Society’s Most Feared Disease

(NAPS)—Even more than cancer, there’s one disease most people fear. The thought of falling prey to Alzheimer’s disease and to the inevitable desecration of the mind is something that can make even the

bravest shudder.

After all, if you’re robbed of your sense of who you really are, you’re doomed to live your last days without the dignity that defines you and that you hold dear. Perhaps the ultimate horror of Alzheimer’s disease is that it is as indiscriminate, merciless, and devastating as a wind-swept wildfire.

As a result, a disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer’s disease has become a Holy Grail of sorts in the biotech industry. The disease is so ubiquitous, it casts a shadow over just about everyone’s family. At the same time, it exacts a devastating financial toll on society—perhaps even greater than cancer—with Alzheimer’s disease patients needing 24-hour care for an average of eight years and sometimes as many as 20 years.

The estimated cost for caring for Americans with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is well in excess of a quarter of a trillion dollars per annum. This doesn’t even include unpaid caregiving. Also, Alzheimer’s disease is ranked as the third leading cause of death of seniors in the United States, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer. Approximately 6 million Americans have become its victims, and this number rises each year as lifespans increase due to advancements in medical science.

Progress From Pharmaceuticals

Fortunately, a few pharmaceutical companies, including Biogen, AC Immune SA and NervGen Pharma, have come up with ways to potentially treat the condition and perhaps slow it down. NervGen’s medical researchers are working on what may become an important breakthrough for Alzheimer’s and other afflictions that are defined by nerve damage.

Could This Be Modern Medicine’s Holy Grail?

Until recently, NervGen’s focus has mostly been on developing nerve regeneration for the treatment of spinal cord injuries. In fact, some remarkable results have been achieved in preclinical trials, including one where the treated rodents regained substantial functionality in their legs after sustaining severe spinal cord damage.

Assuming it also works in humans, the medical science world will be paying very close attention because there are no known therapies that can stimulate human nerve regeneration now.

In addition, NervGen intends to commence a Phase 2 clinical trial for treating multiple sclerosis. The company’s drug candidate is expected to treat many of such debilitating symptoms as numbness, loss of sensation, chronic and debilitating pain, partial loss of movement, paralysis, and even incontinence due to additional mechanisms of action called “remyelination” and “plasticity.”

The research team also believes that the same nerve-rejuvenating biotechnology can be adapted to treat Alzheimer’s disease, not just mitigate its symptoms due to its truly novel and innovate approach.

The essence of this technology is that it unlocks a damaged nervous system’s natural ability to repair itself. Proprietary molecules “unstick” nerves and prevent new ones from getting stuck by interfering with synaptic-like connections so the nerves can regrow in places that are normally highly inhibited by scar tissue.

The co-inventor of NervGen’s technology, Dr. Jerry Silver, is one of the world’s most foremost neuroscience researchers of spinal cord injury. Dr. Silver, who is also Professor of Neurosciences at Cleveland’s Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine, has been working this unique approach to nerve rejuvenation biotechnology since the early ’90s by focusing on a protein called CSPG that inhibits the body’s natural ability to grow and regenerate.

Heretofore, no drugs have been approved anywhere in the world for nerve regeneration and remyelination, as well as improved plasticity in damaged nerves. Additionally, existing treatments are not considered very effective. So, the stakes are especially high for NervGen to create a blockbuster drug candidate that promises to even outshine any other Alzheimer’s disease drug. This is a wonderful opportunity to pioneer nerve repairing drug therapies that target some of the most devastating and pervasive diseases known to humankind.

Learn More

For further facts and figures about NervGen Pharma, go to

www.nervgen.com

How Do Chiropractors Relieve Pain From Injuries Or Accidents?

Gloucestercitynews.net (February 5, 2020)–Many people seek chiropractic care to relieve pain and aid recovery from falls, sports-related injuries, and injuries from car accidents. It’s popular as a component of a larger medical treatment plan to help people reduce their dependence on pain

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medication and get back on their feet faster.

Chiropractic treatment isn’t a substitute for any other medical treatment, although it can be very effective for pain management with acute injuries and for regaining flexibility. Spinal manipulation

self-improvement tools

may also be an effective treatment for managing chronic pain and helping patients avoid more invasive surgical options.

