Burlington County Commissioners met for a scheduled public session on Sept. 8 to recognize Virtua Health, the county health department and health-care workers, and also discuss the ongoing pandemic.
Burlington County Commissioner Deputy Director Dan O’Connell cited the importance of the partnership between the health department and Virtua during COVID.
“We invited leaders from Virtua Health and our county health department here so we could formally recognize them both for all they’ve done and all they continue to do for our residents,” Connell said
O’Connell also expressed gratitude to Virtua for taking the lead on the county vaccine mega-site at Moorestown Mall and noted its high number of vaccinations.
“It’s truly a remarkable achievement,” he noted. “Not only did it contribute greatly to our overall recovery, it has also left us much better prepared and protected against the new more contagious Delta variant.
“We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to each and every person who volunteered or worked at the mega-site, as well as all who contributed to its success,” O’Connell added.
He also emphasized the contributions of health-care workers during COVID.
“Virtua has been a bedrock for our communities and our residents during these most challenging of times,” O’Connell stated. “We experienced firsthand the hard work and dedication from so many people that has been the hallmark of all of our health-care workers since the very beginning of this crisis.”
Dr. Herb Conaway, director of the county health department and a state assemblyman, stressed awareness of the ongoing pandemic during the meeting, advising the public on safety precautions.
“We are not through this thing yet … The challenge is yet to be passed and accomplished,” he explained. “But together as a team, we will do that.”
In other meeting news, Commissioner Balvir Singh expressed his thoughts on schools reopening for in person instruction.
“As an educator and as a parent, just how excited we are for the schools being back open?” Singh asked. ”Wishing the best to our communities, our kids getting back into a full year of in person education, making up for all of that unfinished learning.”
The commissioners addressed Hurricane Ida and its impact on a number of New Jersey towns, but assured the community that Burlington County had only minor flooding.
For more information on the commissioners, visit https://www.co.burlington.nj.us/
