COVID-19 Vaccine Availability Expands Again In NJ: What To Know

NEW JERSEY — Many New Jerseyans became eligible Monday for vaccination against COVID-19. Employees in certain "essential" fields are now eligible for vaccinations (see list below).

Gov. Phil Murphy also announced on Monday that vaccines will be available to everyone 16 years old and over beginning on April 19th. Read more: COVID Vaccines To Expand to NJ Residents 16 And Older

Thanks to this expansion, Murphy said, New Jersey is now among the top states in terms of vaccinations, noting that the Garden State crossed the 4-million-dose mark last week.

More than 1.473,409 have been fully vaccinated and approximately 268,000 doses have gone to long-term care facilities.

"I want to thank those who live, work, and study in New Jersey for rolling up your sleeves to help protect themselves, their loved ones, their communities, and most importantly, our state," Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said during a recent news conference.

She said the state is expanding to encourage more than just frontline essential workers to get vaccinated. New Jersey wants people who provide support to frontline workers to get vaccinated, too.

"There've been many other consequences and health challenges as a result of this pandemic," he said.

Who Joined The List Monday?

Employees in the following professions can now get inoculated:

• Individuals 55 and over
• Individuals ages 16 and up with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Educators, including support staff, in higher education settings
• Communications infrastructure support, including engineers, and technicians and members of the press
• Real estate, building, and home service workers, including construction workers, code officials, plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, property management and maintenance workers
• Retail financial institution workers, including bank tellers, lending services, public accounting and check-cashing workers
• Sanitation workers providing disinfection and janitorial services, city sanitation workers; residential, commercial, and industrial solid and hazardous waste removal workers
• Laundry service workers, including those working in laundromats, laundry services and dry cleaners
• Utility workers including electrical generation and supply system, natural gas delivery, nuclear power plant, water supply, telephone and cable/fiber/optical/broadband/cellular service workers
• Librarians and support staff at municipal, county and state libraries

Who's already eligible?

• Paid and unpaid healthcare workers
• Residents and workers of long-term care and high-risk congregate care facilities
• First responders including sworn law enforcement and fire professionals
• Individuals aged over 65
• Individuals aged 16-64 that have certain medical conditions that increase the risk of severe illness from the virus
• Pre-K to 12 educators and staff
• Childcare workers in licensed and registered settings
• Transportation workers
• Additional high-risk individuals
• Additional public safety workers
• Food production, agriculture and food distribution (including grocery store and restaurant workers)
• Eldercare and support
• Warehousing and logistics
• Social services support staff
• Elections personnel
• Hospitality
• Medical supply chain
• Postal and shipping services
• Clergy
• Judicial system

Persichilli said the push to vaccinate started with preventing morbidity and mortality. The second goal, she said, was to support "essential societal functioning."

"For example, we know 80 percent of individuals over the age of 65 account for the mortalities in the state. We know that about 45 percent of them are 75 and older, so we did a three-week push," she said. "It was a two-week push that turned into a three-week push to vaccinate and get at least one dose of vaccine into the arm of individuals 75 and older."

When the state started this push, New Jersey had 33 percent of those 75 and over with at least one dose. As of Wednesday, 65 percent had it.

Two weeks ago, "we pushed it, I guess you would say, down to 65 and over, and I'm pleased to report on 65 and older, we're at 67 percent," Persichilli said. "That's an indication of (what happens) when we do a push, when we see a particular vulnerability that relates directly to morbidity and mortality."

Where and How to Find Appointments

Patch has gathered tips that may help for securing vaccine appointments and websites with additional information:

• Join the New Jersey Covid Vaccine Info Facebook group. The 61,000-member group gives New Jerseyans the opportunity to share up-to-date information on vaccine availability.
• Follow VaxxUpdates on Twitter. The page helps Garden State residents secure vaccine appointments with instant updates on availability.
• CVS and Rite Aid began scheduling COVID-19 appointments at locations that will receive vaccines. But appointments fill up quickly. CVS, Rite Aid and Walmart have expanded their number of sites. Read more: CVS Adding 30 COVID-19 Vaccine Sites In New Jersey
• CentraState Healthcare System in Freehold periodically opens registration. They will email a link when you're eligible for an appointment.
• Check out the COVID-19 Vaccine Registration FAQ from RWJBarnabas Health. You can sign up at their website to be alerted when the vaccine becomes available in your area.
• ShopRite sometimes has a wait time to access its vaccine scheduler, but it allows the public to make appointments.

Are There Enough Doses?

Gov. Phil Murphy expects New Jersey's vaccine supply to meet demand soon. This week, New Jersey expects to receive 494,430 doses, a "nearly 20 percent" increase week over week, according to the governor.

May 1 is the target date to open eligibility for everyone 16 and older who lives, studies or works in the Garden State.

For more vaccine information, visit our New Jersey COVID-19 Vaccination Hub.