NJ Gets $216M In Feds' 16 Percent COVID Vaccine Boost: Here's Why

NEW JERSEY – New Jersey will get $216 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency now that the Biden administration is boosting vaccine distribution to the Garden State and elsewhere by 16 percent.

Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., D-Middlesex and Monmouth, announced Tuesday night that the money will pay for costs associated with storage, transport, distribution, and administration of COVID-19 vaccines – infrastructure that the state says it's lacking and preventing New Jersey from resolving its "supply-demand imbalance."

The money could be used to help set up FEMA tents for vaccinations – much like the agency did last year when it ramped up testing.

Murphy told CNN on Wednesday that the Biden administration's 16 percent boost is "not enough but it is a step in the right direction." He said he expects that weekly doses to New Jersey will increase from around 100,000 to 130,000 for the next three weeks.

Getting more doses, he told CNN, means that New Jersey can open its vaccine distribution to more groups, like teachers. "We're slowly but surely in the direction we need to be going," he said.

New Jersey was one of only nine states or territories to get a share of the $1 billion provided by FEMA to pay for costs related to the COVID-19 vaccine.

The funding will help support standing up community vaccination sites and provide personal protective equipment and supplies required for storing, handling, distributing, transporting and administering COVID-19 vaccines from now until April 30th.

Grants for emergency protective measures are funded through FEMA’s Public Assistance grant program, which reimburses communities for actions taken in the immediate response and during recovery from a disaster.

Eligible applicants include states, federally recognized tribal governments, US territories, local governments and certain private non-profit organizations.

The funding will be distributed to the New Jersey State Police who are working with the New Jersey Department of Health to distribute and administer COVID-19 vaccines.

“New Jersey must have support from the federal government to implement an equitable and efficient COVID-19 vaccine plan. This funding will help our state continue to develop and maintain the infrastructure we need to get vaccines to New Jerseyans,” Pallone said.

The State Police help manage six vaccination mega-sites across the state in addition to dozens of other sites at hospitals, pharmacies, and community-based vaccination sites.

“I remain committed to ensuring that our state has the resources it needs to equitably distribute, administer, and promote vaccines," Pallone said. "As vaccines become more widely available, I’ll continue to work with the Biden Administration so that everyone can get vaccinated.”

Here are the state's six mega-sites:

Atlantic County Megasite

• Atlantic City Convention Center
• 1 Convention Boulevard Atlantic City
• vaccination.atlanticare.org/

Bergen County Megasite

• Racetrack at Meadlowlands
• 1 Racetrack Drive East Rutherford
• hackensackmeridianhealth.org/covid19/meadowlands/

Burlington County Megasite

• Moorestown Mall (Lord & Taylor)
• 400 & 401 NJ-38 Moorestown
• virtua.org/vaccine

Gloucester County Megasite

• Rowan College of South Jersey
• 1400 Tanyard Road Sewell
• Pre-register at https://covidvaccine.nj.gov/

Middlesex County Megasite

• NJ Convention & Expo Center
• 97 Sunfield Ave. Edison
• rwjbh.org/covid19vaccine

Morris County Megasite

• Rockaway Townsquare Mall
• 301 Mount Hope Avenue Rockaway
• health.morriscountynj.gov/vaccination/

You can also find the state's entire list of public vaccination sites by clicking here.

The announcement came as President Biden announced Tuesday night that doses will increase overall weekly distribution from 8.6 million doses to 10 million doses.

The announcement also came as Murphy acknowledged that the state has a shortage and some sites in New Jersey ran dry this past week. Murphy said states haven't been getting fewer doses than they were promised. Read more: Gov. Murphy Urges Patience, Fix For NJ COVID Vaccine Shortage

Biden said the supply distribution will be based on population. "The bigger the state, the more they get," he said.

He also said New Jersey and other states will have a three-week forecast so they'll know what's coming.

The FEMA funds are also being provided to reimburse costs associated with emergency protective measures taken by governments to store, handle, transport, distribute and administer vaccines to reduce the spread the of the virus.

Emergency protective measures include providing emergency medical supplies, commodities, transportation, staffing for medical and support staff, onsite infection control measures and emergency medical care to address allergic reactions to the vaccine or other emergency medical needs that may arise during the administration of the vaccine.

“FEMA has acted quickly to get crucial funding to our state partners as we work together to contain the spread of the virus and protect the public and frontline medical workers,” said ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ Acting FEMA Administrator Bob Fenton. “Getting resources out to expand and accelerate efforts is our top priority, and FEMA will work side by side with all our federal, state, local, tribal and territorial partners until this mission is complete.”

Funding to governments are 100 percent federally funded and are as follows:

• New York $466 million
• New Jersey $216 million
• Puerto Rico $76 million
• U.S. Virgin Islands $2.5 million
• Virginia $2.2 million
• Maryland $219 million
• Pennsylvania $1.6 million
• West Virginia $1.071 million
• Washington, D.C. $2.3 million

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