Dear summer-residents, vacationers, day-trippers:

I am a graduate of the Dornslife School of Public Health at Drexel University, an Ocean City High School alum, and a relative and friend to many long-time Ocean City residents.

I am writing to you to voice my concern about future community spread of COVID-19 in Ocean City, NJ. As I am sure you have heard from CDC, health departments, and news media reports, staying home and engaging in social distancing is the recommended practice to reduce transmission of COVID-19 within the general population. 

Many locals and I are concerned that you are coming to Ocean City and unknowingly bringing COVID-19 along with you. Even if it is just for the day or a temporary stay, there is still the risk of transmitting COVID-19 if you are (1) asymptomatic or (2) symptomatic and unaware of your infection. 

Although the warm weather makes visiting a temptation, life here in Ocean City is far from the experience we know it to be. ALL non-essential businesses and recreational facilities are closed. City Hall is closed to the public. Most restaurants are not open this time of year and the small fraction of those that are open, are operating for a limited number of hours and take-out only. 

Cape May County officials are concerned as “there have been reports of limited supplies at certain supermarkets and other stores, which is an issue nationwide but has been compounded locally by the number of visitors to Cape May County over the past weekend. Cape May County only has one hospital in the County and Thornton (Cape May County Freeholder) wants to ensure their resources aren’t overtaxed if potentially sick people visit the County cause a mass outbreak” (https://capemaycountynj.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=710). The mayor of Ocean City has also echoed these concerns (https://ocnjdaily.com/mayor-urges-people-to-stay-home/?fbclid=IwAR23cmubPpJ6BnV2IrMhTKmOJbsAraPnBUbCzoXRFEIcg0GuxKXaNKIUNIk). Lastly, roughly 32% of the Ocean City population is above the age of 65 (US census bureau estimates as of July 2018), which is the population most at risk for getting a severe illness from COVID-19.

As much as locals and I have enjoyed your presence here in Ocean City, we would like to respectfully ask you to refrain from visiting until it is safe to do so. We would love to walk the boardwalk and beach as much as you do too, but are staying home because we want this pandemic to be over sooner than later. The actions WE ALL take now could have a great impact on the future health and safety of Ocean City residents, as well as residents in the surrounding South Jersey area.

Please keep us in your hearts as we will do the same during this unprecedented time. 

UPDATE: I would like to clarify that this message should not be interpreted as an "us vs. them" or "locals vs. non-locals" fight.

The purpose of staying home and practicing social distancing is to reduce the mobility of people so that the mobility of COVID-19 is reduced too.

Going to Ocean City to social distance (or any other location that you do not call home) inherently turns your effort to reduce transmission into one that potentially promotes it.

I apologize to any taxpayers who I may have offended but still urge you to think about how your actions may negatively affect others and how you would feel if thousands of people from various faraway places chose to come-and-go into the place you call home during a pandemic.