Evesham Township continues to take proactive measures to prevent any potential spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the community.
As of 8 p.m. tonight, March 16, Evesham Township will be temporarily closing all municipal facilities to members of the public until further notice.
Affected facilities include the Evesham Township Municipal Building, the Gibson House Community Center, the Blue Barn Recreation Center, the Evesham Department of Public Works Offices at 100 Sharp Road, the Indian Spring Golf Course and all public fields and parks.
Similar to the township’s previous decision to postpone township-sponsored events, the decision to close these facilities to members of the public is being taken solely out of an abundance of caution.
These closures do not reflect any specific belief from the township that visitors to any of these facilities would be exposed to COVID-19.
As such, the township’s employees will continue to report for their normal duties as scheduled. Employees will remain available to assist residents through phone calls and emails. Any necessary payments that can be regularly made online will continue to be accepted.
As a further precautionary measure, the township is also cancelling the following public meetings that were scheduled for this week:
-Evesham Township Zoning Board – March 16
-Evesham Township Council – March 17
-Evesham Township Planning Board – March 19
However, the township is holding an emergency council meeting at 5 p.m. today, March 16, in order to briefly conduct urgent business on matters related to the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) response by the municipal government.
During this special meeting, Mayor Jaclyn Veasy will also speak alongside with Evesham Fire-Rescue Chief Carl Bittenbender, who serves as Evesham’s Office of Emergency Management Coordinator.
The two will speak on the preventative measures Evesham Township is taking to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community.
As with all township council meetings, today’s special meeting will be livestreamed and recorded to the Evesham Township website at evesham-nj.gov.
“Evesham Township will continue to take all necessary steps to protect our residents and ensure their health and well-being,” Mayor Jaclyn Veasy said. “While we understand that the temporary closure of our facilities to members of the public may cause some inconvenience, we ultimately believe this decision in is the best interest of our residents’ long-term health and safety. We thank all residents for their patience at this time.”
As previously shared by the township, residents are asked please follow the everyday preventive actions that one would utilize to prevent the spread of past respiratory diseases.
Preventative actions recommended by the CDC include:
- Avoiding close contact with those who are sick.
- Avoiding touching one’s eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Staying home when sick.
- Covering one’s cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in the trash.
- Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Washing one’s hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing one’s nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. Always wash one’s hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
The New Jersey Department of Health Novel Coronavirus Call Center is also open and is taking calls from the general public only. It is open 24/7 and can accommodate callers in multiple languages. They can be reached at 1-800-222-1222.
Learn more at the following:
cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov
nj.gov/health/cd/topics/ncov.shtml
co.burlington.nj.us/1845/2019-Novel-Coronavirus-Information
