SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — New Jersey is launching an effort to boost vaccination rates in areas where compliance is lagging. Camden is among the towns being targeted.
The campaign dubbed “Operation: Jersey Summer” will include public service announcements, phone calls, emails and neighborhood visits aimed at convincing those who are hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
“They will work directly in underserved communities, reaching out to residents with information and resources necessary to help them make the decision to be vaccinated,” Governor Phil Murphy said at his coronavirus news conference Monday.
“We’re also putting an army of boots on the ground, safely knocking on doors in communities throughout the state.”
During the briefing, Murphy posted a slide showing 16 New Jersey towns including Camden, where the vaccination rates were below 40 percent.
“Having these numbers out there for everyone to see is important to ensuring that everyone is working and pulling together,” Murphy said.
“This is not going to be a competition between towns and communities, or meant to shame any community.”
But some communities were inadvertently shamed, as the numbers on the slide were significantly dated. Camden’s vaccination rate was listed at 12 percent when it is actually 32 percent.
The governor’s office has since sent out a corrected version of the slide.
