PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — New Jersey is setting up six locations to distribute the coronavirus vaccine to front-line workers. The sites are expected to be up and running by the middle of next month.
Health care workers are being inoculated at hospitals right now. But New Jersey plans to open six so-called “megasites” where more people can get the coronavirus vaccine.
Gov. Phil Murphy said three of the sites will be in South Jersey — at the Moorestown Mall, at Rowan College of South Jersey in Sewell, and at the Atlantic City Convention Center.
First in line will be front-line healthcare workers, then essential workers, then adults over 65 and people with high-risk medical conditions.
State Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said the general public would be after that, but she said exactly when will depend on the supply of the vaccine.
She noted that for December, the state was getting 20% fewer doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines than expected.
Murphy warned that the arrival of the vaccines is no reason to stop social distancing and wearing masks.
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“The vaccine's mere presence in our state is not enough to move the needle. We will need to embrace it and we will need to keep up with our other practices,” he said.
Vaccinations for residents and staff of long-term care facilities are scheduled to begin Dec. 28, under a state partnership with CVS and Walgreens.