Tourism | Covid19

tourists threaten south jersey shore towns

Despite the population being more spread out, South Jersey still faces the threat of a sudden wave of COVID-19 cases. The summer months bring in thousands of tourists from Philadelphia, New York, and even Canada to the shore towns. Many of these shore towns rely on tourism for the majority of their economy, and with schools and jobs transitioning work to be online, many non-South Jersey county residents are fleeing to their shore-homes.

While they’re bringing their families down for what they think is a fun escape, they forget that they’re also potentially bringing the coronavirus with them.

Cape May County’s novel case of COVID-19 was confirmed on March 18th when the Cape May Department of Health announced a 30-year-old New York City man staying at his vacation home tested positive for the illness.

Several Atlantic and Cape May County mayors have already spoken out about vacationers rushing to their second homes and treating their newfound time off as a vacation. To prevent the thrash of tourists from coming, all beaches across the two counties are closed off, many even barricaded at the entrances. The boardwalks and promenades in major tourist cities, such as Ocean City, Wildwood and Cape May, are also closed off.

Beaches throughout Atlantic and Cape May Counties, including Vennor, are closed to the public. Photo courtesy of Amy Rosenberg, Philadelphia Inquirer

Mayor Martin Pagliughi of Avalon has told all seasonal residents that they will be faced with a thousand-dollar fine if they don’t leave, saying that “coming to Avalon at this time violates the travel restrictions imposed by our Governor, subjects you to fines of up to $1,000.00 and poses a public health risk by increasing the spread of this Pandemic.”

On March 18, the Wildwoods’ mayors met to discuss the possibility of shutting down bridges to the island, restricting traffic to only year-round residents and those who work in the Wildwoods.

Wildwood Crest Mayor Don Cabrera said “Working with the other mayors, I want to shut down the bridges. Listen if you’re not a year-round resident or you don’t have a paycheck stub saying you’re working here, you can’t come down. It’s an aggressive approach, but somehow we have to limit this.”

Plans quickly backfired when second homeowners in Cape May County shore communities disputed the possible restriction. The next day, March 19, the Wildwoods released a statement backtracking their original plan. Wildwood Mayor Pete Byron said “We are not imminently closing the bridges to the Wildwoods.”

While the Wildwoods remained open for all residents, the mayors of the island have stressed that stores in Cape May County are stocked for off-season demand and have pleaded with nonresidents to reconsider traveling to shore communities, as the local supply chain is suffering an undue strain and struggling to keep stores stocked with essentials.

South Jersey towns, especially those lining the coast, are not well equipped enough to handle an outbreak as destructive as it is in North Jersey. In all of South Jersey, an area populated by 2.4 million people, there are 5,689 hospital beds, many of which are normally occupied. Counties such as Atlantic and Cape May, which tend to see the most seasonal tourism, make up less than 1,500 of those hospital beds. With 355,709 people between the two counties, there leaves a 234:1 person-to-hospital-bed ratio before the influx of seasonal residents arrive.

According to the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs, if the residents of South Jersey do not continue to follow aggressive social distancing measures right now, the shortage of beds in south Jersey would rise to as many as 85,000 in May alone.

Even if South Jersey residents stay put, visitors to shore towns pose a detrimental risk to locals. In Cape May County, for example, 48% of properties are owned by second homeowners, and percentages are even higher in the beachside towns.

To help combat the explosion in cases that would result from the nonresidents visiting as the weather grows warmer, The Cape May County Health Department and the County Prosecutor’s Office ordered that all campgrounds in the county close. However, several campgrounds were flouting the social distancing orders by remaining open and tempting potential visitors. Campground owners tried to skirt around the orders by insisting they needed to remain open for medical professional lodging. Cape May County Government then released a statement on April 2 saying that as of Governor Murphy’s executive order, all campgrounds are to remain closed indefinitely and that medical professionals in the county were not seeking lodging at the campgrounds.

Next, the county banned all short-term rentals -- rentals shorter than 1 month -- on April 7. However, the order does not stop businesses from taking rental reservations or preparing the property for reopening.

Tom Stolle, a retired Pennsylvania resident, was looking forward to sharing his summer with 11 friends in an Avalon home that he rents every year from Memorial Day to Labor Day for about $40,000. Now, Stolle is unsure of whether his plans will be cancelled, or if he will receive a refund.

Cape May County mayors are now urging renters to cancel their stays throughout Governor Murphy’s executive stay-at-home orders.

“The more we discourage people from traveling at this time, it will help eliminate the spread of COVID-19,” said Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton.

south jersey receives backlash from restrictions

While many permanent-residents are happy with the restrictions in place, not all see the good in keeping tourism away during these times. Atlantic County surrogate Jim Curcio believes that the New Jersey government is doing more harm than good in preventing seasonal tourists from visiting the shore towns, and keeping all residents on lockdown.

Curcio said on Facebook that the government needs to “Reopen New Jersey immediately without restrictions. Trust American freedom, ingenuity and the US Constitution. Unite the hands of the Private Sector so it can rescue NJ from this nightmare.”

Governor Phil Murphy responded to the surrogate, saying “Anybody out there who thinks that ‘Let’s just open the place up’ will lead to lower infections, lower hospitalizations and lower fatalities is being completely, utterly irresponsible.”

Atlantic County Surrogate Jim Curcio’s FaceBook post, in which he called for the opening of South Jersey businesses, courtesy of Jim Curcio/NJ Gov. Office of the Governor

The state continues to be held on strict lockdown orders, as the number of South Jersey residents testing positive for Covid-19 jumped by 205 cases overnight to over 4,000 across the seven-county region.

Camden and Burlington counties are struggling the most out of any other South Jersey counties. They have a combined total of over 5,300 coronavirus cases.

While counties in South Jersey are still not experiencing the high number of cases in North Jersey, State Health Commissioner Judith Persichili said “The central and southern regions of the state have yet to see their peaks.” As of April 29, cases in South Jersey have yet to peak.

While officials in South Jersey are unsure when the region will experience its peak, Governor Murphy may allow some areas to rollback closures. As late April passed and May came around, many shore towns began easing strict social distancing guidelines by reopening beaches and boardwalks for recreational activity. State and county parks and golf courses across the state were opened on April 29. Cape May County in particular has drafted a proposal to Governor Murphy, seeking to open up slowly throughout the month of May in a limited capacity to prepare itself for the following summer months.

Cape May County Government removed the campground closure order from its website amid opening up for seasonal visitors on May 2. Short-term visitors will be allowed later on June 1.

However, the county proposes several other industries integral to its summertime economy. First, officials seek allowing home rentals longer than one month began on May 11, while short-term rentals can arrive on June 1, along with seasonal campground visitors.

Retail is set to sell items for pickup starting May 11 and indoor shopping -- with a limited number of customers at a time -- will resume June 1. Bars, restaurants, breweries, wineries and distilleries are set to open right after Memorial Day, on May 26, with a limited 75 percent capacity or with tables and chairs set six feet apart, whichever provides greater social distancing between groups.

Hotels in the county will be the last to ease strict guidelines, opening on June 1 with a 60 percent capacity, and full capacity on June 22.

strict guidelines begin to lift

However, the drafted plan cannot be set in action until Governor Murphy makes a decision on the matter. Vicki Clark, president of the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce, says “We hope that he is receptive to the proposal.”

County officials addressed concerns by clarifying that many protocols under the proposal would stay in place. Masks and social distancing are still required, and residents and visitors may only gather with those within their family unit or small groups.