MAYORS BARAKA, GREEN, VAUSS, AND WARREN COVID-19 4 CITY LOCK DOWN UPDATE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  In continuation of the “lockdown” efforts and initiatives put forth by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, East Orange Mayor Ted Green, Irvington Mayor Tony Vauss and Orange Mayor Dwayne Warren  on April 4, 2020 the Mayor’s have decided to take further collective action.  Given the close proximity of their communities; the relative ease of travel between their neighborhoods; and the many shared points of culture, commerce and industry between the four cities, the mayors have determined that they must assess and refine their collective action against the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

As such, today the mayors met with their public directors who each provided a report addressing the effectiveness of the initiatives previously set forth (Operation Lockdown, Operation Wipe Down, Operation Clean Business and Mobile Wellness Checks) as well as any other concerns.

The mayors have also identified key next steps to strengthen their enforcement efforts, which are geared towards achieving maximum effectiveness, which include reaching out to bordering municipalities to receive their input on the ongoing crisis and to possibly enact measures that will compliment the lockdown already in effect in the four cities.  Newark will reach out to their bordering municipalities, which include Bayonne, Belleville, East Newark, Elizabeth, Harrison, Jersey City and Kearny;  Irvington will reach out to Hillside, Maplewood and Union, of which it shares its borders; Orange will contact Montclair, South Orange, and West Orange; and lastly, East Orange will contact Bloomfield and Glen Ridge.

The sole purpose of these efforts is to gain some uniformity in policy and procedure in handling COVID-19, so that Essex County and the surrounding counties can ultimately flatten the curve.