Somerset County Begins Using Single-Dose J&J COVID Vaccine

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — Somerset County used its first shipment of 700 Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID vaccine doses to help seniors Tuesday morning.

The county held its first mobile clinic geared toward seniors at the Somerville Senior Citizens Housing complex where the residents received the single-dose vaccine. The county has now set up a waiting list for seniors and the homebound interested in being vaccinated.

"Many of our seniors are having difficulty obtaining an appointment to get a COVID vaccine dose due to technology issues, travel limitations, or just the large demand for vaccinations outstripping the supply," said Somerset County Commissioner Doug Singleterry, liaison to Somerset County Public Health and Safety. "Now that we have a more mobile, single-dose vaccine we are better able to hold satellite clinics closer to where seniors live, and even come directly to some homebound residents' homes."

Somerset County has a goal to vaccinate 70 percent of its adult population by the summer. As of last week the county has already provided 23.5 percent of its adult population with a first dose, which is fifth-best in the state, said Somerset County Spokesman Nathan Rudy.

"We are confident this effort will exceed our goal as long as the supplies of vaccine are there. Somerset County itself has provided more than 15,000 doses in the past two months, and has the ability to ramp up to 1,500 and more a day if the allocations are there," said Rudy.

The state recently expanded the vaccine eligibility criteria to include teachers and school workers. The increase in those eligible has made it more difficult for seniors to find an appointment, according to the county.

To address this, the Somerset County Department of Health (SCDoH) is creating the Somerset County COVID-19 Vaccination Waiting List that will prioritize seniors for specific portions of its vaccine allocation.

As with the Somerville clinic, the SCDoH will initially hold vaccination clinics in buildings and communities where seniors live, at the Bridgewater Senior Center, and at the homes of residents unable to travel through county programs like Meals on Wheels.

"At this time there is still a low supply of vaccine, and while we have received 700 doses of the J&J vaccine the state tells us we will probably not receive additional allocations until April and cannot commit to how many doses we will receive," said Dr. Namitha Reddy, director of the Somerset County Department of Health. "Therefore, even though we are creating the Senior Citizen waiting list, we ask for everyone’s patience over the coming weeks and encourage everyone to take any opportunity to be vaccinated that presents itself."

Residents 65 and older or their caregivers who would like to add the senior citizen's contact information to the waiting list can do so by calling the Somerset County COVID Hotline at 908-231-7155, or by filling out the online form at co.somerset.nj.us/covidQs .

Somerset County will also continue administering the Moderna two-dose vaccine at the Raritan Valley Community College location, and as allocations increase will be adding both mobile and drive-through vaccination sites in the county.

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