Holmdel Hospital Now Offering COVID Vaccine Walk-Ins For Ages 12+

HOLMDEL, NJ - Bayshore Medical Center (727 North Beers Street) in Holmdel has started offering walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations for those ages 12 and over.

While both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine are available, the Pfizer vaccine is recommended for those under 16. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel approved the emergency-use authorization of Pfizer's vaccine for teens on Wednesday afternoon, with Gov. Murphy saying that all New Jersey children in that age group would be able to get the shot as early as Thursday anywhere wherever the Pfizer vaccine is being administered.

Those participating in walk-in vaccination hours at Bayshore should bring photo ID and an insurance card if applicable.

Walk-in vaccination hours are currently Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Starting May 19, walk-in hours will be Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Other Hackensack Meridian sites offering walk-in appointments include Bergen County Meadowlands, Raritan Bay Old Bridge, Raritan Bay Perth Amboy and Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank. Thousands of appointments are also available to schedule through the hospital website.

Gov. Phil Murphy has indicated that the Garden State is prepared to begin vaccinating the younger age demographic, with children slated to receive the vaccine in one of the following ways:

Murphy said children may be able to get vaccinated in one of the following ways:

• through partnerships with schools;
• pediatricians;
• local pharmacies;
• at mega-sites;
• using the state's COVID-19 mega-sites to bring doses directly to the communities where the children live; and
• Walgreens, which is already vaccinating residents ages 16-and-up

Clinical trials for vaccines that can be used for residents as young as 2 years old are underway, according to Department of Health Communicable Disease Service Medical Director Dr. Edward Lifshitz.

"By this fall, there may be a vaccine authorized for patients that young, but I wouldn't expect anything earlier than that," Lifshitz said.

Vaccinating students would go toward Murphy's goal of having everyone return to in-person learning full-time for the beginning of the 2021-22 school year.

"We want to see schools back in person, and we are highly confident we can do that safely and responsibly," Murphy said.

As of May 14, the state has reported 4.5 million people with at least one vaccine dose and 3.57 million individuals that are fully vaccinated.

With reporting by Russ Crespolini and Anthony Bellano.