December 8, 2020, East Orange, NJ: Mayor Ted R. Green has announced that he will self-quarantine for two weeks after finding out that he tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend.
Despite taking an abundance of safety measures, Mayor Green believes he may have been exposed to the virus in the days following the passing of his father, Theodore R. Green, Sr., who died the day after Thanksgiving on Friday, November 27. Once he learned that he had prolonged exposure to someone who recently tested positive, Mayor Green went to East Orange General Hospital for a rapid test on Saturday after the burial services for his father.
Though asymptomatic, Mayor Green’s doctor ordered him to be admitted to East Orange General Hospital for precautionary evaluation and oversight.
“I want people to understand that this virus is no joke. I’ll be the first one to admit that I was in denial and didn’t think it could happen to me,” said Mayor Green. “Day in and day out, we have been preaching the same message – wash your hands, wear your masks and practice social distancing. East Orange, we may not like it, but this is what we have to do to protect ourselves and each other. Don’t ever take your health for granted. No one is exempt from this virus.”
Since the pandemic began in March and just days after the passing of his mother, Lula Mae Green, Mayor Green has been going non-stop to keep the city running and the East Orange community safe.
Streamed weekly town hall meetings, emergency food distributions, rental assistance, free COVID-19 testing, PPE giveaways and alternative virtual programs are just a few of the many initiatives the Green Administration has implemented to provide resources to residents in need and to keep the community informed and aware of how to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
As of December 8, 2020, there are 3,110 positive cases in the City of East Orange and 242 deaths with a nearly 250% increase in positive cases between September to December. To help curb the spread during this “second wave,” Mayor Green has ordered that non-essential businesses close at 8pm while all others close by 10pm with the exception of drive-up or pick-up services. He also has been working jointly with fellow Mayors Ras Baraka, Tony Vauss and Dwayne Warren in neighboring Newark, Irvington and Orange to collaborate on efforts to curb the virus in each urban municipality.
“I have been fortunate to not experience any symptoms, but I have witnessed firsthand how rapidly this virus can turn a seemingly healthy person into a person fighting to breathe. We have to take it seriously. We can’t afford to do anything less,” added Mayor Green. “The holiday winter season is here and more people are spending time indoors. This is absolutely not an issue that we can be divided upon. We have to remain united in our efforts to flatten this curve if we ever want to move forward to some semblance of normalcy.”
