Where To Get The Coronavirus Vaccine In New Jersey

NEW JERSEY — If you're frustrated trying to figure out where and when you can get the coronavirus vaccine in New Jersey, you're not alone.

State officials have wrestled with short supply, daily glitches and crashes in its COVID-19 vaccination system and confusion about how to secure appointments.

Here's some information on securing an appointment in New Jersey.

Who's Eligible Now?

• Paid and unpaid healthcare workers
• Residents and workers of long-term care and high-risk congregate care facilities
• First responders including sworn law enforcement and fire professionals
• Individuals aged over 65
• Individuals aged 16-64 that have certain medical conditions that increase the risk of severe illness from the virus
• Pre-K to 12 educators and staff
• Childcare workers in licensed and registered settings
• Transportation workers
• Additional public safety workers
• Additional high-risk individuals

Beginning March 29th, additional frontline essential workers and others became eligible to book vaccine appointments. Read more: More NJ COVID Vaccine Expansion: Clergy, Food Workers

Beginning April 5th, vaccine eligibility expanded to people ages 55 and older, retail and construction workers and the media. Read more: NJ COVID Vaccines To Expand To Ages 55+, Retail, Many Others

On April 19th, anyone 16 and old can get the vaccine. Read more: COVID Vaccines To Expand to NJ Residents 16 And Older

The Garden State now has access to three COVID-19 vaccines following the FDA's approval of an emergency use authorization for the new single-dose vaccine from Johnson & Johnson. Read more: 3 COVID Vaccines Now Available In NJ: How Do They Differ?

Where to Get Vaccinated

Eligible patients can preregister through the state for an appointment. The process may not immediately give you an appointment date but will put you on a list to alert you when an appointment becomes available.

Here's a map that will show vaccination sites near you.

Those who work or volunteer at select health care facilities can make an appointment through their place of work. Veterans who receive care from Veterans Affairs health facilities or live in VA long-term care facilities may be eligible for vaccines through the VA.

Tips and Tricks

Patch has gathered tips that may help for securing vaccine appointments and websites with additional information:

• Join the New Jersey Covid Vaccine Info Facebook group. The 61,000-member group gives New Jerseyans the opportunity to share up-to-date information on vaccine availability.
• Follow VaxxUpdates on Twitter. The page helps Garden State residents secure vaccine appointments with instant updates on availability.
• CVS and Rite Aid began scheduling COVID-19 appointments at locations that will receive vaccines. But appointments fill up quickly. CVS, Rite Aid and Walmart have expanded their number of sites. Read more: CVS Adding 30 COVID-19 Vaccine Sites In New Jersey
• CentraState Healthcare System in Freehold periodically opens registration. They will email a link when you're eligible for an appointment.
• Check out the COVID-19 Vaccine Registration FAQ from RWJBarnabas Health.
• Acme is not doing COVID vaccines yet, but you can now sign up at their website to be alerted when the vaccine becomes available in your area.
• ShopRite sometimes has a wait time to access its vaccine scheduler, but it allows the public to make appointments.