Coronavirus Case Numbers Dropping In Westfield, New Stats Say

WESTFIELD, NJ — With more people able to get vaccinated in Westfield, including teens, the statistics on new cases are plummeting, according to numbers released in Mayor Shelley Brindle's weekly update on Friday evening.

The Department of Health reported that from May 7-13, the number of new confirmed cases in Westfield was 16.

That's a third of the average weekly rate in April. In April, the town confirmed a total of 232 cases, or an average of 54 per week.

With some people still unvaccinated, the town has not yet gone a week without a new case, as it did back in June 2020 after the lockdowns.

The ages of last week’s cases ranged from 4 to 68 years old, broken down as follows:

• Age 9 and under: 3 cases
• Age 10-19: 5 cases
• Age 20-29: 1 case
• Age 30-39: 1 case
• Age 40-49: 2 cases
• Age 50-59: 3 cases
• Age 60-69: 1 case
• Age 70-79: no cases
• Age 80-89: no cases
• Age 90 and above: no cases

Brindle said, "In Westfield, the most highly impacted age group remains between 10 and 19 this week, representing 31 percent of the newly reported cases."

Last week, the FDA approved the Pfizer vaccine for kids 12 and up. READ MORE: FDA Approves COVID Vaccine For Kids 12+: What It Means In NJ

"The mega sites in New Jersey and all vaccination sites that carry Pfizer have been instructed to start seeing children 12 and above effective immediately," Brindle wrote. "The Morris County mega site has also extended its hours to make it more convenient for working parents."

Read more about where people 12 and up can get the vaccine in Union County.

Westfield health officials will visit the homes of the homebound who need the vaccine, and will also go to community settings to vaccinate. For more information on this program, call 908-789-4070.

Studies have shown that the vaccines are at least 95 percent effective against the virus, and among those who still get it, it will reduce the chance of hospitalization and death.

What About Masks?

The CDC advised on Thursday that full vaccinated people — meaning two weeks after their final shot — no longer had to wear masks, and included exceptions: "except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance."

Brindle wrote Friday, "Today, Governor Murphy announced that masks will continue to be required in indoor public spaces in New Jersey, regardless of vaccination status. He indicated that he expects this to change in the coming weeks, given the ongoing significant progress within the state. Those who are fully vaccinated in the state no longer need to wear a mask outside, and those who aren’t vaccinated are strongly encouraged to keep wearing masks when social distancing isn’t possible."

As of this coming Wednesday, Governor Murphy and the State of New Jersey will be lifting various capacity and gathering restrictions, including:

• Complete removal of outdoor gathering limit
• End of percentage-based capacity limits at restaurants, with continued separation of 6 feet of distance between groups, or a physical partition between them.

State Hospitalization And Fatality Numbers

Statewide, the Department of Health reported that from this past Thursday to Friday, 30 new deaths were confirmed due to the virus. There were 1,041 people battling it in New Jersey hospitals on Wednesday, 162 of those on ventilators.

The state's daily death toll has not yet declined to the level of Sept. 8, when only 2 deaths were reported in one day, after a summer of lockdowns.

But on Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy Tweeted:

For the first time in over six months, our number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 has fallen below 1,000. With our numbers trending in the right direction, we can continue fighting back against this virus if we all get vaccinated. — Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) May 13, 2021

New Jersey's peak daily death toll on April 30, 2020 was 460 fatalities reported in one day. The state's daily death toll has not yet declined to the level of Sept. 8, when only 2 deaths were reported in one day.

582,000 Americans have died of the virus as of Saturday, 3,000 more than the previous week.

You can see which states had the highest death toll in the past week on this CDC map, and see how each county is doing with this CDC link.

Don't miss Westfield breaking news alerts when they are announced, or get a free daily newsletter each morning with local news. Sign up with your preferences here.

Got news? Email caren.lissner@patch.com. Got photos? Please include express written permission from the photographer for us to use them. To be the first to get free news alerts with breaking stories in your town, or to get a free local newsletter each morning, sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.