NJ's COVID Vaccine Glitches, 'Crashes' To Be Fixed: Gov. Murphy

NEW JERSEY – Gov. Phil Murphy says New Jersey is fixing the reported "daily glitches" and "crashes" in the COVID-19 vaccination system, and he's blaming it on the state's principal vendor.

"We've had some spirited challenges with our principal vendor," Murphy told CNN this weekend. "It's in a better place this week, thank God."

Murphy, speaking during a late Friday appearance, was responding to Jake Tapper after the CNN anchor referenced a Bloomberg report about the state's vaccine sign-up problems.

Tapper told Murphy that the report identified "daily fixes and glitches with your vaccination appointment booking system. It's crashing and blocking users."

The Bloomberg report said "five weeks of stumbles by Microsoft Corp." on New Jersey’s vaccine-booking software have left the state pushing for daily fixes. The report said the company was working on technical issues, but New Jersey is also seeking solutions and workarounds "of all kinds."

The problems led New Jersey to rely more on the county- and hospital-operated websites that have helped schedule more than 1.2 million doses, the report said.

"There's no excuse for that," Murphy said of the glitches and crashes. "But the reality is, this is among the biggest supply-demand imbalances of anything I have ever been around. It's going to get cured."

Murphy noted that 2.7 million people have pre-registered for a vaccine, and he suggested that the sizeable volume of registrations has taxed the system.

Murphy also believes that the Biden administration is helping to fix the supply-demand imbalance, claiming the new president "inherited an empty cupboard" from the Trump administration.

"They're slowly, but surely fixing that," he said. "The president himself is laser-focused on it. I'm cautiously optimistic that, in the not-too-distant future, this is a much more balanced, more regular cadence, much more acceptable reality for all of us."

Murphy spoke just as he noted that the relentless winter weather pattern gripping the Garden State and elsewhere has also caused a break in the supply chain for the COVID-19 vaccine, which will force some appointments to be rescheduled.

Indeed, on Sunday, the supply-chain break forced Monmouth County to cancel appointments. Read more: COVID Vaccination Appointments Delayed In Monmouth County

During his Friday news conference, Murphy confirmed that this week’s vaccine-dose delivery did not make it to New Jersey on time because planes at major hubs for both FedEx and UPS were grounded due to the weather.

Murphy said his administration was working with all New Jersey vaccination sites to make sure they use the existing inventory to satisfy their current appointments. But he acknowledged that will not be enough.

"Not all sites have the inventory on-hand to be able to satisfy current appointments, and this will result in many appointments needing to be rescheduled," he said.

Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said New Jersey didn't get the approximately 230,000 doses – for both first and second shots – that the state was supposed to get this week.

She said the state is working with federal partners to make sure vaccines are delivered to mega-sites, particularly Pfizer doses.

Persichilli urged "patience" and reiterated that New Jersey is working to address the problem.

Using the earlier nor'easter as an indicator, Murphy said he was confident the state would be able to catch up on doses rather quickly once the supply is received.

"We have directed our sites to prepare to ramp up operations and extend hours to efficiently manage this delay once their doses do arrive," he said.

Murphy reiterated that everyone who wants to be vaccinated will be vaccinated, but not as fast as they had originally hoped.

"The doses we have been allocated will eventually be delivered," he said. "We simply ask everyone for a little patience considering the latest kink Mother Nature has thrown into the works – here and nationally."