No COVID-19 Vaccine For NJ Gov. Phil Murphy ​—​ For Now

NEW JERSEY - Although Gov. Phil Murphy is telling everyone in the Garden State to get vaccinated, he is passing on his own inoculation protocol — for now.

"We're not getting vaccinated," Murphy said during his Monday COVID-19 briefing, as he gestured to his companions on the dais, including Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichili and Superintendent of the State Police Col. Pat Callahan.

"We want healthcare workers, long-term care residents, staff, the disabilities and other homes that Judy was able to include in the federal program. There is a reason for that rhythm and a reason for that priority and with all due respect folks like us are not on that list."

Murphy said that New Jersey has a "very good" vaccination plan in place but there is an enormous supply and demand imbalance right now.

"I recognize as role models as people as public officials, however, you might describe (that) there is some benefit to seeing us receiving it," he said.

"But when there is such a supply-demand imbalance as great as it is, and you still have not gone through healthcare workers, long-term care residents, essential workers, folks meaningfully older than we are. I just can't justify it. That is my personal opinion."

The news comes on the same day residents and staff at Roosevelt Care Center on Marlboro Road started receiving their first shots.

In total, 291 nursing homes in New Jersey will get the vaccine; it is unknown why Roosevelt was chosen for the kick-off. The long-term care vaccinations will continue through the beginning of February, with more sites to be added in the coming weeks. The long-term care facilities are using the Pfizer vaccine, which requires two injections spaced 28 days apart.

Nursing home vaccinations were actually delayed by one week because the state of New Jersey missed a federal deadline to apply; the state wanted to start the vaccinations Dec. 21. Related: No Nursing Home COVID-19 Vaccines On Monday; NJ Missed Deadline

The first person who got the vaccine was resident Mildred Clements, who turned 103 on Christmas Eve. She was wheeled out to get her shot and nurses tied "happy birthday" balloons to her wheelchair while she waited. She said she felt like a star, and was tired but excited to get it over with. Gov. Murphy told her "it's an honor to meet you," minutes before she got her shot.

Last week, Murphy announced the opening of six state-run sites will open in early January. The six sites are:

• Atlantic County: Atlantic City Convention Center
• Bergen County: Racetrack at Meadowlands, East Rutherford
• Burlington County: Moorestown Mall
• Gloucester County: Rowan College of South Jersey, Sewell
• Middlesex County: New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center, Edison
• Morris County: Rockaway Townsquare Mall

The mega-sites will immediately vaccinate front-line healthcare workers, and then continue giving the shots out through residents categorized as 1b and 1c before giving them to the general public. There are also plans to open more than 200 satellite vaccination sites.

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