Bloomfield Officials Give COVID Update: Vaccine, Contact Tracing

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — It still isn’t known what the full extent of the recent, statewide surge in coronavirus cases will mean for the 50,000 people who call Bloomfield home. But the town continues its efforts to slow the spread of the disease and is keeping close tabs on the development of a vaccine, municipal officials reported Thursday.

Health Director Karen Lore gave a local COVID-19 update during the Bloomfield Board of Health meeting on Dec. 10.

Lore said the township is continuing with its contact tracing efforts, and added that Bloomfield “still hasn’t fully experienced what the surge will be.”

As of Friday, Bloomfield has seen 2,449 cumulative cases of COVID-19, with 84 deaths linked to the disease, according to statistics from Essex County.

There are 49,973 people living in Bloomfield, according to the most recent estimate from the U.S. Census.

Lore said the township has been in contact with Essex County officials regarding the distribution of any COVID-19 vaccine, including Pfizer’s, which got a key approval from a Food and Drug Administration committee on Thursday.

“Right now it looks like it’s going to be a regional distribution that is run out of the county,” Lore said.

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“The initial doses that we will be receiving is unknown, but the priority will be to first vaccinate acute health care, then first responders and central workers… and depending on the number of vaccines, it will be tiering down to the general public,” Lore said.

Lore said the county has asked Bloomfield to provide support staff to the regional location that will serve the township.

“Things are rapidly moving forward,” Lore said, adding that the township plans to roll out educational programs to inform residents about the vaccine and urge them to be vaccinated once one becomes available.

Watch the full video of the Dec. 10 meeting below.

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