'Not The Time For Vacation Here': After 1st Coronavirus Case, Cape May County Officials Make Desperate Plea
CAPE MAY COUNTY, N.J. (CBS) -- There is a desperate plea from Cape May County officials. County officials say they love visitors, but not during the coronavirus pandemic.
While summertime at the Jersey Shore may seem like a distant dream as everyone manages the new challenges of fighting COVID-19, shore officials say don't try to make your escape anytime soon.
"We want to emphasize this is not vacation time here because their children are out of school," Cape May County Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton said.
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This week, the Cape May County Board of Freeholders issued a plea for people to not visit the shore in the coming weeks.
Even though it may sound harsh, they don't want second homeowners and other out-of-towners to burden their grocery stores or medical facilities.
"And right now, this time of the year, we don't have the resources to deal with this," Thornton said.
Not long after issuing the plea for no visitors, officials announced the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Cape May County on Wednesday.
A 30-year-old man from New York City tested positive at a local healthcare facility, officials say.
"We just had a report that we're investigating right now that we had an individual come from New York that was quarantined in New York and came to Cape May County and exposed people in Cape May County that we're investigating," Thornton said.
While it may seem counterintuitive for a region that's economy is almost completely based on tourism to tell people to stay away, Cape May County officials say they just don't have the infrastructure to handle more sick people than their own year-round residents.
"I've got a population here that is 25% 65 years old and above and I have an obligation here to protect them," Thornton said.
Shore officials are hoping that suppressed demand for some beach time will eventually lead to a very successful summer.
