LONG BEACH ISLAND – The Long Beach Island Health Department (LBIHD) is currently investigating an active community cluster of COVID-19 cases that are connected to teens attending night clubs.
The first COVID case was discovered on July 19 after a teen went to teen nights in Beach Haven on July 11 and 13. A second positive case was reported on July 26 and this person also attended teen night on July 28. Additional positive cases were confirmed August 2, and those individuals went to teen night on July 25 and 27.
This past weekend, LBIHD has received reports from local urgent care clinics about a significant increase in positive cases from teens who claimed they were at teen night the week prior.
As of August 3, the LBIHD have reported 11 confirmed positive teens all with a common attendance at teen nights.
The State Health Department has been notified and the LBIHD are working to identify the full scope of this cluster.
The LBIHD is asking those who have attended these venues within the last 14 days and are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of immunization status, are advised to get tested. The recommended time to seek testing is no sooner than five days after an exposure to ensure if transmission and infection from the virus occurred it will be captured.
In addition, the LBIHD advise both parents and teenagers at events that bring teenagers together in large numbers and social atmospheres pose significant risk of COVID-19 transmission.
“Unlike more structured and regulated organizations that host youth, teens night often do not require health screening, immunization status, social distance, masking or negative COVID-19 tests. The latest immunization coverage updated by CDC on July 19 for those 12 to 15 years of age is 27 percent and for those 16 to 24 years of age is 41 percent. Immunizations are widely available for 12 and older and we strongly encourage receiving the vaccine,” the LBIHD said in a statement.
For more information, contact the LBIHD at 609-493-1212.
