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Pandemic COVID-19

The return of high school sports in New Jersey

By Mary Liz Ivins, President, NJSIAA Executive Committee; Chair, NJSIAA COVID-19 Medical Advisory Task Force

In my decades as an educator and school administrator, I’m hard pressed to find a situation as challenging as what we face related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last few months have been painful on many levels, from the heartbreaking loss of life to the millions who have suffered emotional and economic loss. It’s been a harrowing time for everyone. For our students, their lives will be forever changed, from the disruption of academics, to loss of physical contact, to missed social and community opportunities. For our spring sport athletes, both here and around the country, the missed season is understandably upsetting.  While the loss of spring play is disappointing, there remains hope for many future opportunities to compete, and that should be our focus moving forward.

As president of the NJSIAA, my primary goal is the safe return to interscholastic play as quickly as possible.  We remain optimistic that school activities, including sports, will return in the fall – for students’ physical and mental well-being. With every positive step, we get closer to this goal.  As I write, recommendations from the NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations) Sports Advisory Committee are being circulated and studied and teams of education and medical professionals from around the country — including experts in public health, sports medicine, pediatrics, and others – are developing return-to-school and return-to-play protocols that will ensure everyone a safe return both to school and play. We’re optimistic that these steps will help our kids get back to school and back on the playing field in the fall.

To help ensure that we achieve our objective of a safe return, the NJSIAA has formed, and I will chair, an NJSIAA COVID-19 Medical Advisory Task Force. This task force will work with NJSIAA’s member schools, the NJ Departments of Health and Education, the NFHS Sports Medical Advisory Committee and other leading authorities, to provide the association with the best, most up to date guidance to allow New Jersey high school student-athletes to return to athletics as soon as safely possible.

The goal of the task force is to identify and implement both general and sports-specific modifications that will be required by NJSIAA member schools.  In the short-term, our efforts will be focused on returning the fall athletes to their sports for the 2020 season.  The committee will include Kathy Whalen, NJ Department of Education, Dr. Lakota Kruse, medical director, NJ Department of Health, Division of Family Health Services, and members of our medical advisory committee, including Dr. Jack Kripsak, chair of the NJSIAA Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. Damion Martins, team physician and director of Internal Medicine to the New York Jets and a member of the NFL COVID Taskforce, and Dr. Rob Franks, a team physician for USA wrestling and team consultant to the Philadelphia Phillies. NJSIAA assistant director Tony Maselli will serve as the NJSIAA liaison.

In the near-term, NJSIAA strongly believes that students – both as individuals and a team — are well served by appropriate, virtual interaction with their coaches and we will continue to facilitate these important connections.

For all those with a passion to return to play, we ask that you continue your efforts and follow all relevant guidelines, including social distancing and wearing of masks. The fewer cases there are today, the greater the likelihood we will play in the fall.  And as we navigate the next few months, it is important that we prepare to be flexible with a new normal. Of course, the timing of our return to school will ultimately be determined by the State of New Jersey. And, it’s important to keep in mind that going back to our school buildings won’t necessarily guarantee an immediate return of athletics. It’s possible that some sports will follow different schedules than others.

During times of uncertainty, it’s not uncommon for rumors to circulate. Often, even well-intended suggestions can trigger an “infodemic” of mis-information. When it comes to high school sports in New Jersey, please reference only reputable information sources, including New Jersey state agencies, the NJSIAA, or the official channels of your school district.

Many obstacles remain. Hard work, patience and flexibility will be required, and at times some may feel deflated. But I’m confident that together, we will help get our kids safely back in the game.

This Haddonfield Today news story sponsored by Haddonfield Financial Planning, 205 Haddon Avenue. 856-795-0471.

Three residents test COVID-19 positive

The Camden County Department of Health today added three Haddonfield residents to its tally of those identified as COVID-19 positive: A male in his 40s, a female in her 40s, and a male in his 60s.

These additions bring the local total to 43: 19 male, 15 female, and 9 unknown. (Eight of the nine unknown were added by Camden County on May 13, as the result of a reconciliation of county numbers with state numbers.) The gender and age breakdown is as follows:

  • 20s — 3 male, 3 female
  • 30s — 2 male, 4 female
  • 40s — 7 male, 4 female
  • 50s — 5 male
  • 60s — 2 male, 1 female
  • 80s — 2 female
  • 90s — 1 female
  • Not known = 9

Police designate pick-up areas for stores

To facilitate curbside pickup, takeout, and delivery for retail businesses and restaurants in compliance with Gov. Murphy’s Executive Orders 107 and 143, the Haddonfield Police Department has marked a number of “stopping” zones along Kings Highway East, between the Speedline and Haddon Avenue.

These zones are identified by red plastic bags on parking meters, and signs reading “No Parking 7am — 10pm. Curbside Pickup Only.”

Shoppers may stop in these zones for the purpose of picking up merchandise, food, and beverages that were ordered in advance. The maximum stopping time in any one spot is five minutes.

Parking paces where the meters are covered with green bags are available for regular parking.

Four more residents test positive

One female in her 40s and one in her 90s were added on May 15 to the tally of Haddonfield residents identified as COVID-19-positive. A female in her 20s and a male in his 40s were added on May 16.