How It Works

Trained chiropractors work to help you physically align your body and give your body the ability to heal quicker and more effectively on its own. They usually work with their hands to manipulate your neck and spine to alleviate nerve issues and vertebral problems. A

chiropractic adjustment

is called so because the chiropractor physically adjusts your spine by applying force with their hands.

Some chiropractors may also use massage or electrical stimulation as well. All of these methods of treatment are meant to aid your body in its natural healing process. You can discuss with your doctor and your chiropractor some of the different methods and how each may or may not serve your needs.

Benefits

Many patients appreciate chiropractic treatment because it helps them recover quickly without depending on habit-forming pain drugs and it doesn’t involve any kind of invasive operation. Manipulation by a chiropractor can help you align your body for better recovery, reduce pain and get your full range of mobility back after an accident.

Chiropractic adjustment has shown some benefits for treating sciatica, neck pain, back pain, shoulder issues, and migraines. Spinal manipulation may also be an effective treatment for

managing

chronic pain

and helping patients

avoid more invasive surgical options.

Risks

While chiropractic adjustment is not invasive and can be very beneficial, that doesn’t imply there are no risks. When you make your first appointment with a practitioner, they should go through your health history with you so they can consider whether or not doing an adjustment would be helpful and safe.

If you have low bone density because of osteoporosis, chiropractors will need to be extra gentle in your treatment. If you’re at risk for a stroke, you might also want to take some precautions with your treatment. In very rare cases, manipulation of the neck can damage an artery.

As with any health procedure, chiropractic treatment is not for everyone. You should talk to your primary physician about your condition first and ask them if they think it would be beneficial for you to work with a licensed

chiropractor

Making an Educated Decision

If you’re interested in giving chiropractic care a try, you should talk to your doctor about it and ask for a referral. You and your doctor will be able to make an informed decision together about what might work for you and your body.

Cooler Weather is Good for You; Get Your Family Outside

Parents and guardians may be tempted to dial back outdoor activities when cold temperatures arrive, but getting outside is good for children and their families, even in the wintertime. The

TurfMutt environmental education and stewardship program

encourages families to appreciate and use the outdoors and offers the following tips:

Do outdoor activities that are fun.

Weather that adults consider to be “messy” can be a huge canvas for children and their imaginations. Fall leaf piles, snowball fights, and snow forts offer a wealth of opportunities for parents to play with their children and to explore and experiment in our living landscapes.

Encourage exploration.

Ask your child to look at how the landscape changes with the seasons. Talk about what happens after leaves fall, when snow arrives, when it’s windy, and more, linking these seasonable changes with basic science about clouds, rainfall, temperature changes and the earth.

Try something new

. Try your hands at cross-country skiing, igloo-building, fall or winter hiking, ice fishing, ice skating, snow sculpting, snowshoeing, or something else that your children want to try to give them an appreciation of the outdoors in all seasons.

Do yardwork as a family.

Involve everyone in seasonal yard chores to make the work go faster. Children can help put outdoor toys into storage and help tidy the yard. Just remember that if using outdoor power equipment like a lawn mower or leaf blower for your cleanup, children should be indoors and supervised, and they should not be near equipment when it’s operating.

Mention how getting outside helps our happiness.

Even winter sunshine can make kids happy—literally. Sunlight boosts Vitamin D, which helps regulate emotional and mental moods by increasing serotonin in the brain. Even exposure to weaker sunlight in the winter can cause this joy boost.

Tolerate some mess

. It’s a given that kids going outside in all sorts of weather will often return wet, muddy and messy. Be prepared for wet and cold kids and get them warmed up when they return from playing outside.

Process what they did. Ask kids to share about what they did outdoors or ask them to write or draw out their activities and observations. Did they see something new? Did something surprise them? What was fun?

Learn more about the TurfMutt program at

www.TurfMutt.com

and more about our living landscapes in all seasons at

www.SaveLivingLandscapes.com

Different Instagram Apps To Grow Your Followers:

Gloucestercitynews.net (February 4, 2020)–Instagram has become one of the best-known platforms in history, so it is also said, which is one of the most extraordinary applications today.

Taking into account that the numbers never fail, this social network has reached more than 700 million active users. A study conducted by Social Media Marketing says that Instagram is the second most used network.

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Also, it is called as a network where you get more customers since Instagram works with interactions and with the audience.

