As COVID-19 Cases Spike, Gloucester County Urges Vaccinations

GLOUCESTER COUNTY, NJ — Gloucester County officials are urging residents to get vaccinated against the coronavirus as the county sees an increase in the number of new cases countywide.

“COVID-19 is still a battle we are fighting. We encourage everyone to get vaccinated, wear a mask and continue to social distance. The only way to beat this is by coming together,” Gloucester County Commissioner Director Robert M. Damminger said. “No appointments are necessary for vaccinations at the Gloucester County Public Works Complex. We are open Tuesday to Friday.”

The vaccination schedule for July can be found here. Officials also remind residents who are not vaccinated to continue to wear masks and maintain social distancing.

With the delta variant having now been identified in New Jersey, cases are increasing. The delta variant is more contagious because it more readily attaches to cells and is more readily able to dodge the body's defenses, according to Jefferson Health Infectious Disease Physician Dr. Mark Condoluci.

Its presence is leading to more cases statewide. In Gloucester County, Glassboro has been identified as one of the towns that is lagging behind the rest of the state when it comes to vaccinations. Read more here: As Delta Variant Spikes In NJ, Vaccinations Lag In These Towns

As of Wednesday, Gloucester County has conducted 196,751 total tests. Of these cases, 170,374 have come back negative. The county reported 27 new cases on Wednesday, increasing the total number of Gloucester County residents who have tested positive for the coronavirus to 27,377 since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

There have been 620 coronavirus-related deaths in Gloucester County since the pandemic began.