Union County Begins COVID Vaccinations Of Homebound Residents

UNION COUNTY, NJ — Union County will begin vaccinating homebound residents in Clark, Garwood and Cranford on Wednesday and will move on to other towns after that.

This will kick off the Union County Board of Commissioners' Homebound Vaccination Program in an effort to vaccinate its residents who are unable to leave their homes.

"Our most vulnerable communities must not be left behind and the effort to vaccinate the homebound is critical to the success of overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic," said Commissioner Chairman Alexander Mirabella. "This is a major step forward as we continue to build toward herd immunity in Union County."

Commissioner Sergio Granados, who is the Chairman of the County’s Public Safety Committee said the homebound program will serve residents, beginning at age 18 and older.

"We won't stop until we vaccinate all of Union County’s homebound residents who want a vaccination and who are among the most vulnerable to the virus," said Granados.

The program will be administered through the County's Human Services Department. The County is partnering with the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey, Holy Redeemer Visiting Nurses and Jewish Family Service of Central New Jersey to offer the program.

Well over 2,000 residents have been identified as homebound and in need of the program throughout 21 Union County municipalities thus far, according to Human Services Director Debbie-Ann Anderson.

Residents who are homebound and wish to receive a COVID-19 vaccination may call the County's Division on Aging and Disability Resources at 1-888-280-8226 between the hours of 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Currently, the County will begin by offering the Moderna vaccination, and then transition into the Johnson and Johnson one-shot vaccination.

Those interested in the homebound program must be 18 years and older and fall under any of the following categories:

• The person's doctor believes that their health or illness could get worse if they leave the home.
• The person requires the help of another person and/or medical equipment to leave the home, or finds it difficult to leave the home and typically cannot do so.
• The person is served by a home health care organization.
• The person is served by social services agencies (e.g. non-medical home care, Meals on Wheels, Community Action Programs, Paratransit services, etc.).
• The person is physically or intellectually disabled.

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