New Jersey continues to experience the Omicron tsunami Gov. Phil Murphy warned of; on Monday, he reported that the state is recording more cases day-to-day than at any point in the past 22 months.
“More than 6,000 people in the hospital right now have COVID. It’s the highest number since April of 2020,” said Murphy, adding that over the past week alone, both the ICU and ventilator numbers are up significantly, roughly doubling since Christmas.
The percentage of infections among individuals who have at least completed their primary vaccination courses has been creeping up over the past several weeks – but the unvaccinated are still the ones testing positive by a rate of more than two-to-one.
Murphy also said that the roughly 195,000 cases from the past week are likely an undercount that does not capture many at-home test results.
Even more concerning, is a report of an additional 29 deaths — with more recorded deaths now than at any point in the past year — bringing the cumulative total of deaths to 26,625.
“While most children appear not to get sick enough to be hospitalized the number of pediatric patients in our hospitalized with confirmed covid is currently at the highest level since the pandemic began,” Department of Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said. Two children in New Jersey have died as a result of COVID; pver 1000 children in the U.S. have succumbed to COVID.
In New Jersey, more than 90 percent of the children who are currently hospitalized with COVID have not received a single shot,” she said.
“For those too young to be vaccinated, it’s really important that they are surrounded by people who are vaccinated,” added Persichilli.
Murphy shared that 168,000 more New Jerseyans did receive booster shots over the past week.
Full disclosure: I graduated in the bottom third of my MHS class…which was all me and totally fair.
But, I see the Montclair Public School dysfunction thrives after all these decades. The Central Office, the teachers union, the school administrators. I see they still retain their culture using that same low bar of mediocrity.
The latest is “the oops, we making a hybrid option offering”. Understandably very hard to see that coming, especially when no one is assigned to track the tiny little increase in December’s COVID cases.
Now, the MEA is crying like babies that they were unprepared for the hybrid option. OK, they are unprepared in general and they often fall back on their dog ate their homework line (an excuse which I originated!). They were unprepared to go to a hybrid plan after being in a pandemic for 2 years…because their remote teaching plans from last winter were not usable… because…? They were from last winter! Of course. I’m sure using them would be some form of professional plagiarism.
I agree there is no point in the MPSD pooled testing. It was a fig leaf anyway. There is little point in any testing in general because of limited testing capacity…and there is nobody capable of interpolating a level of infection overall ,much less by building. I’m guessing that the 7,000 plus school population has been closer to 4,200+/- on a daily basis. I’m guessing none of the stakeholders know the level of infection. I’m also guessing most all stakeholders already knows this sad fact.
That the MEA is now whining they weren’t a partner on this latest decision just shows they, nor the Central Office, nor the BoE have a clue what a partnership is. I am not overstating this after watching for many decades. We give this thing 57% of our tax dollars and all they manage to do is mismanage it. The only reason children succeed tot he level they do is a tribute to their initiative and fortitude.
The MEA has had an inordinate amount of power which they have squandered on their personal agendas. That is what this union has done. Their choice. Just stop the whining.