The City of Hoboken is now requiring attendees at their annual Spaghetti Dinner Block Party later this month to have received their COVID-19 vaccination, Mayor Ravi Bhalla announced.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“In an effort to promote a safe space for residents in City-sponsored activities, we are now requiring proof of vaccination for those residents and individuals 12 years of age and up for the upcoming Spaghetti Dinner Block Party on August 26,” Bhalla said in a Nixle alert yesterday.
“Along with a ticket, proof of vaccination will be required for entry. Children under 12 should wear a face mask upon entry. We made this decision based on the fact that a number of seniors attend this event, and we want to protect our most vulnerable population to the greatest extent possible.”
The Nixle alert also indicates that the Mile Square City’s population that is 65 and older have reached a 96 percent vaccination rate, though breakthrough cases remain a concern due to the Delta variant.
Between August 1st and August 6th, Hoboken saw 40 new COVID-19 cases, 23 in unvaccinated individuals and 17 in fully vaccination individuals, Bhalla noted.
“Of those 23 unvaccinated cases, four were hospitalized. No Hoboken residents who have been fully vaccinated and contracted COVID-19 have been hospitalized, demonstrating that the vaccine is working as intended,” the mayor said.
“This is all the more of a reason to get vaccinated as soon as possible, if you have not already.”
To purchase tickets, which are $40 for adults, $15 for children under 12 and $20 for seniors, or $400 to reserve a table for 10, please click here. Tickets are available until August 16th.
According to the city’s website, the Spaghetti Dinner Block Party was an event that was started in 2005 to celebrate Hoboken’s 150th Anniversary.
The idea was to recreate a community event that took place in 1955 for the City’s 100th Anniversary: a Spaghetti Dinner Block Party on Washington Street.
For the time being, Hoboken is the only Hudson County municipality to enact a coronavirus vaccine/testing mandate for municipal employees, which went into effect yesterday, with few others expressing an interest to do the same.