NJ COVID-19 Vaccine Update: State Issues New Recommendations

NEW JERSEY — The rate of COVID-19 vaccinations in New Jersey continues to increase. But the Garden State continues to deal with issues in its vaccine rollout even as it's providing new recommendations for improving efficacy.

The state has provided new recommendations for what not to do before and after getting a shot now that the New Jersey Department of Health has logged at least 3,007,152 vaccine doses as of Monday afternoon.

That includes 1,003,444 who have received both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine. The state set a goal to inoculate 70 percent of adults in six months, which would mean 4.7 million people fully vaccinated by mid-June.

Here are some recent updates on getting the COVID-19 vaccine in New Jersey.

Over-the-Counter Medications

Taking over-the-counter medicine, like ibuprofen, aspirin, antihistamines, or acetaminophen, is not recommended before vaccination because it is unknown how these medications interact with the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the state Department of Health.

If you get any other vaccine first, including a flu or shingles vaccine, wait at least 14 days before getting your COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, you should wait at least 14 days before getting any other vaccine after you get your COVID-19 vaccine, the DOH says.

If you do get a COVID-19 vaccine within 14 days of another vaccine, you do not need to be revaccinated with either vaccine. You should still complete both vaccine series on schedule.

Who's Eligible

The following people are eligible for vaccinations in New Jersey as of Tuesday:

• health care workers
• residents and workers in longterm-care of high-risk congregate care facilities
• first responders and public-safety workers, including sworn law enforcement and fire professionals
• people 65 or older
• people ages 16-65 with qualifying medical conditions that increase the risk of severe illness from the virus
• educators and staff from pre-K through 12th grade
• childcare workers in licensed and registered settings
• transportation workers
• additional people at high risk

Transportation workers, additional public-safety workers and other high-risk individuals will be able to get vaccinated starting March 15.

The following become eligible March 29:

• 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

NJ Lagging Behind Its Vaccine Goal

New Jersey received its first shipments earlier this Month of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine — the first one-dose COVID-19 vaccine distributed in the United States. The one-dose shots could become instrumental in helping New Jersey reach its six-month vaccine goal.

Nearly three months into vaccinations, the Garden State has fallen behind. New Jersey would need to administer 9.4 million doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to meet its six-month goal. That's about 51,000 per day over a six-month period.

But New Jersey has fallen behind on that pace (DATA EXPLAINED HERE):

However, when compared to all U.S. states, New Jersey ranks in the top half on its pace of vaccinations.

Nationally, 21 percent of Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 11.3 percent got both shots, according to NPR. In New Jersey, 23.9 percent have had one shot, while 12.2 percent received both doses.

New Jersey ranks 10th among states in terms of the percentage of people with at least one shot. New Mexico tops the list with 29 percent, while Georgia sits last at 15.7 percent.

In terms of the percentage of people with both doses, New Jersey places 20th among all states. Alaska ranks first at 17.9 percent, while Utah placed last with 8.3 percent.

Push to Get Teachers Vaccinated

Gov. Phil Murphy originally planned to open vaccinations March 15 to teachers, school staff and childcare providers. But state officials reversed course, opening their eligibility about a week prior. President Joe Biden urged Murphy to move up the timetable.

"Let's treat in-person learning like an essential service that it is," Biden said March 2. "And that means getting essential workers who provide that service, educators, school staff, child care workers, get them vaccinated immediately. They're essential workers."

Initially, Murphy didn't budge, saying the day after that teachers wouldn't move ahead in New Jersey's schedule. But the Department of Health decided March 5th to move up the eligibility date for teachers. Read more: 'Back To The Classroom': NJ Teachers Now Getting COVID Vaccines

The timeline could allow districts to open up more in-person education before the end of the school year.

But much of that will depend on how easily teachers and school staff can get appointments in the coming weeks. Rite Aid tried to help by only allowing teachers, school staff and childcare providers to get vaccinated at their pharmacies for two days last week.

Additionally, several Bergen County mothers have volunteered to help teachers find appointments.

Struggles with Seniors

New Jersey expanded vaccine eligibility mid-January to people 65 and older, but many have struggled with finding appointments. The state developed programs to vaccinate nursing homes and long-term-care facilities early in the inoculation process. But seniors who live independently have faced different issues.

Many have found the need to register through other New Jersey facilities providing the vaccine, such as hospitals. Struggles for seniors include the inability to maneuver the online process and failure to swipe up appointments when they become available. And even if they can find an appointment, some can't travel far.

Then there are logistical issues. Take Ocean County, which has New Jersey's second-highest senior population with more than 138,000.

There are more than 7,200 beds in the county's long-term-care facilities, but that's a fraction of the number of seniors living in the area. A lack of doses and vaccine sites have made it difficult for seniors in Ocean County to find appointments, and several seniors told Patch about their experiences. Read more: Few COVID-19 Shots, Few Locations: Ocean Co. Seniors Beg For Help

Several grassroots efforts have popped up to help. The NJ Vaccine Matchmakers, a volunteer group, helps less tech-savvy seniors with the predominantly online process of finding vaccine appointments. Read more: Basking Ridge Residents Connect NJ Seniors To COVID Vaccines

• Request help from the NJ Vaccine Matchmakers.
• Volunteer as a matchmaker.

You could call them "COVID Angels." Chester middle school teacher Heather McCarthy saw the term in an article. After seeing seniors in her community struggle to get appointments, she helped organize volunteers to help seniors find appointments.

"Our goal is to help those who don't have the tech-savvy or know how to help themselves," she said. Read more: NJ Teacher Becomes 'COVID ANGEL' To Find Vaccines For The Elderly