One of the best safeguards against both panic and complacency in the midst of the coronavirus crisis in New Jersey and beyond is timely, reliable, comprehensive information — not only about how to avoid contracting the virus, but how and where it is spreading and its lethality.

The state Department of Health has been holding daily press briefings on COVID-19, led by Gov. Murphy and including other officials fighting it on the front lines. But the state, in conjunction with county health departments, needs to do more, beginning with a more informative state Department of Health website.

Murphy’s statement Sunday morning that he is considering imposing a statewide curfew and self-quarantines may be good policy, but it also has helped ratchet up anxiety about the trajectory of the disease.

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A more informative website could help ease some of that anxiety — at least that portion of it based on fear rather than facts. The Department of Health website lists the current number of cases and deaths by county, and the number of negative test results at the state lab.

To add important context to the spread and severity of the disease, the website also should include a chart showing the trajectory of cases and deaths, a daily update of the number of hospitalizations, patients in intensive care and isolation units, and coronavirus patients who have been released from hospitals.

To provide even better perspective on the severity of coronavirus, much of the same information provided for COVID-19 cases should be provided about influenza. That could help counter the false, competing narratives out there: that the coronavirus scare is overblown — that it’s nothing but another strain of the flu virus — or that the coronavirus is eventually going to infect us all and kill large numbers of us.

Providing that additional information may require more staff. With colleges shut down and many people out of work thanks to the virus, finding good help shouldn't be a problem. At this point it should be all hands on deck.

The COVID-19 portion of the website does a good job providing guidance for the general public, healthcare professionals, businesses and schools. It also provides a 24-hour hotline and allows users to email questions to the state Health Department. (I should note, however, that I received nothing but busy signals when attempting to call it Sunday morning. I gave up after a half hour. Also the information it provides, according to a note beneath the hotline phone number, is limited: It ”is not to locate testing, to get test results, or for medical advice.”)

At Monday’s press conference, I hope the governor and health officials will provide more specific answers about the current number and location of available test kits, and estimates about how soon they will be available to anyone concerned they may have contracted the virus. State officials also need to spell out the process for tracing the origins of the coronavirus cases, how it has helped isolate hot spots and how it has altered strategies for dealing with local outbreaks.

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The state also should begin making provision for drive-through testing sites, as has been done in other states, once its test kit capacity has increased to the point it is feasible. In areas already hard hit, such as Bergen County, it should make the drive-through testing available immediately.

It was somewhat comforting to see the governor, only recently released from the hospital following surgery, running the press conferences and striking the right tone. He reassured the public that the state was moving quickly to contain the virus while emphasizing the pivotal role the public plays in limiting its spread by avoiding any unnecessary interaction with others.

Nonetheless, the state must do more to stop the spread of the virus — and needless anxiety.

Randy Bergmann, a Westfield native and lifelong resident of New Jersey, has been covering the state as a reporter, editor and opinion page editor for four decades. Contact him at rbergmann@app.com or 732-643-4034.