Essex County Update on the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Updated Monday, August 17, 2020

 

Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., Freeholder President Brendan Gill and Vice President Wayne Richardson announced that Essex County is taking precautions to help stop the spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). The measures listed below are meant to promote social distancing and help prevent the spread of the virus through public contact.

 

“The coronavirus is a real and imminent threat to the public health of not only our county but of our country. We are taking all steps necessary to help prevent the spread of this virus; one of these actions is limiting places the public can congregate and promoting social distancing. These actions are not taken lightly and are done after consultation with the Essex County Public Health Officer and following guidelines from the NJ Department of Health and CDC,” DiVincenzo, Gill and Richardson said. “We all must be aware that our individual actions can have a tremendous impact on how fast the coronavirus is spread and we must all do our part. Please realize we are taking these steps in an abundance of caution,” he said.

 

Essex County Hall of Records Access

 

Beginning Monday, March 23rd, anyone coming to the Essex County Government Complex in Newark will have to access the Hall of Records, Veterans Courthouse and Historic Courthouse through the Veterans Courthouse. Please enter and exit through the Essex County Veterans Courthouse via the Rosa Parks Plaza, the Congressman Donald M. Payne Plaza or the Governor Brendan Byrne Plaza (Juror Parking Lot area). The Essex County LeRoy F. Smith, Jr. Public Safety Building will remain open. Face coverings and social distancing are required.

 

County-wide Cleaning Enhanced

 

  • Additional procedures have been implemented at all county facilities and buildings to enhance the cleaning and sanitizing of offices and areas where the public gathers, such as waiting rooms.

 

Commissioner of Registration/Superintendent of Elections

 

Commissioner of Registration/Superintendent of Elections Edna Baugh has announced:

  • Requests for voter history CDs may be made by email to info@elections.essexcountynj.org and an electronic response will be sent to the requestor.
  • Police, Fire and Census applicants needing proof of registration may make that request to info@elections.essexcountynj.org; include any form to be completed by this office
  • Messages may be left on voicemail at 973-621-5061; calls will be returned as soon as possible.
  • Voter registration and party affiliation forms are available from the State website at nj.gov/state/elections. Completed forms with original signature must be mailed to the office.
  • Requests for more than 100 voter registration forms must be made one (1) week in advance at 973-621-5061.

 

Correctional Facility

 

  • Additional measures to medically screen detainees entering and being released from the ECCF have been implemented.
  • Face-to-face attorney visits have been suspended. Teleconferencing visits with attorneys will be held Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Attorneys wishing to schedule an appointment may call 973-274-6246.
  • Effective Monday, March 23, to protect the inmate/detainee population and the staff of the Essex County Correctional Facility, the Family and Friend Visitation Program is suspended until further notice.

 

County Clerk

 

Essex County Clerk Chris Durkin has announced:

  • In coordination with the Essex County Surrogate and Essex County Register, vault hours have been modified.
  • The issuance of passports for renewal, IDs and notary publics has resumed. The issuance of new passports remains suspended.

 

Family Assistance and Benefits

 

  • Effective Tuesday, May 26th, the Division of Family Assistance and Benefits has relocated to its new headquarters at 320-321 University Avenue in Newark. The building at 18 Rector Street is closed.
  • Clients seeking assistance can apply online at NJHelps.org or call 973-395-8000. Any documents that need to be dropped off can be placed in a secure drop box outside of the office at 320-321 University Avenue.
  • County residents who want to apply for SNAP food assistance or cash assistance under the Work First New Jersey program are encouraged to do so online at NJHelps.org. Interviews will be done by phone, so you do not need to come into the office to apply for benefits.
  • Work First New Jersey cash assistance clients who are due for their case to be reviewed in March or April automatically will get a 60-day extension. You do not need to come into the office.
  • Attention SNAP recipients: If your case is due to be recertified in March or April and you were unable to get your paperwork in or complete your interview, your case will not be closed. You will receive your benefits on the usual day. Your case will be recertified at some point in the future, once this public health crisis has settled. In the meantime, you will continue to receive SNAP benefits.
  • If you are a SNAP food assistance or a Work First New Jersey cash assistance client, you are not required to attend your work activity unless you want to and the program is operating. This includes people who are applying for Work First New Jersey General Assistance and are in a work activity for 28 days while their application is being reviewed. No penalty will be assessed to you if you do not attend your work activity.
  • Please call our call center at 973-395-8000 to schedule a telephone interview.
  • When you need to bring paperwork to the office, you can fax, mail or look for the drop box located at 320-321 University Avenue, Newark, NJ 07102 or 50 South Clinton Street East Orange, NJ 07018.
  • All clients who receive food assistance through NJ SNAP will receive the maximum benefit for their family size in May to help address critical food needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Clients can check their balance at NJFamiliesFirst.com or by calling the number on your card.

