Advance Robbinsville
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APRIL 2020 FREE
COMMUNITYNEWS.ORG
CoPIng wIth CoVId-19
BAPS donates 5,500 N95 masks
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? These symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure to COVID-19: If emergency warning signs develop, get medical attention immediately
Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath
By SaM SciarroTTa
As the COVID-19 virus started to spread last month, the charity arm Robbinsville’s own BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir decided to act. Worldwide coronavirus cases swelled to over 373,000 by late March, and medical professionals faced shortages of protective gear, said BAPS volunteer Darsh Patel, so BAPS charities collected 5,500 N95 facemasks and donated them to organizations across the state, including Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, Long Island Jewish Valley Stream Northwell Health, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Hamilton and New Brunswick, Capital Health Hospitals, Penn Medicine at Princeton Medical Center and Robbinsville Township. BAPS had the masks onhand from an ongoing construction project. “Health awareness, including preventative measures, is one of the key areas that BAPS Charities aims to support,” Patel said. “When it became known that healthcare providers were using industrial resSee BAPS, Page 12
· Difficulty breathing · Persistent pain or pressure in the chest · New confusion or inability to arouse · Bluish lips or face
HOW DOES IT SPREAD? The COVID-19 virus is mainly spread person-to-person by being in close contact with someone (within 6 ft.) or through respiratory droplets from an infected person sneezing or coughing. Another way COVID-19 can spread is by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching the mouth, nose or eyes. HOW CAN I REDUCE MY RISK?
Wash hands ofte n
Stay home
Limit personal contact (6 ft.)
Stay away from sick people
Clean & disinfect frequently touched surfaces
Don’t touch eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands
Practice social distancing
What you need to know Emergency medical about coronavirus corps seeks volunteers By Nicole Viviano
The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has come with an abundance of information since the pandemic has taken hold in New Jersey. The respiratory illness has prompted social distancing protocols in the state, cancellations of large gatherings and events and has made schools and colleges move all learning to remote access. While many sources have published helpful and necessary information, it may feel
like overload. Information from the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, New Jersey Department of Health and Mercer County government has been consolidated for ease of access. It is important to note that new information regarding COVID-19 is being shared frequently and rapidly by these organizations. Paying attention to updated information is crucial. Below are general quesSee FAQ, Page 10
By Michele AlPerin
Mercer County needs you. Faced with a growing number of COVID-19 cases, the county has put out a call for volunteers to join the Mercer County Medical Reserve Corps, a group that has been created to assist during times of crisis. In the wake of September 11, the U.S. Office of the Surgeon General, established the MRC as a demonstration project, whose role is to iden-
tify, train and track volunteers who can strengthen local public health and serve if another human-made or natural disaster occurred. MRC volunteer and East Windsor resident Al Grupper explains the government’s motivation: “When the World Trade Center fell, they had volunteers show up, but there was no management or structure. MRC has a chain of command and a mission.” “We don’t self-mobilize; See VOLUNTEERS, Page 8
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