By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
OCEAN CITY — After a public official asked people to stay away from Cape May County last week, a change.org petition has begun in Ocean City to ask summer residents, vacationers and day-trippers to stay away from the resort to avoid spreading COVID-19.
Across New Jersey, Pennsylvania and other states, governments have put in restrictions on people and businesses in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic that is affecting New Jersey, the nation and other countries around the world.
COVID-19 cases, though far lower in numbers in southern New Jersey, have been reported in Cape May and Atlantic counties. Shore Medical Center and AtlantiCare announced they were each treating a COVID-19 patient.
New Jersey has put in extensive restrictions, closing public and private schools, many privates businesses, and banned large gatherings to avoid person-to-person spread.
Cape May County Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton issued a public plea last week asking visitors and summer residents not to come to the county for fear of spreading COVID-19 and potentially overwhelming the only county hospital, Cape Regional Medical Center in Cape May Court House, if the number of infections increases greatly.
The change.org petition is the latest method. It was written by a local resident, Julie Cusack, who has a master’s degree in environmental and occupational health with a minor in human health risk assessment.
Cusack said her intention in creating the petition was not to create a divide among year-round residents and others.
“I do want people to start thinking about their actions and that this isn’t an us vs. them fight. I really just want to spread the message that the purpose of staying home and social distancing is to decrease the mobility of people, so that the mobility of the disease is reduced, too,” Cusack said. “And that going to Ocean City to social distance defeats the main purpose of what social distancing is meant to be.”
The contents of the petition are below:
“Dear summer residents, vacationers, day-trippers:
I am a graduate of the Dornslife School of Public Health at Drexel University, an Ocean City High School alum, and a relative and friend to many long-time Ocean City residents.
I am writing to you to voice my concern about future community spread of COVID-19 in Ocean City, NJ. As I am sure you have heard from CDC, health departments, and news media reports, staying home and engaging in social distancing is the recommended practice to reduce transmission of COVID-19 within the general population.
Many locals and I are concerned that you are coming to Ocean City and unknowingly bringing COVID-19 along with you. Even if it is just for the day or a temporary stay, there is still the risk of transmitting COVID-19 if you are (1) asymptomatic or (2) symptomatic and unaware of your infection.
Although the warm weather makes visiting a temptation, life here in Ocean City is far from the experience we know it to be. ALL non-essential businesses and recreational facilities are closed. City Hall is closed to the public. Most restaurants are not open this time of year and the small fraction of those that are open, are operating for a limited number of hours and take-out only.
Cape May County officials are concerned as “there have been reports of limited supplies at certain supermarkets and other stores, which is an issue nationwide but has been compounded locally by the number of visitors to Cape May County over the past weekend. Cape May County only has one hospital in the County and Thornton (Cape May County Freeholder) wants to ensure their resources aren’t overtaxed if potentially sick people visit the County cause a mass outbreak” (https://capemaycountynj.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=710). The mayor of Ocean City has also echoed these concerns (https://ocnjdaily.com/mayor-urges-people-to-stay-home/?fbclid=IwAR23cmubPpJ6BnV2IrMhTKmOJbsAraPnBUbCzoXRFEIcg0GuxKXaNKIUNIk). Lastly, roughly 32% of the Ocean City population is above the age of 65 (U.S. Census Bureau estimates as of July 2018), which is the population most at risk for getting a severe illness from COVID-19.
As much as locals and I have enjoyed your presence here in Ocean City, we would like to respectfully ask you to refrain from visiting until it is safe to do so. We would love to walk the boardwalk and beach as much as you do too, but are staying home because we want this pandemic to be over sooner than later. The actions WE ALL take now could have a great impact on the future health and safety of Ocean City residents, as well as residents in the surrounding South Jersey area.
Please keep us in your hearts as we will do the same during this unprecedented time.”
The link to the petition is: