Senior citizens, specifically those living in a group setting, have predominately been most at risk of contracting COVID-19.

The Township of North Bergen has been stepping up its support of seniors during the ongoing pandemic as the township continues to cope with being a virus hotspot.

In April, North Bergen mandated the testing of 100 percent of all nursing homes to curtail the spread of the virus. Recently, the North Bergen Housing Authority (NBHA) distributed masks to all tenants, mostly seniors, to further efforts to flatten the curve of the pandemic.

Now housing authority officials are back, this time with a much sweeter, edible surprise. Wearing proper protective equipment, housing authority workers came bearing the gift of candy, with a side of a few stuffed animals.

A sweet delivery for seniors

NBHA staff delivered chocolates, jellybeans, Peeps, and other candies to residents of the township’s senior housing buildings on Tuesday, May 5. The candy was donated by the Walmart in North Bergen. NBHA Executive Director Gerald Sanzari expressed his thanks and the joy the donation would bring residents.

“I would like to thank Walmart, Mayor Nicholas Sacco, and Aimee Focaraccio of NB Cares for getting this candy to NBHA so we could give it to our tenants,” Sanzari said. “There is nothing like sweets to brighten up their day while they shelter in place.”

In addition to fighting to maintain their physical health, senior citizens must also deal with the mental anguish and stress that accompany being the highest at-risk demographic during the pandemic.

Walmart also donated stuffed animals and other toys to the NBHA. The toys will be distributed to children under 12 living in township family housing in Meadowview Village.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, first responders continue to operate at full capacity across Hudson County.

In North Bergen, former Police Chief Robert Dowd has retired after more than 26 years of service. Law enforcement from across the county gathered to honor him via a drive-by parade on his retirement on April 30.

A day later, former Deputy Chief Peter Fasilis took the oath of office as the 10th chief of police in the township’s history. Chief Fasilis took the oath from Mayor Nicholas J. Sacco and Public Safety Commissioner Allen Pascual today at a private ceremony held outside North Bergen Town Hall during a moment of good weather.

“Chief Fasilis has spent his entire adult life serving the people of North Bergen as a member of the NBPD,” said Mayor Nicholas Sacco. “He has the experience and professionalism needed to make a great Chief of Police, the NBPD could not be in better hands than under the leadership of Chief Fasilis.”

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the ceremony was limited only to Chief Fasilis’ immediate family and designated Township officials, according to a press release. The ceremony was streamed live on the North Bergen Police Department’s Facebook page.

“I want to thank the Mayor and Board of Commissioners for their unwavering support,” said Deputy Chief Peter Fasilis. “It is difficult to be in a celebratory mood due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, I am incredibly proud of the men and women of this department and how they have handled this crisis. They have been selfless in their dedication to their profession and I am truly fortunate to have the opportunity to lead such a tremendous group of individuals.”

North Bergen forever

Fasilis, a North Bergen High School alumnus, joined the Police Department in 1998. According to the township, he served as a uniformed patrol officer assigned to the Patrol Division until 2005, when he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and assigned to the Special Services Division.

In 2007, Fasilis was promoted to lieutenant and served as the Training Division Commander. Three years later, Peter Fasilis was promoted to captain in 2010 and commanded the Administrative Services Division.

Fasilis was promoted to the rank of deputy chief in 2012 and began serving as the executive officer of the 135-member police department. The highly diverse police department serves an equally diverse community of township residents, according to the Township.

“The entire Board of Commissioners have the utmost confidence that Chief Fasilis is ready to step up and command North Bergen’s finest,” Pascual said. “Chief Fasilis was instrumental in working with his predecessor to take the NBPD to new heights, we are all excited to see what he will accomplish at the helm.”

Highly esteemed

In addition to years of on-the-force experience under his belt, Chief Fasilis is also well educated in his field.

Chief Fasilis is accredited as a Command Executive by the New Jersey State Associations of Chiefs of Police. He has studied at the UK’s College of Policing in Manchester, England, the Scottish Police College in Fife, Scotland, and Scotland Yard in London, England.

