Just 15 Percent Of New Brunswick's Adults Are Fully Vaccinated

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — According to data released this week by the state Department of Health, just 15 percent of New Brunswick's adult population has been entirely vaccinated, and 30 percent of New Brunswick adults have received at least one shot.

New Brunswick city has a population of about 57,000, 45,000 of which are older than 18.

New Brunswick's vaccine rates are very low, especially compared with neighboring towns like Edison, Highland Park and Metuchen.

A spokesman for the city of New Brunswick touted that 30 percent of city residents have gotten at least one shot, which is six percent higher than late April numbers. He also said the city is currently opening more walk-in clinics, which it hopes will encourage vaccinations. For example, St. Peter's University Hospital on Easton Avenue will have a walk-in clinic from 4-8 p.m. Thursday on the hospital's main campus; no appointment needed.

Middlesex County will also run a walk-in vaccine clinic from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Friday at the Heldrich Hotel.

"Coupled with Middlesex County's new appointment scheduling system where residents can select from a list of clinics being offered and schedule their own appointments, these numbers will have nowhere to go but up," said city spokesman Bert Baron. "We are heavily promoting walk-in vaccine opportunities on our website and social pages as well."

Any site run by Middlesex County is now taking walk-ins, as well, something New Brunswick said it would "heavily promote."

According to the state Dept. of Health, New Brunswick and Perth Amboy have the lowest vaccine compliance in Middlesex County:

New Brunswick: 30 percent of adults got one shot; 15 percent fully vaccinated

Perth Amboy: 38 percent of adults got one shot; 19 percent are fully vaccinated

Carteret: 47 percent of adults got one shot; 29 percent are fully vaccinated

Other New Jersey towns with very low vaccine rates:

Trenton: 17 percent vaccinated

Camden: 18 percent vaccinated

Lakehurst borough (Ocean County): 17 percent vaccinated

South Toms River: 19 percent vaccinated

Lakewood: 14 percent of the total population vaccinated, but 65 percent of those over 65 are vaccinated.

Most vaccinated towns in Middlesex County:

Cranbury: 85 percent one dose; 67 percent fully vaccinated

South Brunswick: 78 percent one dose; 58 percent fully vaccinated

Plainsboro: 76 percent one dose; 51 percent fully vaccinated

Edison: 73 percent have one dose; 50 percent fully vaccinated

Metuchen: 73 percent one dose; 54 percent fully vaccinated

Highland Park: 65 percent have one dose; 45 percent are fully vaccinated

Woodbridge: 59 percent have one dose; 40 percent are fully vaccinated

Some New Jersey towns have nearly 100 percent vaccine compliance, especially among their 65+ residents: 86 percent of Princeton residents 65+ have been vaccinated.

In West Windsor, it's 89 percent. In Avalon, which doesn't have a large youth population, 90 percent of all town residents have been vaccinated.

New Jersey set a goal to fully vaccinate 70 percent of adults — 4.7 million people — by the end of June. About 3.7 million people in New Jersey have been fully vaccinated as of Wednesday.

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