This does not mean that you can upload anything, if you want to stand out in the middle of the entire audience, you must generate quality content. Now We have created a list of the best apps to get more followers on Instagram.

Real Followers:

This application is not found in the Play Store since it is an APK (a package for the Android operating system). It is beneficial to gain followers on Instagram, extremely important.

Real Followers offers the option of “follow me and I follow you”, it also gives you input to see the posts that other people publish and that they can also see yours and finally, likerforlike you can like the publications of users and that they like you back.

Do not think that followers are bots, this is an app to get more followers on Instagram, and they are totally real.

In order to get real followers you need to post content consistently. You can post viral videos, photos and stories of other instagram influencers and give them credits. In this way you can give benefit to your account as well as the other influencers. You can easily

download videos

and photos of any instagram profile by simple using

instadownloaderpro

for absolutely free.

Instafollowfor Instagram:

This is also one of the apps to get followers on Instagram, it is one of the most used applications, since she shows you who are the people who have stopped following you or the followers you have obtained.

In order for you to have followers, you must hire the paid version (Premium) and know who has blocked you on this network.

It is very effective at the time of interacting and to show multimedia content, making these videos more viewed and win more likes.

GetFollowersBoost:

It is very simple and you can find it in the Play Store, it is very effective for creating hashtags and you can publish videos and photos on Instagram very easily and quickly.

Its only function is to position labels to generate likes and followers.

Later:

It is one of the many ways to generate followers and makes you known on Instagram through the original content publications, while the publications are constant, the more attraction you generate to users.

This application was called Latergramme, but today it is known as Later, the best completely free tool that allows you to always be connected with followers and also gain new ones.

With Later you can plan when you want to publish your posts, photos and videos, you can also manage several accounts, this application will also present you with a report with all the most outstanding searches.

Royal Likes for Instagram:

Royal is also one of the apps to get more followers on Instagram, what happens is that, if they fulfill what they promise but in one way, this means that they help to gain followers but those followers are not real.

Although not all people want followers to be bots or followers with fake names, or would you like it to be so? If your answer is Yes, then you are not clear what social networks are used for.

The idea of all this is that people are influences and can gain Followers, that they are people who really want to be part of what you publish.

But, if you don\’t mind if your followers are bots we present this application that is free. This application also shows you which are the fake accounts or followers.

The application is available in Play Store especially for Android versions from 4.1 onwards, you can start earning followers from now on.

Think Vaping is Safe? Think Again!

Vaping, is it DANGEROUS?

Presenter: Cathy Butler-Witt, MA, BSW, NCTTP, CTTS—Assistant Director, Public Health Programs for Family Health Initiatives and the Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative.

Location: Camden County College, Blackwood Campus, CIM Auditorium

The Center at Camden County College focuses on the needs and interests of educators and the community at large. Its goal is to create an informed citizenry through exploration of humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and issues critical to a democratic society. Citizens have the opportunity to meet scholars, scientists, government officials and business leaders to explore historical and current issues and discuss societal problems and their solutions.

For more information, Visit

www.camdencc.edu/civiccenter

FREE Wellness Programs for Seniors at Jefferson Health

VOORHEES, NJ

(Feb. 4, 2020)

–

Join Jefferson Health experts for FREE community wellness programs for seniors through May:

Wound Care for Caregivers

;

Tuesday, February 11, noon, at Cherry Hill Public Library (1100 Kings Highway)

: Join Jefferson Health’s Dr. Lisa Derr, Cherry Hill Wound Center Medical Director, for a lunch and learn discussion on educating family members and patients on wound care basics and the Do’s and Don’ts. Light refreshments will be served.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) – The Basics

;

Thursday, March 5, 2 p.m.; Kennedy Health & Wellness Center (405 Hurffville-Cross Keys Road, Suite 201, Sewell)

: COPD affects almost 15 million Americans. Learn what COPD is; how it affects the lungs; causes, signs and symptoms; and disease management.

Weight Loss and Fiber – What’s the Connection?

;

Wednesday, March 18, 11 a.m., at the

Margaret E. Heggan Free Public Library

(606 Delsea Drive, Sewell)

: Eating enough fiber is essential for a healthy diet. Join Jefferson Health’s Danielle Hall, RD, to learn how much dietary fiber you need, the foods that contain it, how it aids in weight loss, and how to add it to meals and snacks.

