When Can You Get COVID-19 Vaccine In NJ? Here's The New 2021 List

NEW JERSEY – The state has now released a list that shows – in order – when and where everybody in New Jersey can get the COVID-19 vaccine. Health officials also have identified the sites in each county that currently provide the vaccine (see the vaccine priority list, timeline and immunization sites below).

New Jersey announced this month that the state will roll out COVID-19 vaccines step-by-step to serve all adults who live, work or are being educated in the state.

Gov. Phil Murphy and health officials said the plan will continually be updated in response to the changing circumstances of the pandemic.

New Jersey's COVID-19 vaccination program aims to:

• Provide equitable access to all who live, work, and/or are educated in New Jersey
• Achieve community protection, assuming vaccine effectiveness, availability and uptake
• Build sustainable trust in COVID-19 and other vaccines

Read more: NJ's Top 10 COVID Vaccine Questions: What You Need To Know

The state's goal is to vaccinate 70 percent of the adult population – or 4.7 million adults – within six months.

Murphy said New Jersey is also developing a vaccine portal that will keep track of the immunization program. The site can be found here.

Registration for the vaccination has begun, and the current link (found here) from the state Department of Health has been available.

New Jersey also has announced that the state is continually expanding the number of COVID-19 vaccination sites. Click here to find out where you can get one now.

A telephone number also is now available. Read more: New NJ COVID Vaccine Phone Number As State 'Peaks' In Second Wave

New Jersey also says it's working out the kinks in its vaccination distribution system as concerns are rising about its efficiency. Read more: 5 Things To Know Amid Concerns About 2nd COVID Vaccine Dose In NJ

Murphy expressed hope that the vaccine will finally bring an end to the coronavirus pandemic, but he said New Jersey enters 2021 on "war footing" since more than 4,000 people are contracting the virus every day. Daily reports of fatalities have also reached a seven-month high. Read more: COVID Bills Signed Into Law As NJ Death Toll Hits 7-Month High

"The new year brings with it hope and optimism from the vaccine program that is expanding every day," Murphy said during his Wednesday news conference.

"But look at the numbers. All of them," he added. "We can't consider ourselves done with this virus, because this virus, unfortunately, is not done with us. Let's keep fighting. And if we all do our jobs, we will make 2021 so much better than our 2020."

The state's vaccination list has drawn some controversy, particularly with prison inmates being a priority. Murphy, for instance, defended the decision to prioritize smokers over teachers and other groups. Read more: Smokers Before Teachers? NJ Defends COVID Vaccine Priorities

Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who is seeking to unseat Murphy in the 2021 gubernatorial election, questioned why New Jersey has begun vaccinating prisoners while nursing home residents and others continue to wait.

"Once again for this governor, criminals come first," said Ciattarelli. "His administration couldn’t get its act together to get nursing home patients the vaccine on time, but is quick to get it into prisons – leapfrogging our most vulnerable residents and many frontline healthcare workers."

Murphy responded that the prison population is a "very vulnerable community and it's why I think we've done this responsibly and safely.

He and health officials have noted that the virus spreads quickly in a congregate setting, and correctional officers can contract the virus from inmates and spread it to their local communities.

"When the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) moved from long-term care to congregate settings, we do consider the prison population a congregate setting, said Health Commissioner Judith Persichill. "We're working with (state Department of Corrections) Commissioner (Marcus) Hicks to vaccinate the prison population and the employees that care for them under that heading of congregate."

