Politics & Government

Huge FEMA Vaccine Site In Newark Also Serves Other NJ Towns

NJ's largest COVID vaccine site gets its own doses from the feds. It serves several towns in Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union counties.

The "largest mass COVID-19 vaccination site" in New Jersey officially opened its doors to the public last week in Newark.
The "largest mass COVID-19 vaccination site" in New Jersey officially opened its doors to the public last week in Newark. (Photo courtesy of FEMA)

NEWARK, NJ — A huge, federally backed COVID-19 vaccination site in Newark is officially up and running, and it’s serving several towns and cities in Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union counties.

Last week, the "largest mass COVID-19 vaccination site" in New Jersey opened its doors to the public. Located on the campus of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the site can give up to 6,000 doses per day, seven days per week.

It will be open Monday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and is located at 56 Lock Street. The site is expected to be operational until at least June, officials said. Read More: New Jersey's Largest Coronavirus Vaccine Site Opens In Newark

Find out what's happening in Newarkfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

It isn’t just Newark residents who can get vaccinated at the massive center. New Jersey residents who live in the zip codes below and also meet the eligibility criteria can register for a vaccination appointment by utilizing the NJ Vaccine Scheduling System (NJVSS) website, or by calling the state's COVID-19 Vaccination Hotline at 1-855-568-0545.

  • Essex County - 07017 East Orange; 07018 East Orange; 07050 Orange; 07102 Newark; 07103 Newark; 07104 Newark; 07105 Newark; 07106 Newark; 07107 Newark; 07108 Newark; 07111 Irvington; 07112 Newark; 07114 Newark
  • Hudson County - 07002 Bayonne; 07029 Harrison; 07047 North Bergen; 07093 West New York [includes Guttenberg]; 07302 Jersey City; 07304 Jersey City; 07305 Jersey City; 07306 Jersey City; 07307 Jersey City; 07310 Jersey City; 07311 Jersey City
  • Passaic County - 07055 Passaic; 07501 Paterson; 07502 Paterson; 07503 Paterson; 07504 Paterson; 07505 Paterson; 07513 Paterson; 07514 Paterson; 07522 Paterson; 07524 Paterson; 07508 Prospect Park [includes Haledon Borough]; 07538 Prospect Park
  • Union County - 07060 Plainfield; 07062 Plainfield; 07063 Plainfield; 07201 Elizabeth; 07202 Elizabeth; 07206 Elizabethport; 07208 Elizabeth

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will be administered for the first six weeks the site is open, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be given for the remaining two weeks, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Find out what's happening in Newarkfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Vaccines are provided directly from the federal government, above and beyond the state's regular allocations, officials said.

After initially allowing “walk-ins” at the site, the center is now requiring people to make appointments. Those who show up to the Newark center without an appointment and are within an eligible group will still have the opportunity to register to receive a vaccination at a later date, according to a FEMA spokesperson.

Newark was among the first cities chosen for a pilot program from FEMA. In addition to creating a federally backed site in the Brick City – the most populated in New Jersey – FEMA also announced locations for new sites in Boston, Massachusetts and Norfolk, Virginia.

The goal is to get more shots into arms in some of the nation's most vulnerable areas, officials said. Locations were chosen based on factors including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "social vulnerability index," U.S. Census data, and input from state and local partners.

The center is being supported by the federal government, in partnership with the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, the New Jersey Department of Health, Essex County and the City of Newark.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

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