MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County’s Office on Aging, Disabilities and Community Programming has partnered with Atlantic Health System to provide and administer flu shots to homebound seniors and adults with disabilities at no cost to the recipients.

Supplies are limited, and to qualify for a shot recipients must be Morris County residents, homebound, 60 years of age or older, or a homebound individual with a disability who is between the ages of 18 and 59.  Flu shots are important to populations such as seniors and people with disabilities, who are more vulnerable to the flu, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Providing at-home services, such as this, is especially important for our seniors during these times, as it minimizes potential exposures for the most vulnerable population.  The CDC recommends a yearly flu shot, and it is even more important this year as it may decrease the risk of co-infection to this high-risk population,” said Christine Hellyer, Director of the Morris County Office on Aging, Disabilities, and Community Programming.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also contends flu shots are this year are critical.

“Routine vaccination prevents illnesses that lead to unnecessary medical visits, hospitalizations, and further strain the healthcare system. For the 2020-2021 influenza season, influenza vaccination will be paramount to reduce the impact of respiratory illnesses attributed to influenza in the population and resulting burdens on the healthcare system during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the CDC warns on its website.

The flu shots are part of an ongoing effort in Morris County to connect seniors and adults with disabilities to community resources during the pandemic.

“We began to receive calls from seniors requesting options for flu shots administered in the home. When we reached out to public health nurses and community providers, we found few resources for this requested service. The Office on Aging then sought out to partner with an organization to provide this service to seniors who are homebound or were concerned with going to a clinic or their doctor’s office during the pandemic,” Hellyer explained.

Providing at-home services is especially important for seniors during the pandemic because it minimizes the potential for their exposure to the virus.  Offering the option to have the flu shot administered by a trusted partner such as Atlantic Health also allows for a sense of relief for those who are unable to get to a provider.

To request an appointment for a flu shot, call Solangel Patarroyo at (973) 971-7259 or reach out through email at [email protected].

MORRIS COUNTY — Over the last decade, food trucks have become a rapidly growing industry and sought-after culinary experience. For the owners, it is also a lucrative business with minimal overhead and a potential annual revenue stream of $250,000 to $500,000, according to Food Truck Operator. Food trucks also can adjust more easily than brick-and-mortar restaurants to pandemic social distancing restrictions. They have no indoor seating and are able to travel where they are more likely to find customers.

At County College of Morris (CCM), the Department of Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts recently accepted delivery of a food truck to provide hands-on training in this popular industry.

At CCM, culinary arts students train in a professional teaching kitchen and are prepared for immediate entry into a career or transfer to a bachelor degree program if that is their preference. Students enrolled in the Food Truck Entrepreneur class also will receive hands-on experience working in the traveling kitchen, as they learn the fundamentals of owning and operating a food truck and the free and low-cost ways to market via social media. The class also covers the basics of food vending, business plan development, menu planning, production design, location selection, and federal, state and local regulations.

The food truck purchased by CCM is 8.5 feet wide and 18 feet long and is equipped with a four-burner stove, 24-inch griddle and a two-basket deep fryer. The department also purchased a cotton candy machine, a crepe maker and a funnel cake deep fryer for the truck. The department’s next step is to brand the truck with CCM’s colors and logo.

The CCM Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts department is a member of the National Restaurant Educational Foundation (NRAEF), the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education, and the American Culinary Federation. At CCM, students take part in the NRAEF ManageFirst Program, which equips them with the competencies needed to advance in management and earn an industry recognized credential and certificates in such areas as cost containment, management and safe food handling to provide them with a competitive edge.

To learn more about the Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts programs at CCM click here.

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County launched its at-home, no-cost COVID-19 testing program today for Morris County residents and people who work in Morris County, as the number of new cases continues to increase in correlation with a statewide spike in the virus.

A portal through which qualified Morris County residents and workers can apply for testing materials to be sent to their homes may be found on the Morris County’s Office of Health Management COVID-19 information page by clicking here.  People applying to receive the home tests will reach a landing page informing them of two available tests – one involving salvia and one nasal – and directing them to select one.

The Morris County Freeholders and the Morris County Department of Law and Public Safety outlined the testing plan in a Friday afternoon conference call with mayors.

The tests are available ONLY to Morris County residents and people who work in Morris County, and applicants will be required to provide information on where they reside. Those who work in Morris County, but do not live in the county, will be required to submit additional proof of where they are employed such as an employee identification card or the employer’s contact information.

Once that information is confirmed by Morris County staff, an email will be sent to the applicant with further instructions.

Applicants will also be asked to provide information about their private health insurance, Medicaid and Medicare coverage, but will not be billed for the tests. Anyone who is not insured must indicate so on the on-line application, but the test still will be completed at no cost.

The nasal swab test, which is restricted to individuals who are age 18 and older, is a test already available to the public through LabCorp, and it is known as their Pixel test. It currently is restricted to people with symptoms of COVID-19 infection. It will be shipped overnight to individuals, who will be asked to follow directions on how to take a sample and return-mail it in a prepaid package. An applicant must have a personal email account, and results generally are available within 48 hours of receipt by the testing company.

The saliva test, provided by Vault Health, was developed by Rutgers University. It too will be shipped to an individual’s home overnight. There is no age restriction, but the testing must be conducted under the supervision of an online Vault test supervisor via Zoom Video Conference. It requires access to a personal, family or friends online Zoom account, and the applicant must have a personal email account.

Anyone who tests positive should quarantine and will be directed to contact his or her healthcare provider. Additionally, anticipate a call from a health department official for contact tracing to determine if anyone else was exposed.

MORRIS COUNTY — Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce “Women In Business” committee recently conducted a diaper drive.

The diapers were donated to Jersey Cares.

Women in Business Chairperson Jennifer Peel said “The COVID-19 virus has created a huge deficit between the supply and demand of many critical products. Due to lack of essential resources, such as diapers, many families are left unable to provide for their children.”

Jersey Cares has established the Diaper Drive Program to provide diapers to families who do not have access to them.

Jersey Cares, a nonprofit organization, established in 1993, recruits and engages volunteers in rewarding, effective efforts that address community-identified needs. We partner with local nonprofits to identify needs and implement volunteer projects to meet these needs. For more information on Jersey Cares, click here.

Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce is a service organization for businesses, merchants, residents and volunteers that provides education, information and networking opportunities to the Parsippany area. The Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce serves Parsippany, Boonton, Boonton Township, Mountain Lakes, Mount Tabor, Lake Hiawatha, Mountain Lakes, Hanover, East Hanover and Florham Park.

For more information call (973) 402-6400 or click here.