Currently, vaccines are available to those who are in Phases 1A and 1B. State officials spelled out who those people in Phase 1A are during an earlier news conference. Read more: Here's Who Is Getting The COVID-19 Vaccine First In New Jersey

On Jan. 6th, Murphy announced that New Jersey will now make the COVID vaccines available to police and firefighters, signaling that the program is moving on to the next phase of distribution. Read more: NJ Expands COVID-19 Vaccines As State Moving Into Next Phase

On Jan. 13th, Murphy announced that anyone over 65 years old will be eligible for the vaccine. Read more: Gov. Murphy To Expand COVID Vaccine To NJ Seniors, Add Sites

On Jan. 28th, Murphy indicated that teachers will likely get the vaccine "within week," possibly meaning by the end of February. Read more: NJ Teachers Want COVID Vaccine; Gov. Murphy Has Possible Timeline

On Feb. 11th, CVS and Rite Aid said they will administer COVID-19 vaccines, and a number of NJ communities were identified as locations. Read more: 70 Rite Aid, 27 CVS Pharmacies In NJ To Begin COVID-19 Vaccines

Vaccinations began on December 15th in New Jersey hospitals for paid and unpaid persons serving in their health facilities.

Who is eligible for vaccination at this time?

Currently, vaccines are available to the following groups:

Healthcare Personnel (Phase 1A)

Paid and unpaid persons serving in health care settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials, including, but not limited to:

• Licensed healthcare professionals like doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists
• Staff like receptionists, janitors, mortuary services, laboratory technicians
• Consultants, per diem, and contractors who are not directly employed by the facility
• Unpaid workers like health professional students, trainees, volunteers, and essential caregivers
• Community health workers, doulas, and public health professionals like Medical Reserve Corps
• Personnel with variable venues like EMS, paramedics, funeral staff, and autopsy workers
• All workers in acute, pediatric, and behavioral health hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers
• All workers in health facilities like psychiatric facilities, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and rehabs
• All workers in clinic-based settings like urgent care clinics, dialysis centers, and family planning sites
• All workers in long-term care settings like nursing homes, assisted living facilities, group homes, and others
• All workers in occupational-based healthcare settings like health clinics within workplaces, shelters, jails, colleges and universities, and K-12 schools
• All workers in community-based healthcare settings like PACE and Adult Living Community Nursing
• All workers in home-based settings like hospice, home care, and visiting nurse services
• All workers in office-based healthcare settings like physician and dental offices
• All workers in public health settings like local health departments, LINCS agencies, harm reduction centers, and medicinal marijuana programs
• All workers in retail, independent, and institutional pharmacies
• Other paid or unpaid people who work in a healthcare setting, who may have direct or indirect contact with infectious persons or materials, and who cannot work from home.

Long-Term Care Residents and Staff (Phase 1A)

All residents and staff of long-term and congregate care facilities, including:

• Skilled nursing facilities
• Veterans homesGroup homes like residential care homes, adult family homes, adult foster homes, and intellectual and developmental disabilities group homes
• HUD 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program residences
• Institutional settings like psychiatric hospitals, correctional institutions, county jails, and juvenile detention facilities (for eligible minors, e.g. 16+ years of age may be eligible for Pfizer vaccine under the emergency use authorization)
• Other vulnerable, congregate, long-term settings

First Responders (Phase 1B)

Sworn law enforcement, firefighters, and other first responders, including:

• New Jersey State Police troopers
• Municipal and county police officers
• Campus police officers
• Detectives in prosecutors' offices and state agencies
• State agency/authority law enforcement officers (e.g. State Park Police and Conservation Officers, Palisades Interstate Parkway Officers, Human Services police, and NJTransit police)
• Investigator, Parole and Secured Facilities Officers
• Aeronautical Operations Specialists
• Sworn Federal Law Enforcement Officers and Special Agents
• Bi-State law enforcement officers (e.g. Port Authority)
• Court Security Officers
• Paid and unpaid members of firefighting services (structural and wildland)
• Paid and unpaid members of Search and Rescue Units including technical rescue units and HAZMAT teams
• Paid and unpaid firefighters who provide emergency medical services
• Paid and unpaid members of Industrial units that perform Fire, Rescue and HAZMAT services
• Members of State Fire Marshal's Offices
• Bi-State Fire Service Personnel (e.g. Port Authority)

Individuals at High Risk (Phase 1B)

Individuals aged 65 and older, and individuals ages 16-64 with medical conditions, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that increase the risk of severe illness from the virus. These conditions include:

• Cancer
• Chronic kidney disease
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• Down Syndrome
• Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
• Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2)
• Severe Obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2)
• Sickle cell disease
• Smoking
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Individuals who are pregnant and those in an immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant are also eligible but should follow CDC guidance and first discuss vaccination with their medical provider before receiving the vaccine.

