Cape May Court House- New Jersey has 177,645 total COVID-19 positive cases and 13,787 deaths. Total positive cases of COVID-19 infection in Cape May County is now 919 including 81 deaths. Sadly, we are announcing the passing of an 84-year-old male from Lower Township.  “My condolences to the entire family,” said Cape May County Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton. “My most sincere sympathies and heartfelt prayers.” Additionally, there are 3 new out of county positive cases that are included in the Non-resident Active Cases listed below.

Stay healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Staying healthy during the pandemic is important. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether your vaccinations and other preventive services are up to date to help prevent you from becoming ill with other diseases.

• It is particularly important for those at increased risk of severe illness, including older adults, to receive recommended vaccinations against influenza and pneumococcal disease.
• Remember the importance of staying physically active and practicing healthy habits to cope with stress.

 If you have an underlying medical condition, you should continue to follow your treatment plan:

• Continue your medicines and do not change your treatment plan without talking to your healthcare provider.
• Have at least a 30-day supply of prescription and non-prescription medicines. Talk to a healthcare provider, insurer, and pharmacist about getting an extra supply (i.e., more than 30 days) of prescription medicines, if possible, to reduce your trips to the pharmacy.
• Do not delay getting emergency care for your underlying medical condition because of COVID-19. Emergency departments have contingency infection prevention plans to protect you from getting COVID-19 if you need care.
• Call your healthcare provider if you have any concerns about your underlying medical conditions or if you get sick and think that you may have COVID-19. If you need emergency help, call 911 right away.
• If you don’t have a healthcare provider, contact your nearest community health  or health department.

Stress & coping

You may feel increased stress during this pandemic. Fear and anxiety can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions. Learn about stress and coping.

If you think you may have COVID-19 or were exposed to COVID-19:

• If you have symptoms of COVID-19, get in touch with your healthcare provider within 24 hours, and follow steps for when you feel sick. You can use CDC’s self-checker to help you make decisions.
• If you or someone you know has COVID-19 emergency warning signs (trouble breathing, persistent chest pain, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, or bluish lips or face), seek emergency care immediately. Call 911.
• If you think you might have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, contact your healthcare provider. If you don’t have a healthcare provider, contact your nearest community health  or health department.

Symptoms

Symptoms of COVID-19 can range from mild symptoms to severe illness and death. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.

In some cases, older adults and people of any age with underlying health conditions may have symptoms that are not typically seen in others, or they may take longer than others to develop fever and other symptoms.

Fever symptoms

In older adults (aged 65 and older), normal body temperature can be lower than in younger adults. For this reason, fever temperatures can also be lower in older adults.

If you are an older adult experiencing fever or other symptoms and want to get tested, call your healthcare provider first. You can also visit your state or health department’s website to look for the latest local information on testing. If you don’t have a healthcare provider, contact your nearest community health c or health department.

If you are caring for a patient aged 65 or older, be aware that a single reading higher than 100°F (37.8°C), multiple readings above 99°F (37.2°C), or a rise in temperature greater than 2°F (1.1°C) above the patient’s normal (baseline) temperature may be a sign of infection

Develop a care plan

A care plan summarizes your health conditions, medicines, healthcare providers, emergency contacts, and end-of-life care options (for example, advance directives). Complete your care plan in consultation with your doctor, and if needed, with help from a family member or home nurse aide.

A care plan can have benefits beyond the current pandemic. You can update your care plan every year, or any time you have a change in your health or medicines. Care plans can help reduce emergency room visits and hospitalizations and improve overall medical management for people with a chronic health condition, resulting in better quality of life.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, having a care plan is an important part of emergency preparedness.

• Guidance on how to develop your emergency preparedness care plan.
• Download a fillable care plan form pdf icon[5 pages]
• Serious Illness Care Program COVID-19 Response 

Steps to reduce risk of getting sick

There are things you can do to reduce your risk of getting sick.

• Keep space between yourself and others (stay 6 feet away, which is about two arm lengths).
• Wash your hands often.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or the inside of your elbow. Then wash your hands.
• Take precautions as you go about your daily life and attend events.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and things you touch often.
• What You Can Do 
• How to Protect Yourself

Older adult living facilities

If you, a family member, or friend lives in a nursing home, assisted living facility, or other type of senior living facility, you may be concerned about COVID-19.

To protect friends and family members in these facilities, CDC has advised that long-term care facilities:

• Restrict visitors,
• Require or recommend visitors wear cloth face coverings over their nose and mouth, if visitors are allowed,
• Regularly check healthcare workers and residents for fevers and symptoms, and
• Limit activities within the facility to keep residents distanced from each other and safe.

Call your healthcare professional if you have concerns about COVID-19 and your underlying health conditions. Stay up to date on the current situation as it evolves. Some reliable sources are New Jersey Poison Information and Education System hotline at 211 or 1-800-962-1253, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov, the World Health Organization at www.who.int, the New Jersey Department of Health at COVID19.nj.gov. For additional information visit https://capemaycountynj.gov/ or Cape May County Department of Health at www.cmchealth.net, also like us on Facebook.