Message from the Mayor, November 23, 2020
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Message from the Mayor, November 23, 2020 Safety is Public Health's main focus As mayor, I'm wrestling this week with a request that the township, our school district and our health professionals provide more detailed information on exactly where cases of Covid-19 are lurking in our community. It's a legitimate question and undoubtedly reflects the concern of many who are trying to safeguard their families and control their lives in these very uncertain times. It deserves a thoughtful response. But first, the numbers: Our Regional Health Department reported 2 new positive cases on Friday, bringing the increase, from Nov. 16-20, to 7 new confirmed cases for the week. The number of known active cases, which are those reported in the past 14 days and remaining potentially contagious, is 14. And despite the addition of 7 new positive cases this past week, our total number of positive cases since March surprisingly decreased from 209 to 191. The decrease is the result of an audit of the state database which revealed that positive cases attributed to Chatham Township for months were residents of the two long term care facilities in the Township whose legal addresses were actually elsewhere. One of the first requests I received for more detailed information came months ago in the spring when a resident wanted to know if anyone who tested positive lived on the same floor of their apartment building. This person felt their health was in jeopardy if they weren't told if someone sharing their hallway might have tested positive for Covid-19. Health departments are prohibited by law from releasing such detailed information that might identify an individual's medical history. But what about releasing the gender and general age ranges of those who test positive? Where do we draw the line on what information is publicized? The answer should be that we draw the line to publicize information that actually helps people protect the safety of themselves and their families. School officials have separately explained what medical information they can and will release. Any questions about their logic and legal limitations should be addressed to them. But to better understand the practical limitation on what Chatham Township is able to release, look at the numbers in this past week's week's Covid-19 report. − 7 new positive test results over a 7-day period is not a big enough sample to draw any worthwhile conclusions. (When there have been measurable trends toward older our younger patients, our Health Department has provided this information.) − 14 known active cases is simply not an accurate number. We know it doesn't include those who are asymptomatic and untested, those infected but waiting for their test results, those who got a false negative, those exposed and infected hours after their negative test, those who drove into town to work or to buy groceries, and a host of other exceptions. − And even the numbers publicized for months and believed to be accurate can change, as happened this past week to the Township's year-to-date numbers which decreased from 209 to 191. Public health data does not provide the kind of information that lets us decide which bagel shop to visit and which to avoid, which was an example contained in one email I received this week. But public health does provide a wealth of important and useful information that does help us and our families live more safely. For example: − Public health data tells us that Chatham Township residents, on average, have been more careful and safety conscious than most because our Township numbers recently have been lower than in many surrounding towns. Unfortunately, residents also have made some bad decisions with graduation and block parties that potentially spread the virus. − The data warns us that positive test results have jumped after every holiday this summer, including Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Halloween. And with Thanksgiving coming this week, families need to be extra careful of their travel and dinner plans not to expose their loved ones to the coronavirus. − The data shows us why it's so important to cooperate with contact tracers when they call, because it can save lives and limit the spread of infection. − And the data reminds us that, when there's no way to be certain who might have Covid-19, the only safe strategy is to act like everyone might have it. Wear a mask; keep a safe social distance; wash hands frequently; and avoid large gatherings. We appreciate everything our Health Department does to improve our safety during this pandemic, including their local testing events, their contact tracing, and their expert advice to the schools and municipalities. We want them to continue to put their time and effort into those things that make Township residents more safe. For more information about coronavirus in our Township, refer to any of my 25- plus previous Mayor's Messages posted on the Township website or check the wealth of information on the website's Covid-19 page. And until an effective vaccine arrives, please be careful, exercise good judgment and stay safe. Mayor Michael Kelly .