Tagged With "COVID-19"

In the News: Debate Starts Over COVID-19 Vaccine for Children in New Jersey Schools have been the front line in universal childhood vaccination in the United States since nearly the beginning of childhood vaccines, from the debates in the late 1800s and early 1900s over whether all Massachusetts students get a smallpox vaccine to more widespread mandates for measles and other shots in the 1970s. And in recent years, of course, they have also proven the new battleground in the heated debates...

While the 5,000-page $900 billion COVID Relief Bill ( H.R. 133, Div. M and N) fell short on some fronts (e.g., did not provide direct fiscal relief to cash-strapped states and localities), it does provide $82 billion in Education Stabilization Funds for states, school districts, and higher education institutions—crucial support for education as students return to school after the holiday. Funding of this magnitude makes a trauma-informed COVID response possible, giving advocates the...

By Star-Ledger Guest Columnist By Hamid Shaaban Black History Month is often observed by commemorating Black excellence and honoring the remarkable achievements and contributions of Black people in the United States and around the world. This month, I propose to all my colleagues in healthcare and medicine to promote and advance education about the history of medical racism. That history is Black history and it is often neglected and remains largely unacknowledged. It’s important to...

New Jersey teachers, child care and transportation workers will be eligible starting March 15 for the coronavirus vaccine, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday morning. The governor, appearing on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” said it’s “an imperative” to have those people vaccinated and hinted he would provide additional details at his regular COVID-19 briefing in Trenton at 1 p.m. Murphy followed with a Tweet indicating the new group would includes “additional public safety workers.” “We’re phasing...

After having a light cough for three days last spring, Miguel Mestiza Valderrabano called his partner Ana Maria Lorenzo to say that, when she got home from work, he planned to go to the hospital. He would never make it, and the mental image of his 32-year-old lifeless body on their living room floor still haunts her. “I couldn’t believe that had happened in minutes,” Lorenzo said. She had just arrived home from her cleaning job—her first assignment in weeks after she’d lost work during the...

In recognizing Nurses Week, and School Nurse Day, as an urban community school nurse, I am strongly encouraging you in urban communities to become vaccinated. This COVID-19 pandemic has claimed the lives of so many of our loved ones especially in under-served under-privileged communities. Many are hesitant and resistant in becoming vaccinated with reasons as diverse as the neighborhoods. Awareness and access is critical in turning the tide in this pandemic. Research and science supports...

Thank you so much for sharing @Dr. Cynthia Samuel PhD, RN

Fathers play a critical role in the healthy development of children and families. This is why it's important to address structural and systemic barriers that prevent Black men from being fully present in their children's lives—so that all families have a chance to thrive. My wife and I have been married since 2019, but we’ve known each other since we were 14-year-olds. We are raising a blended family. She has a daughter who is 9 and a 7-year-old son. I have a son who is 8, and together we...

The educational disruption to New Jersey students due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been extreme by all measures. But with increasing numbers of vaccinated adults in the state and new COVID-19 cases dropping, attention (and planning) is turning to how schools can begin returning to normal for the new school year this fall. A wide range of challenges deserve consideration: Instructional - How will teaching be different once virtually all students are back in the classroom? How will technology...

Recently, the federal government issued a limited eviction moratorium beginning August 3rd through October 3 for renters living in communities experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases. In addition, Governor Murphy signed legislation that expands COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance and Utility Assistance Programs. For more information, or to apply for rental or utility assistance, please use the links below. • First , know your rights: https://legalfaq.org/ • For general assistance questions,...

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans have faced increased stress over the cost, availability and quality of health care, and distrust in our health system has heightened. This webinar will provide a deep dive into the impact that COVID-19 has had on the health care system, particularly in marginalized communities, and solutions to build and rebuild trust. Kathleen Noonan is the Chief Executive Officer of the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers, a nonprofit healthcare...

Mary Ann Koruth | NorthJersey.com Calls for help to the New Jersey children's mental health hotline have increased compared to last year as parents seek help, especially during the morning hours, said the Department for Children and Families (DFC) commissioner. The overall call volume to the Children's System of Care increased, with the most calls coming from parents as their children experience stress before school hours, Commissioner Christine Norbut Beyer said during a state COVID...