TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy, the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, the New Jersey Department of Health, and the United Ways of New Jersey announced today that NJ 211 has been activated to help handle COVID-19 related calls from New Jersey residents.

All residents with questions or concerns about COVID-19 and resources available to them can call 2-1-1. NJ 211 is New Jersey’s statewide, comprehensive, information and referral service operated by United Ways of New Jersey.

Residents call also text NJCOVID to 898-211 to receive text information and stay informed. To receive live text assistance, residents can text their zip code to 898-211.

These enhancements to 211 will supplement, rather than replace, the existing COVID-19 hotline, operated by the New Jersey Poison Control Center. State residents with questions about COVID-19 illness can continue to call the previously shared numbers for the COVID-19 hotline, but they can also call 211 to get answers about their COVID-19 questions.

Additionally, the Department of Health has a COVID-19 website with resources including CDC updates, guidance for schools, colleges, businesses, long-term care facilities, health care professionals and public health professionals. The website is available at https://nj.gov/health/coronavirus.

Local health departments, health care providers, and medical facility staff should continue to contact the Communicable Disease Service at the New Jersey Department of Health with COVID-19 questions.