COVID-19 Vaccination Sites In Ocean County

OCEAN COUNTY, NJ — Now that everyone age 16 or older is eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccinations, efforts are expanding to help those in need get appointments.

For Ocean County residents who are looking to stay close to home, there are groups working to help connects residents with appointments. (The Ocean County list of vaccine sites is updated below.)

Compass 82, a local nonprofit organization, is working with Ocean County Senior Services to help people get appointments. Their assistance is available to those 60 or older. To request an appointment for yourself or a loved one, call the Compass 82 Vaccine Helpline at 732-573-7272 and leave a message with the name of the person, phone number (for them or their caregiver), and their address. A scheduler from Compass 82 will call back to schedule the appointments.

In addition, the state of New Jersey has created a Vaccine Appointment Finder. It lists whether appointments are available at a variety of sites. You can scroll through the list or sort by county, and there's a link to go to the website of the specific site to book an appointment.

The state also has a hotline to help seniors 65 and older book appointments. The hotline is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; call 856-249-7007.

As a reminder, there are independent groups that are helping people find and book appointments and they have offered suggestions and tips to make it easier to find a reservation.

If you believe you've already signed up for every list ... sign up again. We asked readers about whether they've been able to secure an appointment, and one of the most common messages was "I've signed up on every site."

Most of the sites administering the vaccine do not have waiting lists. If you do not have an appointment scheduled, waiting to hear from them is only going to add to your frustration.

If you've been waiting more than a week or two, there are volunteer groups helping people — especially those 65 and older, and those who are not as comfortable with using the internet — make appointments for vaccinations. Reach out to them.

• NJ Vaccine Matchmakers is assisting with vaccine appointment registration. It was started by WGIRLS Inc. — a volunteer program centered around empowering women and children in underserved communities. Request help here.
• NJ Vaccine Hunters on Facebook also offers information and updates on appointment availability.
• The New Jersey Covid Vaccine Info Facebook group has published a number of tips. The group also can connect people with volunteers who are helping to book appointments.

Call the Ocean County Office of Senior Services, 732-929-2091. They are helping senior residents get appointments.

For those who are comfortable with the internet:

Sign up for a Twitter account, for one reason alone: To follow the Twitter account Vaccine Bot NJ. This account tweets availability at various sites all over New Jersey, and it tweets around the clock. If you're using a smart phone, you can set up notifications so that every time the account tweets, you see the tweets.

Once you see a tweet for one of the sites you're interested in, be sure to click whatever link is posted in the tweet. This is critical. It will connect you with the site you're trying to reach.
For example, I saw a tweet that the Ocean County Health Department had opened availability. I tried going directly to the website, but the website said there was no availability. However, when I clicked the link in the tweet, it took me right to the health department registration, and I was able to book an appointment. Again, it's important to note that the Ocean County Health Department does not maintain a waiting list.

The Vaccine Bot NJ organizers also have created The Ultimate Vaccine Appointment Guide.

CVS: The pharmacy releases its appointments late at night, usually starting about midnight and continuing for at least an hour, sometimes more. If you're trying to book an appointment through CVS, follow the directions shared by the Vaccine Bot NJ account closely.

Atlantic City Mega-Site: The Atlantic City mega-site is posting thousands of appointments. If you have the ability to drive or can find someone to drive you, this may be your best bet at getting a vaccination quickly. The site was releasing more than 18,000 appointments at a time.

Walgreens: The pharmacy is offering appointments but it's not clear which stores have the vaccine as they are not yet listed in the state's COVID-19 vaccine site database. You can make an appointment online, or call 1-800-925-4733 and the call center will make an appointment for you.

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.

You can still register on the state's Vaccine Scheduling System and you will be notified when appointments are available. But that system only applies to a handful of sites, including the mega-site at Rowan College in Gloucester County.

