NJ to Expand Vaccine Eligibility to All 16 and Older Residents

New Jersey will make all residents 16 and above eligible for the coronavirus vaccine on April 19.

Currently people 55 and older, healthcare workers, educators, nursing home residents, clergy, those with preexisting conditions or disabilities, and essential workers such as sanitation workers and first responders are eligible for the vaccine.

“[We have administered 4.7 million doses of vaccine and opened more than 750 vaccination sites across the state, with 98.7 percent of all New Jerseyans living within five miles of where they can receive a vaccine,” said Governor Phil Murphy in a statement. “With an expected increase in vaccine allocation from the federal government, coupled with our extensive network of vaccination distribution sites, we can confidently expand our eligibility to all individuals ages 16 and older who live, work, or study in New Jersey on April 19.”

Murphy, a Democrat, made the announcement on Monday. President Joe Biden is expected to make an announcement on Tuesday that the federal government will require all states to expand eligibility to make all adults able to be vaccinated.

For those who are not yet eligible in New Jersey, he or she can sign up online to be notified when they will be available. For those who are already available, he or she can sign up online to register for an appointment at a local location.

There have been 4,794,010 vaccine doses distributed throughout New Jersey so far, and 1,796,798 adults have been fully vaccinated. The state intends to have a little under 5 million residents fully vaccinated by June 30th.

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smarcus@hamodia.com