City Officials and Stakeholders Continuing to Prepare for COVID-19

City, County, State and Non-Profits Actively Cooperating

Trenton N.J. – Officials representing the City of Trenton, local non-profits, hospitals, and Trenton Public Schools (TPS) met Friday at City Hall to continue their conversation pertaining to the COVID-19 outbreak. The goal of the meeting was to synchronize efforts should the virus appear in the City.

“It is important that government coordinate efforts on all levels so that we can address the various degrees of public health challenges relating to the Coronavirus.” Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora further asserted that “we are listening to the public health experts and want to cover any gaps that may exist. As a City we need to be prepared to meet our public health needs should the virus spread to our area.”

The Emergency Management Coordinator for the City, Fire Director Derrick Sawyer, stressed the need for planning and preparation.

Sawyer maintained that “we’re moving forward purposefully. Our aim here is to be aware of the resources we have available, and to work in a coordinated effort to ensure the safety of our citizens.”

Health and Human Services Director Shakira Abdul-Ali has been in constant contact with area hospitals, pertinent non-profits, and Trenton Public Schools since February. Last week, the City ran an in-service workshop for TPS nurses to brief them on best practices regarding COVID-19.

“The nurses are the ones who will be dealing with this on a day-to-day basis. We made sure that they had all available information at their disposal.” Director Abdul-Ali continued, “while the overall risk to the general public is still low, we are taking any and all preventative measures to insure Trenton’s public health.”

There have been two cases of presumptive positive tests for the virus in the state of New Jersey.

The NJ Department of Health (NJDOH) has stressed that the general public take precautionary measures to hamper the spread of the virus. Consistent handwashing, resisting touching one’s own face with unclean hands, and staying home if you suspect illness have all been proven to lower one’s chances of getting sick.

If you or someone you know thinks that they could be experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, NJDOH recommends that they call their hotline at 1-800-222-1222. The hotline is available 24-hours a day and can provide information in multiple languages.

Mayor Gusciora concluded that “the utmost priority is making sure that our citizen’s health needs are met, and we are prepared to meet any such challenges that arise. By coordinating our efforts, the City, County, and State are working together to ensure such challenges are met.”

There have been no confirmed cases in Mercer County.

The City is urging that residents refer to https://www.nj.gov/health/ for information and updates pertaining to the virus. Information will be mirrored on all City media outlets in the following days.