COVID Booster Shots Could Be Available In 3 Weeks In NJ

NEW JERSEY — About 2.4 million New Jerseyians may soon become eligible for the first COVID-19 booster shots, which could be arriving as early as three weeks.

Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday during a press conference that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to recommend the third COVID-19 vaccine for residents six to eight months from when they were fully vaccinated with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

Data for Johnson & Johnson booster has not been finalized yet.

If the six-month window is recommended by the CDC, Murphy said as of Sept. 20, 2.4 million New Jersey residents will become eligible for the booster shot.

Previously, only immunocompromised individuals were eligible to receive the booster in the Garden State. This included people with a range of conditions, including recipients of organ or stem-cell transplants, people with advanced or untreated HIB infection, active recipients of cancer treatment and people taking medications that weaken the immune system. Read More: NJ COVID Booster Shot Rollout: What You Need To Know

"We do expect to see an increase in vaccine demand," said Murphy. "To be clear, we are confident that we have both the supply and distribution capacity to serve everyone. We have proven to have one of the broadest and most efficient distribution programs in the entire country."

As of Aug. 15, 5.1 million New Jersey residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Looking at the breakthrough data for those fully vaccinated:

• 12,242 or .24 percent of those fully vaccinated had a positive COVID-19 case
• 307 residents or .006 percent of those fully vaccinated were hospitalized
• 68 residents or .001 percent of those fully vaccinated died from COVID-19

"If you are on the fence look at these numbers. There is no reason to leave your health and the health of your family to mere chance. The vaccines work," said Murphy.

Murphy went on to report that between Aug. 9 to 15, 88 percent of the 13,118 positive coronavirus cases were from the unvaccinated. Additionally, there were 807 hospitalized with COVID-19, of those only 31 were fully vaccinated. And there were 0 COVID-related deaths among the fully vaccinated, yet 36 unvaccinated died.

"This is truly only a pandemic among the unvaccinated," said Murphy.

To find a clinic to get vaccinated visit covid19.nj.gov/pages/vaccine.

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