Understanding Alzheimer’s & Dementia

;

Tuesday, April 21, 2 p.m., at Jefferson Stratford Hospital (18 East Laurel Road, 3

Floor, Room L)

: Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. Join the Alzheimer’s Association to learn about Alzheimer’s impact, differences between Alzheimer’s and dementia, stages and risk factors, current research and treatments available for some symptoms, and Alzheimer’s Association resources.

Seconds Count when Stopping Strokes

;

Thursday, May 7, 2 p.m., at the

Gloucester County Library Mullica Hill Branch (389 Wolfert Station Road)

: Join Jefferson Health’s Kathryn Donley, BSN, RN, CCRN-K, CNRN, Program Director, Stroke & Life Support Education, for a discussion on ways to reduce your risk, identify early signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke, and when to call 9-1-1. FREE blood pressure screenings are included.

Horticultural Therapy – Creating an Indoor Fairy Garden

;

Tuesday, May 19, 2 p.m., at Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital (2201 Chapel Avenue, Rooms 2 & 3)

: Discover the fun in designing your own “indoor fairy garden.” Adults all over are experiencing the magic in constructing them. Inspirational Horticultural Therapy’s Rachelle Hasenberg, will provide step-by-step instructions as participants plant in their own container and choose from a wide variety of items to create their unique miniature “fairy garden.” No experience necessary. A fee of $12 is due by Tuesday, May 5.

These programs are sponsored by Jefferson Health – New Jersey’s PrimeTime, a free health and wellness program for active older adults in South Jersey. All community members are invited. For more information and to register, visit

JeffersonHealth.org/NJclasses

or call

800-522-1965

About

Jefferson Health

: Jefferson Health, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, is reimagining health care in the greater Philadelphia region and southern New Jersey. Jefferson’s dedicated team of doctors, nurses, health professionals, and staff provides a range of primary to highly-specialized care through 14 hospitals (seven are Magnet®-designated by the ANCC for nursing excellence), more than 40 outpatient and urgent care locations, the NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Magee Rehabilitation and the JeffConnect® telemedicine program. For 2019-2020, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals is ranked among the nation’s best hospitals in eight specialities by

U.S. News & World Report

. Jefferson Health’s mission is to improve the lives of patients in the communities it is privileged to serve through safe, effective, equitable, compassionate care.

Medal of Honor Recipient Faces Cancer

MOTHAX

The American Legion Burn Pit

Just a very special article today I saw in Military.com that I wanted to share:

Sgt. Ronald Shurer is now fighting on different terrain than the mountains of Eastern Afghanistan, and against a different enemy than the battle-hardened insurgents of that remote region.

Sgt. Ronald Shurer

Fifteen months after he stood at the White House to

receive the nation\’s highest combat honor

, he\’s squaring off in an all-consuming battle against life-threatening lung cancer that his doctors rate at stage 4, meaning it has metastasized or spread to other organs.

\”It\’s everywhere,\” Shurer, 41, said in a lengthy Jan. 22 interview at the coffee shop.

More than once, Shurer said he was prepared to comment on everything about the stage 4 cancer except his prognosis. Statistics from the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society point to five-year survival rates of less than 20%, although those numbers come with the caution that they may not reflect recent advances in treatment.

It is a very long piece, but every bit of it is spectacular.

If you missed the story of Shurer\’s earlier heroics, the Army has a good video up:

His citation:

Staff Sergeant Ronald J. Shurer II distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on April 6, 2008, while serving as a Senior Medical Sergeant, Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3336, Special Operations Task Force-33, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Staff Sergeant Shurer was part of an assault element inserted by helicopter into a location in Afghanistan. As the assault element moved up a near vertical mountain toward its objective, it was engaged by fierce enemy machine gun, sniper, and rocket-propelled grenade fire. The lead portion of the assault element, which included the ground commander, sustained several casualties and became pinned down on the mountainside. Staff Sergeant Shurer and the rest of the trailing portion of the assault element were likewise engaged by enemy machine gun, sniper, and rocket-propelled grenade fire. As the attack intensified, Staff Sergeant Shurer braved enemy fire to move to an injured Soldier and treat his wounds. Having stabilized the injured Soldier, Staff Sergeant Shurer then learned of the casualties among the lead element. Staff Sergeant Shurer fought his way up the mountainside, under intense enemy fire, to the lead element’s location. Upon reaching the lead element, he treated and stabilized two more Soldiers. Finishing those lifesaving efforts, Staff Sergeant Shurer noticed two additional severely wounded Soldiers under intense enemy fire. The bullet that had wounded one of these Soldiers had also impacted Staff Sergeant Shurer’s helmet. With complete disregard for his own life, Staff Sergeant Shurer again moved through enemy fire to treat and stabilize one Soldier’s severely wounded arm.

