Seniors-Only Hours Coming To South Orange Stop & Shop: COVID-19

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Stop & Shop supermarkets are offering senior citizens a chance to “social distance” from the new coronavirus known as COVID-19 with special shopping hours.

All stores, including the location at 407 Valley Street in South Orange, will open earlier for people 60-years-old and over starting Thursday, March 19, the company said.

Stop & Shop stores will be open from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. daily for this vulnerable population. There will be a marked, designated entrance at each location.

“We’re making the decision to offer this every day of the week to allow for community members in this age category to shop in a less crowded environment, which better enables social distancing,” the company stated. “They’ll also be shopping prior to any other customers entering.”

“Although we will not be requesting ID for entry, we ask that you please respect the purpose of the early opening – and do the right thing for your neighbors,” spokespeople said. “Store associates do reserve the right to ask customers to leave if they are not a member of this age group.”

In addition, home delivery service will remain available to all customers as the nation continues to deal with the coronavirus, the company stated.

“Now, more than ever, it’s important we come together as a community to support each other during challenging times,” spokespeople wrote. “Part of that is showing compassion and care for some of our neighbors who are most vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus.”

CORONAVIRUS IN NEW JERSEY, NATIONWIDE

The number of people with the coronavirus in New Jersey has risen to 178 as of Monday. Authorities say three people have died. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

Gov. Murphy has declared a state of emergency, schools across the state have begun to close, and local governments and community organizations have launched their own efforts to protect residents from the virus.

State health officials say it is critical that older adults and individuals with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, lung disease and heart disease lower their risk of exposure.

“We certainly understand the public’s concerns about testing availability, and we are working with the county executives to set up testing options for our residents,” Commissioner of Health Judith Persichilli said Sunday.

“I know all the actions being taken can cause concern, but that is all part of the public health response to reduce the impact on our state,” Persichilli said. “As I said yesterday, we can expect cases in communities across the state to increase.”

There have been more than 4,600 confirmed U.S. cases of the new coronavirus as of Tuesday morning according to Johns Hopkins University, which says the disease also has killed 85 people nationwide.

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

WHAT IS COVID-19?

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. You should only wear a mask if a health care professional recommends it. A face mask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms. This is to protect others from the risk of getting infected. The use of face masks also is crucial for health workers and other people who are taking care of someone infected with COVID-19 in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

Residents who have questions about the virus can contact the State of New Jersey's hotline at 1 (800) 222-1222. The hotline is home of the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, and is staffed 24 hours a day by state health workers.

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