'COVID Corps' To Knock On Howell Doors To Promote Vaccine: Murphy

HOWELL, NJ - Government employees and volunteers will be knocking on doors of homes in New Jersey towns that are below 70 percent vaccinated for the coronavirus — and Howell is one of those towns, Gov. Phil Murphy said on Monday.

This week, Gov. Murphy said Corps workers will be knocking on front doors in towns including: Jersey City, Bayonne, North Bergen, West New York, Hoboken, Union City, Passaic, Paterson, Newark, East Orange, Irvington, Perth Amboy, New Brunswick, Piscataway, Old Bridge, Woodbridge, Camden, Gloucester, Vineland, Trenton, Atlantic City, Howell, Middletown, Lakewood, Toms River, Brick and Jackson.

Additional towns will continue to be added, said Nancy Kearney, a spokeswoman with the New Jersey Department of Health. Corps workers will be knocking on doors in any New Jersey town that is below 70 percent vaccinated, according to the spokeswoman.

Per the latest Dept. of Health data, 47 percent of all Howell residents are vaccinated (this number includes children) and 59 percent of Howell residents over 18 are fully vaccinated. 65 percent of Howell residents over 18 have gotten at least one shot.

"Corps members are visiting towns that have not yet reached 70 percent of their adult population getting their first doses," Kearney said.

"As part of our Operation Jersey Summer, we have our COVID-19 Community Corps working door to door across a bunch of municipalities to make sure everyone not only has the facts they need to make the right decision about getting vaccinated, but that they know where to get vaccinated, " said Gov. Murphy on Monday in this press conference. "So far, our COVID Community Corps team has knocked on more than 134,000 doors — incredible — and made nearly 67,000 phone calls and texts ... We're not stopping ... I thank each and every person walking their communities to help us get the word out that the vaccines are safe, effective and free ... they're doing great work to reach deep into our communities."

Should you get a knock on your door, expect the state workers to encourage you to get the vaccine, and tell you where you can get the shot.

"For general canvassing, they will go to all homes in a neighborhood, speak with those who haven't been vaccinated or thank those who have and encourage them to speak with their friends," said Kearney. "If no one is home, they will leave door hanger information on the vaccines and other social services information from the state Health Department."

"Canvassers are out during the week and on weekends," she said.

Monmouth County has the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines available at Brookdale Community College with no appointment necessary. The Brookdale vaccination site will be open Tuesdays from 1 to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. Vaccines are available for residents who are at least 12 years old and live, work or attend school in Monmouth County.

In Howell, there have been 5590 cases of coronavirus since the county first started tracking cases last March. In Monmouth County, there have been 67,000 total cases and 1,486 deaths due to coronavirus, according to the state's COVID dashboard.

With reporting by Carly Baldwin.