Westfield Mayor's Recap: COVID Update, Transformed Lord & Taylor

Westfield NJ

17 January, 2022

3:25 PM

Description

WESTFIELD, NJ — Mayor Shelley Brindle announced a series of updates following Westfield's virtual Town Council meeting last week. In her Jan. 14 update, Brindle said she toured the recently reconfigured Lord & Taylor space that that is temporarily housing Lamberts Mill Academy and Hillside Academy South — both of which are schools for special needs students in Union County. These schools were devastated by flooding from Tropical Storm Ida in September. "Thanks to the support of property owners HBC Streetworks Development, working in partnership with Union County, this space has undergone an amazing transformation serving the educational community," Brindle said. People can view a recap and tour of the new space on the Mayor's Facebook page. Brindle also reported that health officials are hopeful that the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Westfield is beginning to slow down. For the week of Jan. 7 through Jan. 13, there were 177 cases identified in Westfield, 62 of which were in those age 19 and younger. According to the update, in Union County, 71% of the population is fully vaccinated. In Westfield, 99% of adults and 79% of the population is fully vaccinated. In addition, 54% of children ages 5-11 in Westfield have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 59% of eligible residents have received a booster dose. Additional breakdowns by location and age group can be found on the NJ COVID Dashboard. As of Jan. 14, Brindle said statewide hospitalizations dropped for a second straight day after nearly a month of increases. She added that the state's seven-day average for new confirmed positive tests is down 17% from a week ago — representing the third straight day the average dropped. The Mayor advises that residents continue to wear masks in public spaces and get boosted if they have not already done so. The full Jan. 14 update can be found on the Township's website. Get a free morning newsletter with news in Westfield or another town: https://patch.com/subscribe