West Orange Is Helping Seniors, Homebound Get COVID Vaccines

WEST ORANGE, NJ — West Orange is reaching out to seniors and homebound residents who want to get a COVID-19 vaccine, and both programs are still accepting requests, officials said Thursday.

Currently, the Moderna vaccine is being offered, West Orange officials said. To register for either program, contact Laura Van Dyke or Noelia Perez at 973-325-4105.

• See related article: How To Get COVID Vaccines In Essex County (See Updated List)
• See related article: Feds Hit Brakes On J&J Vaccine; Essex County Switches To Moderna

SENIOR TRANSPORTATION

Earlier in April, West Orange joined a pilot program being run by Essex County, which arranges bus transportation for local residents 60-years-old and over to get their shots.

Through the partnership, West Orange is able to transport 11 seniors every Wednesday to a vaccine site located at the Stephen Adubato Sports Complex in Branch Brook Park in Newark.

Here’s how it works for West Orange residents:

“In West Orange, senior residents are transported to the vaccination site on Wednesday mornings. To register, residents can call the Senior Services Department at (973) 325-4105 and provide brief registration information and an appointment is scheduled for the next available Wednesday. From there, the West Orange Senior Transportation program will provide door-to-door, round-trip service to the site. Pick up and return will occur to and from each eligible resident’s home. COVID safety precautions are in place.”

The program is also being run in Newark, East Orange, Orange, Irvington, Bloomfield and Belleville. Read More: Essex County Is Giving Seniors Bus Rides To Get COVID Vaccines

“West Orange is proud to be a part of this outstanding program,” senior livability coordinator Dorothy Sanders and senior service coordinator Laura Van Dyke said.

“We are keenly aware of the angst our seniors have felt in their efforts to schedule appointments,” Sanders and Van Dyke said. “This is one additional strategy to support their efforts. The pilot program is remarkably easy and convenient for them. There is no backlog and the vaccines are readily available at this time.”

HOMEBOUND RESIDENTS

Mayor Robert Parisi recently reminded West Orange that a local program is also available to help homebound residents get vaccinated.

“If you are a homebound resident (either bedbound or have difficulty leaving your home), you may be eligible to have a COVID vaccine administered at your residence,” Parisi wrote. “The Township of West Orange has partnered with registered nurses from Montclair State University School of Nursing to make this possible.”

• See related article: West Orange Partners With MSU To Vaccinate Homebound Residents

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