The Garden State was one of a few states to successfully keep new infections and community spread to a minimum while other states saw drastic increases in new infections and deaths.
As summer continued and many New Jerseyans mistakenly believed COVID-19 was no longer a threat to their health, the state began to see an uptick in new infections, hospitalizations and deaths.
When the infection rate increases so does the transmission rate. This means the virus is in daily environments and continues to spread to others in communities. Increased rates remind us that when given the opportunity to thrive, this virus spreads easily, quickly and with little to no warning.
“It is understandable that residents are anxious to return to 'normal' life amidst the life-altering pandemic of recent months," Bruce Ruck, Pharm.D., managing director of the New Jersey Poison Control Center, said. “Returning to daily life while protecting our health can be done, but only if we continue to work together.”
Preventing people from getting sick and slowing the spread of the virus is all that can be done to keep communities safe until there is an approved vaccine, cure, or treatment.
Make no mistake, COVID-19 continues to pose a significant risk to the health and well-being of all residents. Public health officials recommend you and your loved ones consider the following when making the decision to participate in daily activities or events.
**Practice health behaviors that prevent infection**
There is no cure, treatment, or vaccine for COVID-19. The best way to stay healthy is to prevent exposure to infected respiratory droplets which are projected into the air or land on surfaces when talking, laughing, sneezing, coughing, singing, yelling, etc.
Simple [**prevention measures**](https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_Minimize_Risk.pdf) can greatly reduce your risk of infection and stop the spread of COVID-19.
**Wear a face-covering/mask whenever social distancing is not possible**
Distance helps prevent respiratory droplets from reaching others. In the event keeping your distance is not possible, the next best option is to wear a face-covering that covers your mouth and nose.
Masks have been found to be incredibly effective in keeping sick individuals from spreading the virus — some recent studies have found that traditional surgical masks may reduce respiratory droplets/particles by as much as 75 percent.
**Know before you go**
In order for recreation/outdoor areas, businesses, and other venues to remain open, they are required to have specific safety protocols in place to protect visitors, customers, and staff from COVID-19 infection. It’s important to be prepared; be aware of the establishment’s protocols before you plan your outing.
Face coverings/masks are required in all indoor and outdoor areas when social distancing is not possible (except when eating or drinking). If you plan to travel, check [**travel advisories**](https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/travel-and-transportation/which-states-are-on-the-travel-advisory-list-are-there-travel-restrictions-to-or-from-new-jersey), restrictions, and suggested quarantine guidelines for the place you are visiting and also for when you return back to your state.
It is important to stay updated on this information as it changes often.
**Assess your risk of infection**
Certain settings and activities may increase the risk of getting or spreading COVID-19. Higher risk activities: indoors, close contact for long periods of time, lots of people in small space, no distance between people. Lower risk activities: outdoors, no close contact, fewer people in a big space, more distance between people.
**Have the ‘COVID talk'**
COVID-19 can quickly, effectively, and silently spread through communities with no warning given the following factors — it’s spread through respiratory droplets and touching contaminated surfaces, the virus has a long incubation period (anywhere from 2-14 days) which means it has lots of time to spread to others, and there are many asymptomatic patients (showing no symptoms of illness but still spread the virus).
Before gathering/spending time with people you do not live with (friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, etc.) take time to discuss how to best prevent infection; i.e., gathering outdoors, stay 6 ft apart; wear a face covering if you cannot distance, avoid large gatherings, refraining from hugging/touching, etc.
**Cooperate with public health contact tracers**
When someone tests positive for COVID-19, he/she may have spread the virus to others without knowing it. Those individuals could now be infected with the virus and putting their loved ones at risk as well as others in their community. This is how we get widespread infection across the state. Contact tracing is the key to stopping the spread of COVID-19 and protecting your loved ones and neighbors.
If you are called by a contact tracer, it is so important that you answer the phone. Contact tracers will let you know about the risk to you and your family and provide you with information to protect your loved ones and your community. Contact tracers will not ask for social security numbers, bank or credit card information, health insurance information, immigration status, or criminal history.
**Get all information from credible public health sources**
Since COVID-19 remains an emerging health crisis, information changes day to day. Be sure you are getting and sharing credible information. Misinformation is dangerous to the health and well-being of communities. Information shared via social media, word of mouth, or by media outlets may be incorrect or outdated.
In New Jersey, credible public health resources were established to provide the general public and healthcare professionals with important COVID-19 information; the Coronavirus Hotline at the New Jersey Poison Control Center at 1-800-962-1253 for medical-related information; 2-1-1 for general COVID-19 information; text NJCOVID to 898-211 to receive alerts; and visit [**New Jersey COVID19 Information Hub**](https://covid19.nj.gov/) for FAQs and more.
“It’s important to start looking ahead as COVID-19 will again overlap with cold and flu season,” Ruck said. “If we continue with the prevention measures used to flatten the curve of COVID-19 infection, there’s a chance that this year’s cold and flu season may impact our communities less than previous years.”
New Jersey's coronavirus hotline assists nearly 50,000 people to date. The COVID-19 Hotline at the New Jersey Poison Control Center provides callers with important medical information and advice for their COVID-19 concerns.
Center staff have provided the public and healthcare professionals a 24/7 coronavirus resource since the pandemic began in New Jersey. If you have medical-related COVID-19 questions or concerns, call our medical and public health professionals at 1-800-962-1253.