Below is an update from Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla for Hoboken residents:

There have been so many heroes during this pandemic and each of them has made a meaningful contribution to our community. Today I want to thank Pastor Tania Fuentes from Dvine Konektion Community Development Corp. Pastor Fuentes and her team in West New York have worked with Jason Freeman and Hoboken Police Officer Joe Lupo to donate thousands of loaves of bread to the Hoboken Community Center Food Bank. The bread has gone out in the weekly grocery deliveries to hundreds of Hoboken residents in need. Thank you, Pastor Fuentes for your generosity and giving spirit during this challenging time.

Impact of COVID-19 in Hoboken

Yesterday, the Hoboken Health Department reported another six cases of COVID-19 in Hoboken, for a total of 531 known, confirmed cases. We sadly had two additional fatalities, as a male in his mid 50s and another male in his mid 70s, both valued members of our community. I extend my deepest sympathies on behalf of our City to their friends, family and loved ones. Hoboken now has 25 total fatalities.

Testing in Hoboken Housing Authority

Seventy-nine seniors were tested this past Wednesday in a senior building in the Hoboken Housing Authority, with four positive results (three Hoboken residents) and 75 negative. Thanks again to Dr. Javed Islam and Prompt MD for providing this door to door testing, with another senior building on schedule for this upcoming Wednesday.

Please call CERT for Riverside COVID-19 testing

If you need a COVID-19 test, all residents – both with and without symptoms – can receive one at Riverside’s testing site and receive a result in 15 minutes thanks to Dr. Brahmbhatt and his staff. Please be sure to call the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) hotline at 201-420-5621 through City Hall for this test (Monday through Saturday, 9 am until 5 pm), as opposed to calling Riverside Medical Group directly. This is a common and understandable mistake that is causing some confusion.

Street sweeping resumes May 18

Keeping Hoboken safe and healthy also means ensuring our streets are clean, which is understandably not the case on certain streets since street sweeping has been suspended for several weeks. As a result, street sweeping will resume on Monday, May 18. We are also seeing more personal protective equipment (PPE) on streets, which is all the more reason that our Department of Environmental Services believes street sweeping should resume. I recognize that this is an inconvenience, but keeping our streets clean is an important factor in keeping our residents safe during COVID-19.

Hoboken Relief Fund and benefit event on Saturday, May 16

As you may have seen in the announcement this afternoon, I’m proud to share that Hoboken has launched a relief fund to help benefit our small businesses and individuals who have been impacted by COVID-19. This is an important way for our community to come together and support those who need our help now, more than ever. The first fundraising event will feature a number of Hoboken artists and will be co-hosted by Hoboken’s own, Buddy Valastro from the Cake Boss, and take place on Saturday, May 16. To donate for this cause, please visit www.HobokenReliefFund.com. More to come on Saturday’s event in the days to come. Thank you to Council President Jen Giattino, Councilmember Phil Cohen, and the entire relief fund board for launching this initiative for our City.

Antibody testing

Today’s pilot launch of antibody testing was a success, with approximately 260 first responders and frontline workers tested. Twenty-five tested positive for IgG, which means that the individuals had COVID-19 at some previous point. To answer a few questions which we’ve received, Boditech’s AFIAS Rapid COVID-19 Antibody Test, which we are using, also detects IgM, the first antibody to appear in the response to initial exposure. The test draws blood through a finger prick, as opposed to drawing blood, with the results provided in 10 minutes. The test, which is currently certified for all of Europe and used in 15 different countries, is currently pending before the FDA with higher standards than required (over 96.6% sensitivity and specificity). More information on sign-ups for the general public will be provided in the coming week. Thanks again to Dr. Javed Islam from Prompt MD, Keith Barksdale from Power Analytics, and their staff for helping put this together.

Fundraiser for FLAG (Front Line Appreciation Group) Saturday night

This Saturday, May 9th from 7-10 pm, FLAG is hosting a live auction on their Facebook page that will benefit three local organizations. All money raised will be evenly split between FLAG, the Hoboken Shelter, and Hoboken Food Pantry. One auction – triple the impact with over 150 items to bid on, with opening bids starting at $25! To date, FLAG has supported over 100 local restaurants and delivered over 14,000 meals to front line workers. Donations can also be made at: paypal.me/flaghbknjc.

Thank you to retiring city employees

I want to extend my thanks and best wishes to 14 City employees who submitted their retirements. Their years of service to our City will never be forgotten and I want to extend my appreciation to them for their service, commitment, and dedication to our Mile Square. I wish them all the best in the years to come.

Jefferson Street “Open Street” this weekend

To help provide some detailed information about the setup for this weekend’s Jefferson Street open street pilot (between 3^rd Street and 11^th Street), our transportation team has drawn up a map with some traffic information. Please see the attached map which gives some additional detail about vehicular restrictions. The open street is designed to provide more space for residents to social distance when walking, jogging and biking, but congregating is not permitted.

Thank you, Hoboken.

Ravi S. Bhalla

Mayor