PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said the state has the capacity to distribute much more of the COVID-19 vaccine if supplies were available from the federal government.
Murphy said he doesn't regret adding people over 65 and those with chronic conditions to the list of those eligible for the vaccine. He also said teachers would be next to be added to the eligibility line.
He said more than 388,000 doses have been administered so far, while the list of those eligible tops 4 million people.
Murphy acknowledged the pent up demand and said New Jersey has the capacity to inoculate many more people if the doses were available.
"The expectations explicitly were first significantly more doses of vaccines to come to New Jersey. People have to remember, we said this right at the beginning, that there's a supply-demand imbalance here," Murphy said. "We have the distribution. So we have adopted the attitude, 'If you build it, they will come.' It is either completely built or in the process of being built. We could take a lot of federal doses right now. We just need more out of the feds."
The state is receiving about 100,000 doses a week, and Murphy said he hopes that figure will be ramped up under the incoming Biden administration.
The governor said the state has opened four of six so-called "megasites" and has more than 130 additional vaccine distribution locations up and running.
Residents have reported frustrations in making vaccine appointments.
At the governor's COVID-19 briefing, state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said because of the limited vaccine supply, residents should be patient.
"It may be some time before you receive an invitation to make an appointment even if you are currently eligible," Persichilli said.
Persichilli said workers are being trained for a new hotline for residents to sign up for the vaccine by phone.
"The department is in the final steps of setting up our vaccine call center and expects to have live agents to guide residents available early next week," she said.
