PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Health care workers in New Jersey have been getting COVID-19 vaccines all week, as part of the group labeled 1A by the government. However, the state says only a fraction of the doses that were expected have arrived so far.
About 54,000 doses will arrive in New Jersey next week, much lower than the 87,000 Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli expected to see.
“We expect that the demand for the vaccine will far exceed the supply,” she said.
Persichilli said the total for the month will be about 33% lower than initially expected as well. Every state has the same problem.
Now that Moderna’s vaccine has been approved by the FDA, more supply is coming but it still won’t be enough for the 650,000 health care workers in the state to get vaccinated right away. This could take months to complete.
“The health and safety of our front line health care workers is our current priority because we need them on the job to care for the increasing number of patients in our hospitals,” said Persichilli.
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Currently, and for at least the next week, hospitals are the only locations receiving shipments. The state will soon set up six vaccination "megasites" and two will be in our area, one at the Moorestown Mall and another at Rowan University.
“We will be distributing information on those sites and hours of operation next week and how these individuals in the 1A category can access the sites for appointments. There will also be walk-up availability,” Persichilli said.
Nursing home residents and staff will begin getting vaccinated December 28, according to the health commissioner. Once the state's 650,000 health care workers receive the vaccine, then people over age 65 with pre-existing conditions will be the priority. Once that phase is complete, then the general public will be eligible.
Persichilli said the ultimate goal is to vaccinate 70% of the state’s eligible adult population by July.