Coronavirus Update: New Jersey Extends School Closures To At Least May 15
TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Schools in New Jersey will remain closed until at least Friday, May 15, in keeping with a similar move by New York announced on Thursday.
Both states, along with Connecticut, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, have agreed to form a coalition working out the timing for reopening the region from the coronavirus-driven shutdown of schools and businesses.
"Let me be perfectly clear, there's nobody who wants to open the schools more than I do," Gov. Phil Murphy said during his daily coronavirus briefing. "I'm a father of four kids, one of whom is in high school, and I want him to return to his regular classrooms, but I can't do that right now. But I remain hopeful we can."
WATCH: N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy's Daily Briefing
Murphy shared the state's death toll had risen to 3,518 among 75,317 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Among the other overnight updates to New Jersey's totals:
- 8,224 patients are hospitalized
- 2,014 are critical or in ICU
- 1,645 ventilators are in use
- 802 have been discharged after hospitalization
"We cannot be guided by emotion, we need to be guided by where the facts on the ground, science, and public health take us," said Murphy. "That means it will not be safe to reopen our schools or start sports back up for at least another four weeks.
"I know this is hard. It's hard on all of us," he said. "I've got a senior in college. His graduation ceremonies had been canceled. It's hard, but if we all keep pulling and working together, I hope that it will put me in a position in a month's time to make a different announcement."
CORONAVIRUS: NY Health Dept. | NY Call 1-(888)-364-3065 | NYC Health Dept. | NYC Call 311, Text COVID to 692692 | NJ COVID-19 Info Hub | NJ Call 1-(800)-222-1222 or 211, Text NJCOVID to 898211 | CT Health Dept. | CT Call 211 | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Many parents, like Monica Rock, a mother of three in Waldwick, told CBS2's Hazel Sanchez they support extending remote learning.
"It was some getting used to, but once we're there we're used to it," Rock said. "We have our daily schedules. I am in relief knowing that they will be safe."
Kindergarten teacher Gigi Elshiekh said she doesn't want the state to close schools for the remainder of the academic year before seeing how COVID-19 conditions could change.
"Honestly, I would rather wait, because I don't want to accept the fact that we might end school and have ... like, I no longer see my children. I think of them like they're my own kids," Elshiekh said.
Parents and teachers agree, many students will regress while continuing to learn remotely.
Linda Luongo is both a teacher and parent in Bergen County.
"My younger one is really struggling because he needs that support with me right next to him. But if I have him right next to me, then I have an issue with, you're interrupting my lessons. So it has been a very hard balancing act," Luongo said.
Most agree there will be challenges no matter when the students finally return to the classroom.
