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Health Department

Corona Testing Site Information

This post contains all testing site related updates.

Holmdel PNC Bank Arts Center

Open to those who live within 50-mile radius of the site. This site and the Bergen County Community College site (below) are alternating the days upon which they operate. 

Bergen County Community College

Open to those who live within 50-mile radius of the site. This site and the Holmdel PNC Bank Arts Center site (above) are alternating the days upon which they operate. 

Kean University on Morris Avenue in Union

Open to Union County Residents, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9am – 4pm. Up to 72 hours for test results. Free testing is available to all Union County residents who wish to be tested, whether or not they are experiencing symptoms. You can now make an appointment online here. You must have proof of NJ Residency IDs when visiting the testing site.

COVID-19 Related Legislation

This post contains updates with relevant COVID-19 related legislation.

Click here to see The Road Back: Restoring Economic Health through Public Health Flyer.

Click here to see all press releases from Governor Murphy’s office.

  • Schools will stay closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. 
  • The Governor’s “The Stay at Home Order” Executive Order states that if you do not need to go out, then please stay home. If you have to leave your home, then please practice the 6-foot social distancing directive.
  • All non-essential businesses are now closed, which include (but are not limited to) restaurants, bars, theaters, hair salons, spas, nail parlors, tattoo parlors malls, aquariums, museums (and in Union County, Adult Daycare Centers). Restaurants located in a mall with an outside separate entrance are able to provide pick-up service for ordered meals.
  • As of May 22, 2020, some businesses have been allowed to open. Click here for that information.
  • Call 211 for updates or text your Zip Code to 898211 and updates will be sent to your phone. 
  • Deadlines for the following have been extended: 
    • OPRA requests
    • Building permits 
    • City budget 
    • NJ State’s deadline to file income tax extended to July 15, 2020.
  • $15 million was approved to assist food banks.
  • Public bodies can now meet electronically and give electronic involvement to the public through email, video, etc.
  • Expanding technology for Board of Educations and students in addition to other school related legislation.
  • School districts will be credited 180 days for virtual learning.
  • A bill regarding employee paid time off so they won’t use sick/vacation time.
  • Governor Murphy announced that decisions regarding the reopening of schools in New Jersey  will not be made until April 17th at the earliest.
  • The NJ Homestead Rebate for residential owned homes is rescinded for 2020. 

Current Union County Hospitalization Data

As of the date of this post, there are 7,200 people currently hospitalized in Union County. Of those:

  • 1,980 are in critical care.
  • 1,570 are on ventilators.

745 people have been discharged. Discharges have outpaced admissions for the last several days, but as per the Governor’s office, we need to see a sustained precipitous drop before we can even consider reopening.

Message from NJ Transit

NJ Transit remains committed to the safety of our customers and employees and is working to ensure a safe environment by following the health standards set by the CDC through the sanitation of our facilities and vehicles and the cleanliness practices of our employees. Additionally, NJ Transit remains committed to providing reliable and dependable service.

Per Governor Murphy’s Executive Order 125 requiring all personnel and customers on New Jersey Transit vehicles to wear face coverings, among other requirements, strengthening NJ TRANSIT’s efforts to protect the public during the COVID-19 pandemic, please be advised that: 

  • NJ Transit now requires all riders to wear a face covering.
  • NJ Transit workers are authorized to limit passenger occupancy to 50% of the vehicle’s maximum capacity on all trains, buses and light rails.
  • Customers should be using NJ Transit services for essential travel only.

NJ Poison Control Press Release

The NJ Poison Control Center remains committed to protecting and improving the health of New Jersey’s residents by reducing the impact of poison and drug exposures. In addition, the Poison Center has been part of the State’s COVID-19 response since late January when Governor Murphy announced opening the Coronavirus Hotline for the public, 1-800-962-1253. Click here to read the Poison Control Center’s latest press release.

From Mayor Derek Armstead

Linden Residents,

As each day passes more people are tested and the numbers of those infected increases. We have lost so many Linden residents to COVID-19. Our hearts go out to those families as they mourn the loss of those they love. Please keep them in your prayers. I have a few timely requests for every Linden resident. Please… 

  • keep everyone that has suffered from this virus in your prayers.
  • follow the CDC Guidelines to ensure everyone’s safety. 
  • stay home unless you are going out for essential items.
  • practice social distancing at all times.
  • stay home if you are sick.

We are all in this together, and we will continue working together to beat this.

Remember, to effectively communicate the latest COVID-19 information to our residents transparently and as quickly as possible, our COVID-19 Menu on the City website contains useful and current data. With questions concerning COVID-19 please call the Linden Board of Health Office or call the Coronavirus Emergency Hotline at 1-800-222-1222.

Please call my office with questions, concerns, for assistance, or even just to say hi.

Yours truly,

Mayor Derek Armstead

Message from Mayor Armstead RE COVID-19 Data Transmission

In these challenging and difficult times, as Mayor of the great City of Linden, I want to assure you that all information concerning COVID-19 is presented to you in a timely and transparent manner. My administration will continue to do all things necessary to protect our residents by providing the services that our government provides.

However, even in this pandemic, my administration is obligated to comply with certain laws that protect patient information and what can be shared publicly. The HIPAA Privacy Rule protects the privacy of patients’ health information but is balanced to ensure that appropriate uses and disclosures of the information still may be made when necessary to protect a patient, to protect the nation’s public health, and for other critical purposes.

Consequently, HIPAA still requires us to protect a patient’s privacy, however, through the Linden Board of Health, and our Health Officers, if certain information is received about a resident who tests positive for COVID-19, they are required to follow certain protocols in notifying individuals that may have had CLOSE contact with that person, and are able to take other steps to minimize the spread of the virus.

The following are trusted resources for COVID-19 information.

Union County to open State’s 1st County-run Drive Through COVID-19 Testing Center

UNION COUNTY, NJ – Beginning Monday, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, in conjunction with governmental, educational and healthcare partners, will open the state’s first County-run, drive-through facility for testing of the COVID-19 virus at Kean University. For the full press release, please download or read the attachment.