March 16, 2020
As Mayor, I am charged with looking out for the safety and well-being of all the residents of this city. The Coronavirus has been declared a worldwide pandemic, the President has declared a national emergency and we have declared a State of Emergency in Bayonne to help stop the spread of this virus.
As more and more people in neighboring towns are contracting this illness, my goal is to ensure we are all doing what we can to inhibit its spread within our community. A few weeks ago, I created the COVID-19 Task Force, which is made up of numerous professionals across various disciplines to ensure our preparedness posture and ability to react if/when this virus presents in Bayonne.
Every resident of Bayonne needs to use a common-sense approach to this health crisis. Please practice safe hygiene by washing your hands often, cough/sneeze into your sleeve, avoid touching your face and avoid touching other people. I am asking that everyone practice a high level of social distancing during this time. A void going out, as much as possible, to reduce the amount of person to person contact. The schools, are closed BUT the learning has not stopped. Parents should ensure that all students are completing their assignments and limiting their time outdoors. Effective immediately, I have ordered the Mayor’s office to remain open 24 hours a day and we have installed two hotlines for our residents to use in connection with Coronavirus issues. The Senior COVID-19 Hotline is 201-858-6105, the General COVID-19 Hotline is 201- 858-6705. Both of these are for Bayonne residents who need assistance with questions related to this emergency.
The Governor of the State of New Jersey has mandated the following effective 8pm tonight:
• All bars and restaurants are to be closed for in-house seating. They can be open for takeÂout and delivery only. Waivers will be granted for take-out alcohol
• All gyms/health spas, movie theaters, and casinos are to be closed
• All recreational and social gatherings will be limited to no more than 50 people
The Bayonne Office of Emergency Management has issued several directives to take effect immediately and these directives will remain in place until further notice. These directives include:
All retail commercial establishments in Bayonne will be limited to no more than 25 patrons at any time, this includes shops, salons, department stores, etc, not covered by the Governor’s Directive. THIS DIRECTIVE DOES NOT INCLUDE SUPERMARKETS AND PHARMACIES.
• All Day-Care/Child-Care facilities are to be closed.
• The Bayonne Public Library is to be closed.
• ALL municipal playgrounds are to be closed.
• All social clubs, religious houses of worship, and non-profit organizations are to be closed for any gathering.
I am aware that these measures may seem drastic, but I have a commitment to each citizen of this city to ensure that we do everything in our power to protect the health and well-being of everybody. These directives have been put in place to help stop the transmission of this illness. In order for all of these initiatives to work, I am asking that every resident abide by these initiatives.
Our city is strong. Bayonne has endured numerous difficult times over our history and I am certain we will get through this emergency TOGETHER. Please continue to follow my
Face book page and Twitter feed as well as the feeds of OEM and City of Bayonne. Please sign up for the Swift91 l Notification System in order to receive important messages from the city related to this emergency. You can sign up by going to the city website at www.bayonnenj.org and clicking the Swift911 Banner, or by downloading the Swift911 Public App to your mobile device. God Bless our beautiful city and each and every one of you.