Fasilis was even invited to the White House in 2016 to participate in discussions on President Obama’s Task Force concerning 21st Century Policing. Peter Fasilis co-chaired the Hudson County SWAT exploratory committee, and was instrumental in the formation of the Hudson County Regional SWAT Team.

Additionally, Fasilis has earned a Bachelor of Science from the School of Management at Rutgers University and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from New Jersey City University. He is a Certified Public Manager, having earned his CPM certification from Rutgers University, according to the Township.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

As the pandemic begins to show signs of slowing down in Hudson County, the township of North Bergen continues to work toward containing the outbreak. In April, Gov. Phil Murphy declared the Township was a COVID-19 hotspot, anticipating a large number of cases in the locale.

To cope with the ongoing pandemic, the township has mandated the testing of 100 percent of nursing homes, including patients and staff, as well as all first responders fighting on the front lines of the pandemic.

The North Bergen Housing Authority (NBHA) is now distributing masks to all tenants in order to protect them from any possible exposure to COVID-19. The Nicholas J. Sacco Foundation and Hudson River Apiary Society partnered with the North Bergen Housing Authority to purchase 1,500 masks which are being distributed, including 100 child masks.

“Protecting our vulnerable senior population during this COVID-19 crisis is tremendously important,” said Mayor Nicholas Sacco. “We appreciate the way that our community has stepped up by donating critical supplies to the NBHA which are currently being distributed to every Housing Authority resident.”

Sacco said the township will continue to work closely with NBHA staff to ensure that the township’s seniors are getting everything they need to be safe. Many seniors are residents of Housing Authority buildings.

Masks donated

Local nonprofit organization Backpacks for Life donated 500 masks and 1,500 pairs of socks to be distributed to Housing Authority residents. NB Renaissance Partners contributed donations from businesses throughout the community.

NBHA Executive Director Gerald Sanzari said he is thankful for the generosity of all the organizations that have donated masks as well as other items.

“The community along with NBHA staff have risen to this incredible challenge that we are facing as a result of COVID-19,” Sanzari said. “Our number one goal is to keep our residents safe and healthy, and these donations will go a long way toward helping us do that.”

Residents interested in donating masks or money for additional masks, checks may be made out to the North Bergen Renaissance Corporation and mailed to 6201 Grand Avenue, North Bergen, NJ 07047.

The North Bergen Renaissance Corporation is a registered charitable organization. All donations are tax-deductible.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

As the COVID-19 pandemic devastates nursing homes Hudson County, local communities have come together in various ways to show support for first responders, nurses, and other workers fighting on the front lines of the virus.

In Bayonne, the Chamber of Commerce organized a second successful drive-by parade of Bayonne Medical Center to honor staff and show local support.

North Bergen has organized a similar drive-by event to honor the staff of Palisades Medical Center. Nearby, Guttenburg holds a daily “clap-out” at 7 p.m. where residents are encouraged to open their windows and clap for frontline employees.

In Secaucus, the town has posted videos from local children, cheering on first responders with short messages of gratitude.

Now, residents of North Bergen seek to continue the trend by establishing a support group for the staff of a local nursing home.

Supporters of the Harborage

Unshaken by the outbreak, locals have rallied together to form a support group for one of the three nursing homes in North Bergen hit hard by COVID-19. North Bergen’s nursing homes sit at the epicenter of the outbreak in the township, recording 66 deaths among residents of nursing homes alone.

The aforementioned nursing home is The Harborage, a 245-bed nursing home providing patients with long-term-care.

The Supporters of the Harborage, (SOTH) was started to provide food donations to staff during the pandemic.

“We are a group of like-minded people hoping to help the staff of The Harborage, the rehab/senior housing at Palisades Medical Center,” according to SOTH. “Help us help The Harborage feed front line workers at this hard-hit North Bergen, NJ nursing home, one of the hardest hit by COVID-19 in Hudson County, with 181 confirmed positives, and 25 deaths.”

