East Orange and Orange face the threat of COVID-19 together

EAST ORANGE / ORANGE, NJ — As of Thursday, April 9, New Jersey has reported 51,027 cases of coronavirus, with a death toll of 1,700. In recent weeks, the mayors of East Orange and Orange have been advising residents to practice common-sense safety measures, staying home and practicing social distancing to combat the threat of coronavirus.

This past week, East Orange Mayor Ted Green and Orange Mayor Dwayne Warren have worked together with Irvington Mayor Tony Vauss and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka for a seven-day lockdown of all four cities.

“I want to reassure everyone that we are working closely with health and government officials across the state to ensure that East Orange is adhering to all precautionary measures that will minimize exposure and flatten the curve of this pandemic,” Green said previously.

“As my administration works to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, I want to take a moment to send greetings to our Orange faith communities as they adjust to celebrating various holidays, including Passover, Easter and Ramadan, by alternate means, due to the governor’s ban on social gatherings. I can’t emphasize enough that staying home and maintaining 6 feet social distancing in public is safest for us,” Warren said on April 5.

On Tuesday, March 31, East Orange lost a significant member of the medical community. East Orange General Hospital emergency physician Dr. Frank Gabrin, who was a two-time cancer survivor, has died from symptoms due to the coronavirus.

Upon learning of Gabrin’s passing, Dr. William Jaquis, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians, released the following statement:

“We are deeply saddened to learn that a former ACEP member and our current colleague on the frontlines — an emergency physician — has lost his fight against the virus. Emergency physicians understand that sometimes in our efforts to save your life, we may end up sacrificing our own. This is not a decision made lightly or a post abandoned in times of need. We know the risks of the job we signed up for, but we are on the frontlines in this historic war against COVID-19 with insufficient protection.

“There are dire shortages of personal protective equipment in emergency departments across the country, and, despite efforts to ramp up production, we do not see the significant relief in the near future. America can’t afford for more emergency physicians and other frontline health care providers to get sick or worse due to PPE shortages.

“In times of loss, emergency physicians take what’s called ‘the pause,’ a moment shared between health professionals meant to halt the fast pace of emergency medicine and provide a chance to reflect. The pause gives everyone a chance to honor the significance of the day’s work and the solemn responsibility of holding a life in your hands. This is never easy. It is especially difficult when the loss is one of your own, part of your family. Tonight, we pause and invite you to join us.

“We recognize that the stress of living and working in this environment is without precedent and can be difficult to manage. While many of you are safe at home, please stand with emergency care teams and take the pause in honor of a life lost on the frontlines. And remember, you can do your part to help emergency physicians by staying home and take the appropriate steps to protect yourself and your loved ones.”

  COVID-19, East Orange General Hospital, FEATURED