If you are currently eligible, click here for more information on where to get vaccinated.

Who is eligible for vaccination next?

• Teachers (Murphy has said that they'll get it likely by the end of February)
• Additional frontline essential workers (Phase 1B)
• Other essential workers (Phase 1C)
• General population (Phase 2)

This group was originally designated as 1B, and they're expected to get the vaccine next:

• Foodservice workers
• Port Authority workers
• New Jersey Transit workers
• Teachers, staff, and childcare workers
• Workers who support radio, print, internet and television news and media services
• Other critical workers (CISA)
• Other essential workers

This group was originally designated as 1C:

• People living or working in congregate or overcrowded settings – such as colleges and
• universities
• People living or working in congregate or overcrowded settings – such as migrant workers
• People living or working in congregate or overcrowded settings - Other
• Tribal populations
• Other people at high risk of COVID-19 illness due to comorbidities, occupations, demographics, etc.

New Jersey initially provided a timeline for the various groups and when they'll be vaccinated, but it's since been revised:

After these phases are complete, then the general public will be eligible for vaccination. The timing of the progression among the groups depends on the supply of vaccine to the state balanced by the demand in various phases, officials said.

Other things to know about the vaccine:

• The state has changed the immunization system from an opt-in to an opt-out program for any resident who chooses to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. People who wish to be vaccinated against COVID-19 do not have to first opt-in to the system to make sure that their two-dose regimen is properly tracked and managed.
• Thirty days after the current public health emergency ends, people who enrolled due to the COVID-19 vaccine will be afforded the opportunity to withdraw from the system. The Executive Order does not force anyone to receive the vaccine.
• The state will securely store the vaccine recipient's name, address, date of birth, race, ethnicity, and gender. These are standard data elements that have been used across vaccines administered in New Jersey.
• New Jerseyans can also expect to provide additional demographic and occupational data to ensure equitable and efficient scheduling of vaccinations.
• Medical screening questions will be asked to assess eligibility. All data collected can only be used for public health purposes, like ensuring that the same person returns for a second dose of the same COVID-19 vaccine at the right time interval.
• Data cannot be used for civil or criminal enforcement and cannot be used for immigration enforcement.

New Jersey is partnering with Rite Aid to provide vaccinations to home care and hospice staff. Information about scheduling appointments is being provided through home health agencies and their industry associations.

As of Dec. 30, through the Federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program with CVS and Walgreens, New Jersey had over 500 long-term care facilities scheduled – including the state's three veterans memorial homes – and over 100,000 residents and staff slated to receive vaccinations through the beginning of February 2021. Additional sites will be added in the coming weeks.

After nursing home residents and staff are vaccinated, CVS and Walgreens began to vaccinate thousands of residents and staff in other congregate settings including assisted living facilities, the five state developmental centers, federal housing for seniors and group homes and other long-term residential facilities.

New Jersey also has a network of community vaccination sites for vulnerable residents who live in congregate settings not eligible for this federal partnership.

New Jersey is also developing an extensive network of vaccination sites to serve those currently eligible for vaccination. In January, the vaccination sites network included acute care hospitals, large state-coordinated "mega sites," county/local sites, retail pharmacies and other medical locations.

At this time, New Jersey cannot arrange for all groups to receive distributions directly, so vaccine recipients may need to go off-site to be vaccinated, health officials said.

Six "mega sites" throughout New Jersey are serving as vaccination hubs for phased priority groups, part of a critical network of over 200 sites tasked with carrying out the state's COVID-19 vaccination plan fairly and equitably:

• 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