Above: Gottheimer with leaders in Teaneck.

TEANECK, NJ — U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) joined public health experts, local leaders, and community members for a Teaneck Community COVID-19 meeting. Gottheimer recently requested that the federal government increase rapid testing supplies, further utilize the National Guard to expand testing, mobilize FEMA strike teams to staff health care facilities to counter staff shortages due to the variant, and ensure the widespread availability of newly developed therapeutic drugs and treatments effective against the omicron variant — directly to hospitals.

Gottheimer was joined at this week’s Teaneck Community COVID-19 meeting by Teaneck Mayor Dr. James Dunleavy, Deputy Mayor Mark Schwartz, Councilman Michael Pagan, Councilwoman Karen Orgen, Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Murphy Deborah Cornavaca, Township Manager Dean Kazinci,  Holy Name Medical Center Chief Department Infectious Disease Dr. Suraj K Saggar, Dr. Luke Eyerman of Holy Name Medical Center, and Teaneck Health Officer Dr. Gina Miranda-Diaz.

This month, Gottheimer held a coordination meeting with North Jersey hospital officials to discuss the current omicron surge and any resources that North Jersey health care systems currently need — with Hackensack University Medical Center, The Valley Hospital, Holy Name Medical Center, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, Atlantic Health System, and Englewood Hospital and Medical Center.

Gottheimer has also requested New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy take critical steps to help the state combat the current COVID-19 omicron surge and its impacts on communities, and asked HHS and CMS to address conditions at the Andover Subacute/Woodlawn long-term care facility — the site of the worst current COVID-19 omicron outbreak in New Jersey.

Watch the Township of Teaneck’s COVID-19 webinar meeting here.

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