Shortly thereafter, Staff Sergeant Shurer continued to brave withering enemy fire to get to the other Soldier’s location in order to treat his lower leg, which had been almost completely severed by a high-caliber sniper round. After treating the Soldier, Staff Sergeant Shurer began to evacuate the wounded; carrying and lowering them down the sheer mountainside. While moving down the mountain, Staff Sergeant Shurer used his own body to shield the wounded from enemy fire and debris caused by danger-close air strikes.

Reaching the base of the mountain, Staff Sergeant Shurer set up a casualty collection point and continued to treat the wounded. With the arrival of the medical evacuation helicopter, Staff Sergeant Shurer, again under enemy fire, helped load the wounded into the helicopter. Having ensured the safety of the wounded, Staff Sergeant Shurer then regained control of his commando squad and rejoined the fight. He continued to lead his troops and emplace security elements until it was time to move to the evacuation landing zone for the helicopter.

Staff Sergeant Shurer’s actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan, Special Operations Command Central, and the United States Army.

And lastly, another video, from CBS, which frankly I think does the best job with these MOH stories.

Posted in the burner | 13 comments

Giving Back to the Community

Over the years, as a result of this funding, programs at KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy, St. Anthony of the Padua in Camden, and the Brooklawn School District have served hundreds of children.

Giving back to the community is a family affair for Bernard and Shirlee Brown, their daughter Anne Koons, their son Jeff and his wife Tracy.

CAMDEN CITY NJ–The Cooper Learning Center recently received $50,000 from the Bernard and Shirlee Brown Foundation, the Anne Koons Brown Foundation and the Jeff and Tracy Brown Foundation. This generous donation will go a long way to help children with dyslexia and other learning difficulties learn to read and become happy, lifelong learners.

The Cooper Learning Center, with offices in Voorhees and Moorestown, has offered parents and children access to the most advanced, scientifically-proven methods for accurately assessing and treating children’s learning difficulties, combined with expert clinical support for the possible causes of learning disabilities.

“Learning to read is something that no one can take away from you,” said Koons, a successful real estate agent whose son benefited from the Cooper Learning Center 25 years ago. “We had such a positive experience and I have recommended countless people to Dr. Selznick. It’s a privilege to support this program.”

Richard Selznick, PhD, licensed psychologist, author of four books on learning issues, and the Director of the Cooper Learning Center, and his staff, ensure that children learn in a caring and supportive environment that diminishes insecurity and self-consciousness while fostering comfort and trust.

“Seeing a struggling learner grasp a concept that has been a challenge is extremely rewarding,” said Selznick. “We are grateful to the Koons and Brown families for supporting our efforts over the years to help children realize their full learning potential. They have been extremely gracious in their support of the children.”

Donations from Koons and her family have allowed the Cooper Learning Center to provide its reading services to children who would not otherwise have access to such a program. Over the years, as a result of this funding, programs at KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy, St. Anthony of the Padua in Camden, and the Brooklawn School District have served hundreds of children.

“All of my life, our parents have championed meaningful causes benefitting those in need,” said Jeff Brown, president and vice chairman of NFI. “We are proud to support a local resource where children, and their families, faced with learning challenges feel understood and are treated in a compassionate way.”

“

The more you read, the more you know, oh the places you will go

,” and thanks to Anne Koons and the Brown family, more children are overcoming their learning challenges to go so many wonderful places!

For more information about The Cooper Learning Center,

click here

Pictured Above:

Top (L-R): Jeff and Tracy Brown, Bernard Brown, Anne Koons and Shirlee Brown

Bottom: Participants of the Cooper Learning Center’s Summer Reading Institute with Dr. Selznick, Anne Koons and Cooper staff.

