Third Shot Of COVID Vaccine Available To Hudson County Residents

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — As the Delta variant of COVID-19 spreads swiftly, some hospitals in the United States have said they're running out of beds. In Hudson County, the county announced Monday afternoon that they will start giving third shots — or booster shots — to immunocompromised residents who got the two-shot Pfizer or Moderna vaccine already.

Only the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be available for additional doses, and residents should take the same vaccine that they received previously at least four weeks after the second dose, the county said.

The COVID vaccine is still 95 percent effective against the virus, according to medical professionals, and while vaccinated people may have "breakthrough cases," there is a lower chance of hospitalization or death.

However, the Delta variant of the virus is spreading more swiftly among both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents. (See more details below.) And children under 12 cannot be vaccinated yet.

Jersey City is also providing third shots for residents as of Monday.

Hudson County Third Shot Details

At the direction of the Centers for Disease Control and State Department of Health, the county’s Vaccine Task Force began distributing third shots of the COVID-19 vaccine to immunocompromised individuals starting Monday.

The doses will be available at the USS Juneau Center Vaccine Site with no appointment required. A full listing of available drive-in hours is available on its website: https://hudsoncovidvax.org/

“With the Delta variant leading to rising cases and the CDC now recommending third doses for immunocompromised individuals, our Vaccine Task Force is fully prepared to distribute these lifesaving vaccines to people in need just as we have been since our program began in December,” said County Executive Tom DeGise. “We also remain committed to bringing vaccines deeper into our communities to further increase our county’s strong vaccination numbers and keep our residents safe from COVID-19.”

According to the CDC, to severely immunocompromised people with the following conditions should receive an additional vaccine dose:

• Active treatment for solid tumor and hematologic malignancies
• Receipt of solid-organ transplant and taking immunosuppressive therapy
• Receipt of CAR-T-cell or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (within 2 years of transplantation or taking immunosuppression therapy)
• Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (e.g., DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
• Advanced or untreated HIV infection
• Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids (i.e., ≥20mg prednisone or equivalent per day), alkylating agents, antimetabolites, transplant-related immunosuppressive drugs, cancer chemotherapeutic agents classified as severely immunosuppressive, tumor-necrosis (TNF) blockers, and other biologic agents that are immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory.

No doctor's note will be required.

The Hudson County Vaccine Distribution Center is located at the USS Juneau Center in Kearny.

It's operated by Hudson Regional Health Commission and overseen by County Executive Tom DeGise’s Vaccine Task Force, which includes representatives from the Hudson County Improvement Authority, the Hudson County Office of Emergency Management, County Department of Roads and Public Property, the Hudson County Schools of Technology and the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office.

Other Statewide And Local Corona News

In New Jersey, Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said last week that area doctors are concerned about the rising rate of pediatric hospitalizations from COVID-19. READ MORE: Rise In Child COVID Hospitalizations Prompts Vaccination Plea

Last week, 13 children were in New Jersey hospitals with COVID-19, including two in the intensive care unit, said Persichilli. READ MORE: NJ Hospital Preps For COVID Surge As Kids Set To Return To School

Two weeks ago, Gov. Phil Murphy mandated masks for the new school year, which for some districts starts later this month. Children under 12 still cannot receive the COVID vaccine.

Last week, Central and North Jersey showed "moderate" COVID activity, according to New Jersey's latest weekly report. The determination is based on metrics such as case rate, positivity rate and prevalence of COVID-like illnesses.

Officials last week cited state statistics saying that between July 20-26, of 378 coronavirus patients admitted to the state’s hospitals, 97 percent were unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated. And of the state’s 21 coronavirus deaths in that time, all were either of unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people.

More than 618,000 Americans have now died from COVID (see which states have the highest recent death rates here), a 10,000 increase from three weeks earlier. Most of those hospitalized with the virus are unvaccinated, say officials at the hospitals.

READ MORE:

• COVID Hospitalizations Spike In NJ As Delta Variant Spreads
• A recent study showed that 98 percent to 99 percent of recent COVID deaths in America were unvaccinated people. There also may be long-term symptoms for survivors.
• NJ Mom Urges: Please Listen to COVID 'Long-Haulers'
• Here is information on vaccine side effects, including the most rare but severe effects.
• 4 Things To Know About The Delta Variant Of Coronavirus In NJ
• Hoboken Says: Get Vaccinated Or No Spaghetti For You

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