call first to see if they have screening and testing available – https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/

Local

• There are now 8 confirmed cases in Jersey City, and the first cases were healthcare professionals. Download the SwiftReach app for all coronavirus updates from the city.
• There are now 427 cases in New Jersey with 162 new positive cases today and 5 deaths so far.
• Local hospitals have set up tents to screen people going into the ER.
• 14 new police officers were sworn in today in Jersey City.
• School officials have opened 33 school parking lots throughout the city for residents to park their vehicles during the State of Emergency.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Denise Ridley (@iamdridley)

• The Office of Health & Human Services + city officers distributed 10,000 personal hygiene kits to the homeless, all donated from shelters.
• Hoboken has asked residents to self-isolate and has restricted any social gatherings to five (5) people.

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A post shared by Senator Raj Mukherji (@rajmukherji)

• Seniors at Berry Gardens can receive free, prepackaged meals daily from 9AM to 1PM.
• Nyquazah of Qua’s Creative Art Center is providing arts & crafts kits for $10.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B94HpYLJUdk/

• There was a water main break on the West Side of Jersey City. SUEZ and the DPW are working to distribute drinking water to residents of the area.
• The Riverside Medical Group in Secaucus is seeing and testing patients in their cars, not in office, to prevent exposure.
• Special supermarket shopping times have been put in place for supermarkets throughout Jersey City for seniors, pregnant women, those with special needs, and the frail.

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A post shared by Jersey City (@jerseycitynj)

National + International

• The President announced that they will be invoking the Defense Production Act. For more information about the act, please visit https://www.fema.gov/defense-production-act-overview
• HUD is suspending all foreclosures and evictions for renters and homeowners until the end of April.
• The President has asked everyone to limit social contact for 15 days. For more on the guidelines: https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/15-days-slow-spread/
• Over 82,000 people have recovered from COVID-19 worldwide.
• The first human vaccine trial began in Washington state.

A potential Covid-19 vaccine moved into human testing, a record pace for a virus scientists didn’t know existed a few months ago https://t.co/SCMMUM4X3M

— Bloomberg (@business) March 17, 2020

• HealthWell Foundation is accepting phone applications for their COVID-19 Ancillary Costs grant.
• Pollution over Wuhan, China has significantly decreased.
• Venice’s canal water is clearer now that there are less visitors.

Venice canals are crystal clear after coronavirus lockdown in Italy https://t.co/7iTcA2Hba2 pic.twitter.com/RQtweZJ67e

— New York Post (@nypost) March 18, 2020

• The EU has closed its borders for 30 days. 
• Many areas of Northern California are ordered to shelter-in-place to stop the coronavirus from spreading.
• West Virginia had their first confirmed case this week – the coronavirus has now spread to all 50 states. There are currently over 7,000 confirmed cases in the United States.