Gov. Phil Murphy toured the last of three FEMA-equipped field hospitals — 258 beds set up inside Atlantic City’s Convention Center. It will serve low-acuity patients to help relieve any stress on South Jersey hospitals due to treating COVID-19 patients. As of Tuesday morning, the state’s eight southern counties have 12% of the state’s total number of cases.
“We expect that the spread of the disease, we see it marching down the state, will be more in southern New Jersey over the next couple weeks to a month and we want to be prepared for it,” said New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. “We don’t expect as many cases, but there’s not as many hospital beds, either.”
“We need the capacity,” Murphy added. “Whether we need it next week, or a year from next week, we don’t want to ever be caught out again.”
All three field hospitals in Secaucus, Edison and Atlantic City add a thousand extra beds to New Jersey’s hospital capacity. But they can also house folks who need to self-quarantine once the state eventually starts to reopen and widespread testing detects people who’ve been exposed to the virus. Right now, Atlantic City’s got 53 COVID-19 cases and four deaths.
“At some point things will go back to normal, but certainly not in the near future. And you can tell by the Convention Center — we usually have boat shows, and car shows, and massive gatherings — is now a field medical system,” said Matt Doherty, executive director of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.
For now, the city’s a ghost town plastered with “closed” signs. But there’s one exception: Atlantic City’s boardwalk. It’s the only one along the Jersey Shore that’s still open.
“I appreciate the fact that Atlantic City stayed open. We get some exercise. We can socially distance. And it’s really good for the community, I think,” said Brigantine resident Frank Kern.
Bob Pantalena lives on the border with Ventnor. He tried walking on their boardwalk.
“They threaten you with six months in jail and $1,000 fine,” he said. “We’re in the safest place probably in the state of New Jersey.”
Perhaps now, while it’s windy and chilly. But on a warm, late Spring day crowds easily might gather here. Ultimately, it’s up to the mayor.
“Until our police chief says that the boardwalk is getting out of control for whatever reason, then we reserve the right to reverse ourselves. But I stand by that decision more than ever, because at the end of the day people need to be able to get out and get some fresh air,” said Mayor Marty Small.
“People have to understand the deadly nature of this virus and that social distancing is really the only vaccine that we have at this time. With that in mind, I just ask people to stay at home and fight that urge to be out on the boardwalk,” Col. Patrick Callahan, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, said.
It’s easier said than done.
