A letter from County Executive Brian M. Hughes

Dear Mercer County Community, The coronavirus has been part of our lives for more than six weeks, and the Governor’s stay-at-home order has been in place for a month. And now we know that public schools will remain closed until at least the middle of May. Everyone is feeling the effects of having their lives disrupted so severely, none more so than the loved ones of the 101 Mercer County residents who have passed away due to COVID-19. To all of them, I offer my heartfelt condolences, and to those fighting the disease, I wish you a fast and full recovery. The grind that this public health crisis has become makes it difficult to be as disciplined as we need to be: to stay home, to practice social distancing when we must go out, to wash our hands and cover our coughs and not touch our faces. Although we all have real concerns about the pandemic’s economic toll, health experts agree that the way to flatten the curve of the virus is to stay the course until restrictions can safely be eased. Our community has shown the resolve to get this far, and I know we have the resolve to keep going.

And just as we must take everyday preventive measures to protect our physical health, the same degree of attention must be paid to mental health. For anyone feeling stressed or anxious about COVID-19, please know that you are not alone, and that assistance is available, including counseling by phone. Among the many resources are the New Jersey MentalHealthCares Helpline (1-866-202-4357) and the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990). Jewish Family & Children Service of Greater Mercer County offers counseling by phone and support groups via Zoom, and Millhill Child & Family Development in Trenton announced it now is offering telecounseling services. If you need a hand, or know someone who does, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Finally, wearing a cloth face covering is now recommended, and in many cases required, in public settings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may be infected and do not know it from transmitting the virus to others. Surgical masks and N95 respirators should be reserved for first responders and health care professionals, but cloth face coverings made at home from common materials can be used effectively and, I can assure you, more comfortably. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides a short video on how to make a simple cloth face covering.

Please join me in saluting our heroic first responders and health care professionals for their continued perseverance, as well as others on the front lines who are keeping our community functioning day in and day out. And to everyone, thank you for making the sacrifices necessary to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and reduce the pressure on our health care system. If we continue to work together, we WILL get through this crisis.

Brian M. Hughes
Mercer County Executive