Less Than 40% Of NJ Long Term Care Staff Received Booster Dose: State Data

NEW JERSEY — While many residents and staff in New Jersey's long-term care facilities have been vaccinated against COVID-19, both groups are lagging when it comes to getting their booster shots, especially among nursing home staff.

As of Monday, 37.8 percent of staff at the Garden State's long-term care facilities have received their booster shots, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. Among residents, the rate is better, at 78.4 percent, but Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said both numbers are too low. (See county-by-county breakdown below.)

“I have met with the long-term care administrators, medical directors and industry associations to urge them to increase booster coverage among their residents and staff,” Persichilli said during a news conference Monday afternoon. “My team continues to conduct outreach at the facility level, and ensure that all facilities have convenient access to vaccination for residents and staff.”

Booster rates for long-term care facilities were first made public on Monday. They come amid 205 outbreaks among facilities statewide, including 773 cases among residents and 872 cases among staff. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 8,047 coronavirus-related deaths among residents and 145 coronavirus-related deaths among staff members.

Vaccination rates are much better when it comes to the first two doses, as 90.8 percent of residents have received their first series of vaccines, and 86.2 percent of residents have gotten their first two doses.

Gov. Phil Murphy said that he isn't ready to mandate vaccinations for anyone, but maintained his plea for those who are eligible to get vaccinated and boosted to do so.

"We expect that CDC may change the definition of fully vaccinated, and once that happens, that would go into our formula as well," Persichill said.

Among the state's 21 counties, Union County had the lowest booster rate among staff at 28.5 percent. Hudson County's booster rate among residents was the lowest, at 69.4 percent.

“Last week, I addressed the issue of low booster rates among staff with the long-term care industry and explained that booster vaccinations are essential because outbreaks are increasing in these facilities,” Persichilli said. “There will be increased holiday visitation where such vulnerable individuals reside.”

Several individual facilities reported that no staff members have received an additional shot. The breakdown of booster shots by county can be found below:

• Atlantic: 43.9 percent among staff, 81.8 percent among residents;
• Bergen: 41.6 percent among staff, 81.9 percent among residents;
• Burlington: 39.5 percent among staff, 79.7 percent among residents;
• Camden: 35.1 percent among staff, 69.1 percent among residents;
• Cape May: 43.4 percent among staff, 60.7 percent among residents;
• Cumberland: 41.4 percent among staff, 86 percent among residents;
• Essex: 38.8 percent among staff, 77.7 percent among residents;
• Gloucester: 47.9 percent among staff, 73.5 percent among residents;
• Hudson: 50.9 percent among staff, 69.4 percent among residents;
• Hunterdon: 42 percent among staff, 84.3 percent among residents;
• Mercer: 35.6 percent among staff, 76.4 percent among residents;
• Middlesex: 37.6 percent among staff, 70.8 percent among residents;
• Monmouth: 39.6 percent among staff, 78 percent among residents;
• Morris: 33.2 percent staff, 78.1 percent among residents;
• Ocean: 38 percent among staff, 76.9 percent among residents;
• Passaic: 42.4 percent among staff, 76.2 percent among residents;
• Salem: 47.3 percent among staff, 78.4 percent among residents;
• Somerset: 42 percent among staff, 79.5 percent among residents;
• Sussex: 42 percent among staff; 77.7 percent among residents;
• Union: 28.5 percent among staff, 73 percent among residents; and
• Warren: 38.1 percent among staff, 90.1 percent among residents.

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