However, SOTH is not collecting donations. Instead, SOTH is connecting individual donors to participating restaurants to provide the safest means of donating food the nursing home.

Donors contribute directly to the restaurants who will then deliver the meals to the hardworking Harborage front line workers, according to SOTH.

Any restaurants who would like to participate or sponsor a meal are advised to email Erica Seitzman at Erica.Seitzman@gmail.com or via Facebook messenger.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

First responders have been among the hardest hit groups amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as workers on the frontlines contract the virus while fighting to keep patients alive.

While initially scarce, testing for the virus has expanded across Hudson County as testing kits become more available. Among those included in the first waves of mandated testing are the first responders in the trenches of the war against COVID-19.

The Township of North Bergen announced on April 24 that the North Bergen Police Department, Emergency Medical Services, and all other frontline employees will be tested for COVID-19.

The rapid tests will enable township officials to make necessary decisions to better serve residents, regarding workers on the frontlines. These tests are being administered to ensure those interacting with the public are COVID-19 free to protect the health of residents, according to the township.

The COVID-19 test also tests for antibodies, which may be the key to finding a cure for the virus. The antibodies found in the plasma of virus survivors may provide scientists with what they need to develop a cure or vaccine.

“The individuals dealing with the general public must be COVID-19 free to ensure the safety of our residents,” said Mayor Nicholas Sacco. “Knowing that our front line personnel are free of this deadly virus enables us to better allocate resources and personnel to maintain services and do so in a safe and responsible manner.”

Testing at North Bergen Recreation Center

The tests will be administered to EMS, police, firefighters and other township front line personnel at the North Bergen Recreation Center at 6300 Meadowview Ave.

During the testing, all front line responders will be required to wear proper personal protective equipment and adhere to strict distancing guidelines to prevent the further spread of the virus.

The North Bergen Police Department has had a total of 13 officers test positive since the onset of the pandemic, with 8 officers being cleared to return to work.

This follows North Bergen’s previous move to make testing more available to those most vulnerable to COVID-19. Recently, the township announced it would be testing 100 percent of all local nursing homes after the death toll figures show that an overwhelming majority of victims lived at one of the three facilities in North Bergen.

Out of the 110 residents who passed away, 66 were elderly residents living at nursing homes.

North Bergen has taken numerous other actions at the direction of public health officials to limit the spread of the virus, all of which are accessible to residents on the township website’s dedicated COVID-19 Updates pages in both English and Spanish.

Residents should also follow the township’s social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, which are updated multiple times per day.

For more information, residents can call the NJ COVID-19 Hotline at 1-800-222-1222 or visit covid19.nj.gov.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

Holy Name Medical Center is bringing services directly to patients’ doors as they recover. These essential workers continue to fight on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

These services provide at-home care for COVID-19 patients who have recently been discharged from the hospital but still may need additional care during the transition back to life at home.

During a home-care visit, workers are equipped with protective equipment, including gloves, masks, and gowns.

A spokesperson for Holy Name Medical Center, Dr. Miriam St-Germain, announced the new service online on North Bergen Community Forum.

“North Bergen residents, we are glad to inform you, that we will provide Home Health Care Service with our team,” St-Germain wrote.

Hospital to home

Holy Name Medical Center’s Home Care Department provides a range of services to assist a patient’s transition from the hospital to home, according to St-Germain. Patients will receive high-quality healthcare services while recuperating in the comfort of their own homes.

To help ensure this transition, a registered nurse is on call 24/7.

In collaboration with the patient’s physician, the health professionals of Holy Name Home Care can provide patients with a care plan designed to meet the specific needs of each patient.

“Through the education and supervision of our licensed and certified staff, we strive to ensure that patients receive the highest standard of care available and are treated with the utmost dignity and respect,” St-Germain said.

Holy Name Medical Center’s discharge planners work with a resident’s physician to refer him or her to the Holy Name Home Care.