 

Hospital Center

 

  • Effective Monday, July 27th, a modified visitation schedule has been put in place.

 

Housing and Community Development

 

  • The Office of Housing and Community Development is closed to the public.  Members of the public can contact the office at 973-655-0200 or gserio@hcd.essexcountynj.org.

 

Juvenile Detention Center

 

  • Visitation at the Juvenile Detention Center has been suspended.

 

Parks Department

 

  • Now OPEN: Golf Courses; Turtle Back Zoo, Treetop Adventure, miniGOLF Safari and paddle boating at the South Mountain Recreation Complex; dog parks; tennis, basketball and bocce courts; baseball, softball, soccer and football fields; playgrounds, exercise and park courses. Modified operating schedules are in place to promote social distancing. Restroom buildings are open. Visitors are REQUIRED to wear face coverings and practice social distancing.
  • CLOSED: The Environmental Center and park buildings (for meetings and gatherings).
  • Gatherings are not permitted.
  • The permit office has reopened. For permits, please call 973-735-6228 or 973-735-6229.

 

Register of Deeds and Mortgages

 

Register Juan Rivera has announced:

  • On Monday, May 18th, the vault will reopen to conduct title searches with a modified schedule. Title searchers who are requesting access should call the office at 973-621-4960 to schedule an appointment so that social distancing can be maintained.
  • Effective Monday, July 27th, modified counter service will begin.
  • Members of the public may mail in hard copy documents for recording. Likewise, members of the public who want to look up deeds and mortgages dating from May 2001 will need to do so online.
  • For assistance regarding recordable documents, please call the office at 973-621-4960 between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday to Friday.

 

Schools of Technology

 

  • Donald M. Payne School of Technology, Newark Tech and West Caldwell Tech have shifted to on-line instruction. To further support students, the Summer School Program will also be implemented using remote instruction. The district has purchased a subscription to an online course and curriculum program called Edmentum Courseware to deliver and assess the curricular standards. Students will get the opportunity to complete credit recovery and credit accrual classes required for high school graduation. In addition, the incoming freshmen will attend an enrichment program in which they will acquire valuable knowledge and skills needed for them to transition successfully to the district.
  • The district is currently working on plans for the opening of schools for the 2020-21 school year. A re-opening committee was set up, which meets periodically to share and discuss the various options available. As more guidance is provided by the Governor and the Department of Education, plans will be adjusted accordingly. When the plans are complete, they will be shared with the public.
  • For more information, visit the Essex County Schools of Technology website at www.essextech.org or call 973-412-2050.

 

Senior Services

 

  • Additional procedures have been implemented to clean and sanitize the vehicles that are part of the Essex County Special Transportation program and partnerships have been created with companies like Uber and Lyft to provide additional transportation options if it becomes necessary.
  • The Special Transportation System is giving priority rides to take residents to medical appointments, such as chemotherapy, radiation, dialysis and food shopping.   Transportation for other services may be limited.
  • The congregate meal program offered by the Division of Senior Services as part of the Senior Café in the Park program and at other locations throughout the County have been suspended. Instead, seniors served at these sites are not receiving home delivered meals.

 

Sheriff’s Office

 

Sheriff Armando Fontoura has announced:

  • Foreclosures, evictions and sheriff’s sales will be suspended for the next two weeks.

