NJ May Have to Place Itself on NJ’s Quarantine List: Dr. Stephanie Silvera Explains Why
Posted in: College News and Events, Public Health
NJ.com notes, “For more than three months, New Jersey has issued a coronavirus travel advisory calling on travelers from U.S. states and territories that qualify as hotspots to quarantine for 14 days after arriving here. The list is updated every Tuesday, and Gov. Phil Murphy says the goal is to protect the Garden State from people bringing COVID-19 into its borders.
But here’s a twist: With an increase in cases in recent weeks, New Jersey is edging steadily closer to qualifying for its own advisory.
Any state or territory with more than 10 cases per 100,000 residents or those with a 10% or higher test positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average qualifies for the list. People traveling for businesses are exempt.”
Dr. Stephanie Silvera, Professor in the Public Health Department, is alarmed by New Jersey’s recent increase in cases.
“Those numbers are increasing fairly steadily and don’t seem to be headed back down,” she said, noting that they are likely to continue increasing as more people head indoors as the fall weather turns colder.
Dr. Silvera added that if the increases continue, the state might need to consider more widespread steps. “If we are not really careful about our activity — mask wearing and social distancing — we may be headed back to a more broad-scale shutdown,” she said. “If we want to be able to send kids to school and dine outdoors and possibly open even more, we’re going to need to be really mindful about who we interact and how we interact with them.”