Referrals can come directly from a resident’s personal physician. Holy Name Medical Center will work with residents’ physicians to determine their home care needs.

“Our nurses are working on the front line of this pandemic, and they are trained to provide high standards of care and education to the patients and families,” St-Germain wrote.

For more information, call Holy Name Home Care at 201-833-3740.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, local hospitals struggle to find open hospital beds. In hopes of adding over 2,000 more beds, Gov. Phil Murphy issued an executive order mandating the construction of field hospitals, including on at the Secaucus Meadowlands, and reopening closed hospital facilities across the state.

In North Bergen, the Chief Hospital Executive at Palisades Medical Center remains optimistic despite the razor thin number of beds available at the hospital. Dr. Anthony Passannante detailed the state of the hospital more than 40 days into the unprecedented crisis.

“Most days we find our Emergency Department and patient floors are at capacity even with the additional beds we have added to meet this demand,” Dr. Passannante said.

But patients are recovering. In fact, staff at Palisades Medical Center have developed a sendoff to help celebrate patients who have recovered from the virus and are being discharged.

“We play a few notes from the theme to ‘Rocky’ every time we discharge a COVID-19 patient,” Dr. Passannante explained. “Like the underdog boxer, we know we will defeat our opponent thanks to the tireless efforts of our team members and physicians.”

Like ‘Rocky,’ the staff at Palisades Medical Center have also risen to the occasion, continuing to battle on the front lines of the pandemic.

“I am forever grateful for, and inspired daily by the dedication and compassion demonstrated by our team members despite the strain that the COVID-19 pandemic is placing on all of them,” Dr. Passannante said. “There is a collective sense of calm and purpose among our nurses, physicians, front-line caregivers and support staff that brings life to the words ‘stronger together.’”

Dr. Passannante offered his thanks on behalf of the hospital to first responders, donors, friends and members of the community who have rallied to support their team through generous donations, cards of thanks, and a recent salute by the local police, fire and emergency services personnel.

However, despite the generous donations, more funds are needed to maintain operations during the fight against COVID-19.

“Our COVID-19 Response Fund will help us in meeting our growing needs as this battle continues for the foreseeable future,” Dr. Passannante said. “Please make a donation to our COVID-19 Response Fund to support our work during this critical time.”

To make a donation, residents interested can donate to the COVID-19 Response Fund online at https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/covid19/covid-19-response-fund/

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

Guttenberg Arts Gallery remains closed for social distancing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your fill of their unique brand of arts and information. The Arts Gallery recently posted a message of hope on April 14, addressed to the Guttenberg Arts Community.

“We hope you are all in good health and staying safe in these difficult times,” the letter read. “We look forward to reopening our doors as soon possible, but will continue to remain closed until further notice in accordance with NJ State during this unprecedented public health emergency.”

The doors are closed at the Guttenberg Arts Gallery, but that’s okay because the content has moved online. For North Hudson residents plagued by boredom or stress during the ongoing pandemic, the online content from the Guttenberg Arts Gallery may provide a distraction.

“To take your mind off of current events, we have rejuvenated our YouTube Channel and have begun to post interviews and artist talks with our past artists in residence,” the letter continued. “Please enjoy this trip down memory lane beginning with conversations featuring our Summer 2019 Artists in Residence: Habib Hajallie, Robert Lach, Dennis Redmoon Darkeem and Napoles Marty.”

So far, there are four videos posted in total, one for each artist. The videos range from nine to twenty minutes, featuring in depth conversations with each artist mentioned above regarding the inner workings of their mind.

Chris Tsakis helped the artists get “Out of Their Heads” in the aforementioned Guttenberg Arts web series that shares the same name. The videos were taped at the July 27 opening at the Guttenberg Arts Gallery in 2019.

Prior to the revamp of the Guttenberg Arts YouTube page, the last video posted was approximately three years ago.

It seems that one somewhat unforeseen after effect of the COVID-19 pandemic will be the greater embrace of technology by a number of businesses and services seeking to survive in the “new normal.”

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.