Those additions bring the local total to 40: 17 male, 14 female, and 9 unknown. (Eight of the nine unknown were added by Camden County on May 13, as the result of a reconciliation of county numbers with state numbers.) The gender and age breakdown is as follows:

  • 20s — 3 male, 3 female
  • 30s — 2 male, 4 female
  • 40s — 6 male, 3 female
  • 50s — 5 male
  • 60s — 1 male, 1 female
  • 80s — 2 female
  • 90s — 1 female
  • Not known = 9

Commenting on the current status of the pandemic in Camden County, Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr said, on May 17:

“Every day that this pandemic continues is an opportunity to strengthen our resolve and implement effective mitigation strategies into our daily lives. We have not yet won this war. While I know that the large majority of Camden County residents have been extremely vigilant during this crisis, I want to again implore our entire community to take this fight seriously. We must all continue to exercise stringent social distancing if we are going to defeat this virus, and as more of our economy reopens, the onus will be on each of us to safely choose when we should be around others and how to protect ourselves those nearby. This is still a real threat, but we can recover if we continue to fight with the tools at our disposal.”

COVID-19 update

On Wednesday, May 13, the Camden County Department of Health released new data for the 38 municipalities in the county that were the result of a reconciliation of its numbers with those maintained by the State of New Jersey. 

The new tally put the number of COVID-19-positive cases for Haddonfield at 36, and the number of fatalities at 4. 

Two fatalities were recorded on April 18 (one male and one female, both in their 80s) and another two on May 4 (a male in his 50s and another in his 90s).

Before Haddonfield’s total number was adjusted upwards on May 13, by 8, the age and sex breakdown for cases not resulting in death was as follows:

  • 20s 3 male, 2 female
  • 30s 1 male, 4 female
  • 40s 5 male, 1 female
  • 50s 5 male
  • 60s 1 male, 1 female
  • 70s
  • 80s 1 female
  • Not known = 4

Another two cases were added on May 15: One female in her 40s and one in her 90s.

CDC Guidance for Opening Up America Again

Below is the introduction to a document prepared by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that provides guidance on how to safely reopen businesses and institutions. A link to the complete document follows this introduction.

Guidance for Implementing the Opening Up America Again Framework

This implementation guidance provides tools and resources to assist decision makers to implement the Guidelines for Opening Up America Again framework. Guidance is provided to monitor local conditions (transmission, public health, and healthcare system capacity) and adjust mitigation strategies over time to effectively contain outbreaks and minimize negative side effects of more significant restrictions on commerce and education.

It begins with steps that all Americans need to take in every community. From there, it outlines core capacities needed In communities to respond to and manage cases as well as delineates key metrics to monitor community mitigation efforts. All of the guidance is anchored to the phases of the Opening Up America Again framework.

The appendices contain more detailed tools for communities such as indicators to better track and adjust mitigation efforts as well as comprehensive mitigation guidance organized by phase gag by setting. Finally, there are user-friendly decision trees to help leaders make informed decisions about reopening. A companion community leader’s guide to further enable implementation activities accompanies this resource.

Access the 68-page document HERE.

School’s out!

Students in New Jersey will not return to their brick-and-mortar schools any time soon. Governor Phil Murphy today ordered all schools in to remain closed for the remainder of the school year.

Public schools will continue to provide remote learning for students to allow districts to meet the state-required minimum of 180 instruction days.

In a statement released in conjunction with his order, Gov. Murphy said, “This is a difficult decision and I know that many students, parents, and staff would like to be able to return to school. However, I have been unwavering on the message that we need to make decisions based on science, not emotion. And while New Jersey is making great strides in mitigating the spread of COVID-19, science tells us that at this point, we can’t safely re-open our schools.”

The governor’s complete statement is HERE.

Two more COVID-19 deaths

Among the 48 new COVID-19-related deaths reported today by the Camden County Department of Health were those of two male residents of Haddonfield: one in his 50s and one in his 90s.

The reporting period covers April 13 to 30 — hence the relatively high daily tally. It is not known how recently these two residents succumbed.

The total number of deaths of Haddonfield residents attributable to the novel coronavirus now stands at 4.

In Camden County, Haddonfield ranks relatively low with respect to cases reported. It is 30th out of 37 municipalities (27 cases vs. 3,542 county-wide), and 13th out of 14 municipalities with population greater than 10,000 (2.33 per 1,000 versus 6.85 county-wide).

Crows Woods woods are open

Following Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement on Wednesday that state parks will reopen on Saturday, May 2, the Borough commissioners announced on Friday that the walking path and wooded area of Crows Woods will be open for public use from 6am on Saturday.

The park will close at 6pm each day. Parking will be limited to the lot next to the concession stand.

All other fields, playgounds, concession stands, bathrooms, and pavilions in Haddonfield will remain closed.

In their statement, the commissioners noted: “Visitors must practice social distancing and stay six (6) feet apart from others (social distancing is not required for immediate family members, caretakers, household members, or romantic partners). No organized group activities, activities involving contact with others, or sports are permitted. If residents & visitors do not abide by these restrictions, the Commissioners may be forced to close the path and wooded area once again, so we ask for your cooperation and thank you for your understanding. All dogs must be on leash.”