• AtlantiCare is operating the mega-site for vaccinations at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Tips from the various vaccine groups on Facebook and Twitter say it's best to create an account at https://covidreg.atlanticare.org/ScheduleVaccine ahead of time and be sure to write down your user name and password. When appointments open, you should see a message saying you're in the queue. When your queue number is current, you will get a message that you are being redirected to the site and then you need to enter your username and password. When you are trying to pick an appointment, don't pick the first on the list; by the time you will click, that appointment will be gone.

Here are locations in Ocean County offering appointments:

ACME

• 5 Ortley Plaza, Seaside Heights
• Acme appointments

CHEMED

• 25 New Hampshire Ave., Lakewood
• 732-362-6666
• chemedhealth.org

COMMUNITY MEDICAL CENTER

• 99 Route 37 West, Toms River
• rwjbh.org/covid19vaccine

CVS (OCEAN COUNTY SITES)

• Beachwood
• Brick
• Manahawkin
• Seaside Heights
• Toms River
• Waretown
• Whiting
• CVS registration link

CVS (OUTSIDE OCEAN COUNTY)

• Browns Mills (Burlington County)
• Howell (Monmouth County)
• Manasquan (Monmouth County)
• Neptune (Monmouth County)
• Wall (Monmouth County)
• CVS registration link

JERSEY SHORE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER

• 1945 Route 33, Neptune
• 732-897-7926
• COVID-19 vaccine scheduling link

LONG BEACH ISLAND HEALTH DEPARTMENT

• Ship Bottom
• 609-492-1212
• lbihealth.com/

MONMOUTH MEDICAL CENTER SOUTHERN CAMPUS

• 600 River Ave., Lakewood
• rwjbh.org/covid19vaccine

OCEAN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

• RWJ Barnabas Healthcare Arena, Old Freehold Road at Toms River High School North, Toms River; Manchester Township Elementary School, North Colonial Drive, Manchester; and Southern Regional Middle School, Route 72, Manahawkin
• Restricted to Ocean County residents only
• 800-342-9738
• Follow the link supplied by the Vaccine Bot NJ account.
• ochd.org/covid19-vaccine/

OCEAN HEALTH INITIATIVES

• 10 Stockton Dr., Toms River
• 101 2nd St., Lakewood
• 798 Route 539, Little Egg Harbor Township
• 732-363-6655
• ohinj.org

OCEAN MEDICAL CENTER

• 425 Jack Martin Blvd., Brick
• 732-836-4144
• COVID-19 vaccine scheduling link

RITE AID

• 895 West Bay Ave., Barnegat
• 416 Route 9, Bayville
• 93 Atlantic City Blvd., Beachwood
• 1041 Burnt Tavern Road, Brick
• 101 S. Main St., Forked River
• 1 North New Prospect Road, Jackson
• 159 East Kennedy Blvd., Lakewood
• 702 Grand Central Ave., Lavallette
• 220 Mathistown Road, Little Egg Harbor
• 2101 Route 70, Manchester
• 3258 Bridge Ave., Point Pleasant
• 31 Mule Road, Toms River
• 811 Fischer Blvd., Toms River
• 2 Route 37 East, Toms River
• 1726 Route 37, Toms River
• 220 Route 70, Toms River
• 8B Lacey Road, Whiting
• Rite Aid vaccine scheduling link

SHOPRITE

• Chambers Bridge Road, Brick
• 2 Route 37 West, Toms River
• 860 Fischer Blvd., Toms River
• Route 70, Manchester
• 297 Route 72, Manahawkin
• 1173 Beacon Ave., Manahawkin
• ShopRite vaccine scheduling link

SILVERTON PHARMACY

• 1824 Hooper Ave., Toms River
• Silverton Pharmacy vaccine scheduling link

SOUTHERN OCEAN MEDICAL CENTER

• 1173 Beacon Ave., Manahawkin
• 609-597-6011
• COVID-19 vaccine scheduling link

STOP & SHOP

• Toms River
• Stop & Shop vaccine scheduling link

WALMART

• 950 Route 37 West, Toms River
• 525 Route 72 West, Manahawkin
• Walmart vaccine scheduling link

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

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