How to Encourage Your Kids to Brush Every Day

Gloucestercitynews.net (January 31, 2020)–Getting a good bedtime routine going can make it easier to get your kids to sleep. Therefore, it’s important to teach them to do things like put on their own pajamas and read a book. The problem is, when it comes to tooth brushing, many kids are reluctant to do it and may spend ages messing around and generally not doing what you ask. If your kids are refusing to brush, here are some ways to encourage them to get into good habits.

Find Out What They Dislike About Brushing

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While sometimes a refusal to brush is simply laziness — or wanting to do something more fun — there can be a number of reasons why kids hate brushing their teeth. Some kids dislike the feel of brushing their teeth, but this can be helped if you brush for them until they’re older. Other kids hate the taste of toothpaste, so you could remedy this by making your own paste and utilizing different techniques to see if that makes your child happier.

Let Them Choose a Toothbrush

You wouldn’t want someone to pick out a toothbrush for you, so let your child have some input. It’s important to get a toothbrush with a head that’s small enough for their mouth, otherwise, they’ll struggle to get in the corners. An electric toothbrush can also make things more fun for them. According to Method Dental,

electric toothbrushes have a number of advantages

and can be good for kids.

Use a Reward Chart

If you’ve had success using the reward chart method with your child, then add toothbrushing to their daily goals so they can earn stars or smiley faces. Once they’ve collected enough, you can reward them with a non-sugary treat. And as they get older, the chart should be used to record their brushing every night before bed.

Use an App

The modern form of a reward chart, apps can be a good way to encourage children to pick up good habits, as well as ensuring they learn the right technique. There are many

toothbrushing apps for kids

that can be downloaded for free on the app store or Google Play. These apps will generally show a cute cartoon that ensures your child brushes correctly and for the recommended amount of time.

Take Them to the Dentist

If nagging doesn’t work, try taking the kids to a child-friendly dentist who can talk to them about brushing their teeth. Kids often don’t care if their teeth look a little yellow or if their breath smells, but the fear of having cavities or missing teeth might be enough to get them to brush more often.

From the first moment your child’s baby teeth come through, it’s important to teach them oral hygiene skills that’ll turn into good habits for life. While brushing your teeth isn’t the most exciting thing your kids can do, if you make a game out of it and reward them for remembering to brush, they are more likely to do it.

NJ Dept. of Health Opens Novel Coronavirus Call Center

TRENTON, NJ (January 30, 2020)–The New Jersey Department of Health today announced the opening of a hotline (1-800-222-1222) for the public to ask questions about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus.

“Although the risk to the public remains low, we understand that residents have questions about this new virus,” Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said. “This hotline provides factual information to alleviate fear and dispel rumors.”

The hotline is being operated by the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System (NJPIES), also known as the New Jersey Poison Center, which has run other call centers for the Health Department. NJPIES is a division of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. The hotline can accommodate callers in multiple languages.

“

As a 24-hour hotline staffed continuously with trained healthcare professionals, the New Jersey Poison Center is standing by to answer questions about this emerging infection. The call is always free, and we can communicate in any language to the public as well as healthcare professionals,” said Dr. Diane Calello, Executive and Medical Director of NJPIES.

The hotline is part of a comprehensive approach by the state and medical and public health partners to respond to novel coronavirus (nCoV) by ensuring the public health and health care system preparedness.

The Department has an CoV

webpage

that includes CDC updates, travel advisories and guidance sent to health care providers, local health departments, infection preventionists and other health partners.

On Friday, Commissioner Persichilli sent a letter to hospital CEOs detailing

specific guidance

to healthcare professionals on how to evaluate reports of patients with possible nCoV illness, such as taking a careful travel and exposure history to determine if they meet specific CDC testing criteria. At this time, only the CDC laboratories in Atlanta have the capabilities to test for nCoV, though it is expected that state public health laboratories will be able to test soon.

The Department has also been in contact with Newark Liberty International Airport’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in advance of airport screening.

“The Department reminds individuals with recent travel to Wuhan, China or close contact with someone who has and are experiencing symptoms, to call their health care provider in advance before arriving to the office so they can make accommodations in advance,” Commissioner Persichilli said.

Patients with confirmed nCoV infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath. CDC believes at this time that symptoms of nCoV may appear in as few as two days or as long as two weeks after exposure.

New Jersey continues to work closely with the CDC and local health partners to monitor the situation and will provide updates accordingly.

For more information, visit our homepage at

nj.gov/health