 

Small Business Development

 

 

Superior Court

 

Essex County Assignment Judge Sallyanne Floria has provided the following link for obtaining up-to-date information about the Courts: https://www.njcourts.gov/public/covid19_one-stop.html

 

Surrogate’s Office

 

Essex County Surrogate Alturrick Kenny has announced the Surrogate’s Office has fully reopened. Visitors must enter through the Veterans Courthouse, follow social distancing guidelines and wear face coverings.

 

Taxation

 

Essex County Board of Taxation Administrator Joan Durkin announced:

  • The deadline for Tax Appeals has been extended a second time for all municipalities to July 1, 2020, and the deadline for county boards of taxation to render decisions in tax appeal cases has been extended to September 30, 2020. This applies retroactively to April 1, 2020
  • All appeals should be MAILED to The Essex County Tax Board at 50 South Clinton St., Suite 5200, East Orange, NJ 07018.
  • There is a locked drop box in the lobby by the Security desk for the public who visit the building. However, it is strongly recommended to mail tax appeals.
  • The office is closed to the public, however, staff is working on a modified schedule of 8:30 am to 3:00 pm to answer any questions by phone at 973-395-8525.
  • The website is essextaxboard.com

 

Training and Employment

 

  • The WAVE and Job Access Reverse Community transportation programs have been restarted with modified guidelines. Clients seeking transportation must make a reservation and then confirm the ride on the day service is being provided. Service during the pandemic will be as follows:
  • Instead of using their mini-buses, EZ ride will provide single passenger transportation using cars and minivans.
  • Riders will need to make a reservation one-day in advance by calling 201-939-4242, option 1, to be connected with the Customer Service team. Customer Service will be open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Making reservations for JARC shuttles:
    • Morning service will be provided from the bus stop to the work site Monday to Friday from 6-9:30 a.m.
    • Afternoon service will be provided from the bus stop to the work site Monday to Friday from 3:15-6:45 p.m.
    • When making the reservation, the riders will provide the name of shuttle program, their own name, cell phone number, work site address along with the day/date and time when the ride will be required in the morning from the bus stop to the work site. If afternoon service from work site to the bus stop is desired, this reservation must also be specifically requested and the same information must be provided.
  • Making reservations for WAVE shuttles:
    • Transportation will be provided for TANF/GA/FS clients going from and to their home for food shopping, medical appointments and employment.
    • Service will be provided from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
    • When making the reservation, the riders will provide the name of shuttle program, their own name, TANF/GA/FS Case Number, cell phone number, day/date and time when the ride will be required, and the addresses for trip origin and destination.
  • Calling for the ride on the scheduled day/time of service
    • The rider will need to call 201-939-4242, option 4, and will be connected with the dispatch team / Ryde4Life
    • The rider will need to provide the name of shuttle, rider’s name and details of trip origin and destination. Upon confirmation of all reservation details, a vehicle will be dispatched to arrive within the next 5-15 minutes. The license plate number and name of the driver will be sent to the rider’s cell phone via text message.
    • The rider must be ready to board as soon as the vehicle arrives. The driver will not wait for the rider and a replacement may not be easily available during these uncertain times.
    • If necessary, the dispatcher will call the rider and/or the driver to connect the two of them with each other.
    • If this call is not made at the scheduled day/time of the reservation, EZ Ride will not dispatch the vehicle for the rider.
  • The Night Owl transportation program has been suspended.
  • One Stop Centers have been closed to the public.
  • The NJ Unemployment Office at 50 South Clinton Street in East Orange has suspended in-person unemployment insurance services. Residents who need to file a claim can visit MyUnemployment.nj.gov or call 201-601-4100 in North Jersey.
  • To reach Workforce Development, visit nj.gov/labor or call 609-984-9414.
  • To apply for Temporary Disability or Family Leave, visit myleavebenefits.nj.gov.

 

Pharmacies Offering Home Delivery

 

As a service to our residents, the following link will take you to a list of pharmacies throughout the state that are offering free delivery: http://essexcountynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/NJ-Pharmacies-Offering-Home-Delivery-3.27.20.pdf

 

This list was compiled for informational purposes only and does not reflect Essex County’s endorsement of any pharmacy.

