As Delta Variant Spikes In NJ, Vaccinations Lag In These Towns

NEW JERSEY — More than 5.1 million New Jersey residents have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, but with the delta variant becoming more prominent in the state, officials are urging everyone to get vaccinated.

But while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says New Jersey is eighth among all states when it comes to vaccinations, some major parts of the state continue to lag, officials said.

This includes some municipalities in which the vaccination rates remain below 50 percent, according to state data.

On Monday, New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Perscihilli said the state has ambassadors in 11 counties working with elected officials and local public health and community groups to get those numbers up.

Those counties include Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Passaic and Union.

“We continue to focus on increasing vaccinations in communities where we see lower rates,” Persichilli said. “The collaborations are helping to increase rates, and it provides insight into these communities.”

For example, state data shows New Brunswick’s vaccination rate is less than 50 percent. However, officials have determined that their coverage is actually more than 70 percent when you factor in Rutgers University students living off campus who must get vaccinated when they go back to school, Persichilli said.

Camden City is another town with a low vaccination rate, and it was the Camden County town hit the hardest by the coronavirus pandemic. Even their numbers are trending upward, though, Camden County Commissioner Jonathan Young said on Thursday.

“Folks still don’t trust it, and it’s not from a lack of effort,” Young said. “Camden has been our hot spot, and our main focus. In the last week, we’ve seen a 5 percent increase in those who are 18-and-up getting vaccinated. It’s ticking up very slowly. We’re getting there. We just have to keep after them and keep educating them.”

“Collaboration with local community leaders is key to increasing our vaccination rates,” Persichilli said.

The state has shut down its COVID-19 vaccination mega-sites that it had set up statewide, but the vaccine is still readily available. Residents can find out how to get the vaccine near them at covid19.nj.gov.

The 10 New Jersey towns with the lowest vaccination rates according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard are:

• Lakewood (39 percent)
• Phillipsburg (39 percent)
• New Brunswick (41 percent)
• Bridgeton (42 percent)
• Irvington (42 percent)
• East Orange (43 percent)
• Trenton (45 percent)
• Camden (46 percent)
• Glassboro (47 percent)
• Orange (49 percent)