50 Percent Of Wayne Residents Have Gotten A COVID Vaccine

WAYNE, NJ — Mayor Christopher Vergano reported that more than 50 percent of eligible Wayne residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccination, the highest ratio in Passaic County.

Vergano, speaking during a Sunday video update, cited new statistics from the county which collected the number of eligible residents, and those who have already received at least one dose of the vaccine.

The mayor reported that of Wayne's population of 54,636, 43,749 are eligible to receive a vaccine, and of those residents, 23,196 have received at least one dose. This means 53.2 percent of residents are at least halfway vaccinated, Vergano said.

The township's Macy's vaccine clinic would receive 500 doses this week, 50 of which would be the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Demand is still high, so vaccine slots are limited at the Macy's location, Vergano said.

"Hopefully getting from 300 to 500, we'll be able to help more people. That's our only goal here, is making it easier for you to get your vaccines," Vergano said.

News of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine arrival in Wayne comes as a positive development for homebound residents, as all 50 of those doses will be reserved for them.

"If you come to Macy's you're getting Moderna, if you're homebound you're getting the J&J," Vergano said.

Another 35 doses will be allocated to educators who are looking to get vaccinated, after 100 were allocated last week.

In total, the vaccine clinic has vaccinated 6,662 people, including 4,501 first doses and 2,156 second doses.

Over half of those vaccines — 2,504 — have gone to people 62 and older, Vergano said.

Watch his full video update here:

Keep up to date with what's happening in your community by subscribing to your local Patch newsletter here.