 

Other COVID-19 Testing Sites

 

Below is a list of other locations in Essex County and those offered by the State of New Jersey where residents can be tested for COVID-19. The state testing sites are offering the tests free of charge; private locations may either charge a co-payment or bill your insurance. The sites are:

 

County-wide

 

Rite Aid stores

Testing will be provided to anyone over the age of 18 whether they have Coronavirus symptoms or are asymptomatic. Please visit their website for more information and locations in Essex County. https://www.riteaid.com/pharmacy/services/covid-19-testing

 

Cedar Grove

 

American Family Care Urgent Care

480 Pompton Avenue, Suite 6, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009

973-239-2300

https://afcurgentcarecedargrove.com/

Must be symptomatic. Call ahead to make sure test kits are available.

 

East Orange

 

Metropolitan Medical, a division of Salerno Medical

570 Park Ave., East Orange

862-766-6608

https://salernomedicalassociates.fullslate.com/

Testing available for first responders in Essex County. Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

 

Livingston

 

Summit Medical Group Urgent Care

75 East Northfield Avenue, Livingston

973-436-1500

Must be a patient of Summit Medical Group and have symptoms that worsen (fever for more than 3 days, difficulty breathing, body aches). Must have an appointment made for them by an Atlantic Medical Group doctor.

 

Newark

 

City of Newark Testing Site

Essex County Branch Brook Park Roller Rink Parking Lot

7th Avenue and Clifton Avenue, Newark

973-988-5511

For Newark residents only. By appointment only. Tuesday to Saturday. Drive through and walk up testing available. All insurance, including Medicaid and Medicare, are accepted. Residents must clear CDC requirements for testing during the registration process. Face covering, gloves, valid ID, proof of Newark residency and insurance card are required.

 

CityMD Newark Urgent Care

617 Broad Street, Newark, NJ 07102

862-246-7940

https://www.citymd.com/urgent-care-locations/nj/newark/newark/073

Not testing to rule out COVID-19 for respiratory symptoms. Are testing if strict clinical criteria is met. Must be sick with symptoms.

 

Mary Eliza Mahoney Health Center (FQHC)

110 William Street, Newark

800-734-7083

Must get a doctor’s evaluation. Those without insurance should call to be evaluated. Must make an appointment.

 

Orange

 

Mt. Olives Church of God, Annex Building

29-37 North Essex Street

Orange, NJ

Free COVID-19 and antibody testing is being offered. Register at www.bit.ly/2BNSXHQ. Photo ID ios requested. The testing is sponsored by Interfaith Urgent Care, the State of New Jersey, City of Orange and Mt. Olives Church of God.

 

Roseland

 

The Smith Center

189 Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland

www.smithcenternj.org/citizens-against-covid/

For information, contact gblock.smithctr@gmail.com

Hours are 10 am to 2 pm Monday-Friday. Free testing available to all. No insurance required. Tests are administered via drive-thru or walk-up at the site location.

West Caldwell

 

The Doctors’ Office Urgent Care of West Caldwell

556 Passaic Avenue, West Caldwell, NJ 07006

973-808-2273

https://www.doctorsofficeurgentcarewestcaldwell.com/

Must be sick with symptoms. Walk in, no appointment.

 

West Orange

 

American Family Care Urgent Care

464 Eagle Rock Avenue, Suite C, West Orange, NJ 07052

973.669.5900

https://doctorsexpresswestorange.com/

Must be symptomatic. Call ahead to make sure test kits are available.

 

Tele-Medicine

 

RWJBarnabas Health TeleMed® – The Doctor is Online https://rwjbhtelemed.org/landing.htm

If you have concerns about COVID-19 or need to see a doctor without taking preventable risks, you can get the care you need by scheduling an online visit for just $15. Use payment code RWJBH15.

 

This list was compiled for informational purposes only and does not reflect Essex County’s endorsement of any private medical facility or the availability of tests at these facilities.