NEW JERSEY — New Jersey health officials are preparing after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a dire warning Tuesday, saying communities across the nation should prepare now for the spread of COVID-19, the new coronavirus.

Nancy Messonnier, the director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease, told reporters in a conference call the question is no longer if the coronavirus, now officially called COVID-19, will spread across the United States but when that will happen. Communities, schools and businesses in New Jersey and elsewhere should begin preparing now for "the expectation that this could be bad," Messonnier said.

"I understand this whole situation may seem overwhelming and that disruption to everyday life may be severe. But these are things that people need to start thinking about now," she said. "You should think about what you would do for child care if schools or day cares closed." To date, no one in New Jersey has tested positive for COVID-19. But state officials say they're preparing for a spread of the disease across the region. Read more: Crewman Dies On NJ Ship Where 27 Tested For Coronavirus (UPDATE)

So far in New Jersey, the Department of Health says it has been focused on ramping up preparedness efforts and coordination with hospital and local health departments since the end of January. The Department of Health's crisis management meets daily to monitor "this evolving situation," officials said. The Department of Health has been working with the Governor's Office, State Police, and the Office of Emergency Management since the onset of coronavirus reports earlier this year to create a "comprehensive preparedness and response plan for New Jersey," the DOH said.

As part of these efforts, the Department of Health has been collaborating closely with hospitals and local health departments on their preparedness plans and to update them on CDC and Department of Health guidance and protocols.

Proactive preparedness efforts include:

Jan. 28: NJDOH held a conference call with 250 hospitals and local health officials to update them on CDC/DOH guidance and protocols

Feb. 3: Gov. Phil Murphy appointed the Coronavrius Task Force to coordinate all state efforts to appropriately prepare for and respond to the public health hazard of COVID-19.

Feb. 6: NJDOH joined hospital CEOs, chief medical officers, and infection control practitioners for a preparedness workshop hosted by the New Jersey Hospital Association.

On-going: The Coronavirus Task Force appointed by Murphy meets weekly to coordinate all state efforts to prepare for and respond to COVID-19. The Department of Health also has issued guidance for the management of health care workers, employees and K-12 and university students who may have come in contact with people who have the illness. The guidance outlines three forms of monitoring based on individuals' potential public health risk. The guidance is posted on the department's coronavirus webpage, available at nj.gov/health/coronavirus