Essex County COVID Vaccine Clinics Now Mobile-Only: What To Know

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Essex County's changeover to mobile-only coronavirus vaccine clinics continues.

On Monday, Essex County officials released the upcoming winter schedule for its mobile COVID-19 vaccine clinics, noting that there will be no clinics scheduled the week of Nov. 21 because of the Thanksgiving holiday. The new schedule will begin on Monday, Nov. 28 (see below).

At the peak of the pandemic, the county ran five vaccine centers in Livingston (at the former Sears building in the Livingston Mall), Newark (at Essex County College and the Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology), West Caldwell (at Essex County West Caldwell School of Technology) and West Orange (at the former Kmart building on Prospect Avenue).

As more Essex County residents got vaccinated, reducing demand, the county gradually closed these centers, which also offered free COVID-19 testing. The last remaining center – the one in Livingston – shut down last month. Read More: COVID Vaccine Center At Livingston Mall Closes

Meanwhile, the county has continued to run its mobile vaccine and testing unit, which has been previously placed in front of the municipal buildings in Irvington, Newark, Orange and East Orange on a rotating basis.

There will be some changes in locations with the new schedule, officials noted. Here’s where they will take place:

• Mondays from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Hall of Records Parking Garage Conference Room, 84 West Market Street in Newark
• Tuesdays from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Essex County Watsessing Park Community Center at 38 Conger Street in Bloomfield
• Wednesdays from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Chris Gatling Community Center at 291 Union Avenue in Irvington
• Thursdays from 2 to 6 p.m. at Essex County Turtle Back Zoo in the Berson Education Building at 560 Northfield Avenue in West Orange

Only the Moderna vaccine will be offered at the mobile locations for people ages 6 years and older. COVID-19 testing is not being offered.

Appointments are recommended and can be made at EssexCOVID.org or 973-877-8456.

“Getting vaccinated is still the best defense against the COVID-19 virus and best protection from serious illness,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said.

“We are continuing our mobile vaccination clinics to make sure everyone has access to these life-saving vaccines,” he added.

As of Nov. 21, Essex County has held 702 mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinics since March 2021. Essex County has administered 615,637 vaccine doses through its COVID-19 vaccination program.

There are many other places in New Jersey to get a COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot. New Jersey maintains an online vaccine finder, which can be seen here.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Essex County’s COVID-19 community level is currently in “medium” risk status. See what that means here.

The latest case and vaccine data in Essex County can be seen below, via the CDC.

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