From South Orange Village President Sheena Collum, December 21:
Neighbors,
I am sorry to share that our community is experiencing a considerable uptick in Covid-19 positive test cases and as you have likely heard, the Omicron variant is highly transmissible – even more so than the Delta variant.
Despite our incredibly high vaccination rates in all age categories, we have 113 open cases right now. The overwhelming majority of these cases are considered “breakthrough cases” meaning a fully vaccinated person got infected with the virus and can spread it to others.
Our current situation necessitates additional mitigation measures to “stop the spread”.
Tonight I signed an Executive Order requiring “an indoor mask mandate for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, in all public facilities and businesses in the Township of South Orange Village” which goes into effect immediately.
Exemptions to mask mandates previously identified by the State of New Jersey such as children under the age of two, those with medical conditions, and employees working in high heat settings still apply in addition to actively eating and drinking in restaurants, etc.
This holiday season, I am so incredibly grateful for this community and how we have all worked together to prioritize public health and safety for ourselves and each other. Let’s continue that strong sense of community into the new year.
When we see each other indoors wearing our masks, we know what we’re signaling to each other, “I protect you and you protect me”.
In partnership,
Sheena Collum
Village President
