These Hazlet-Area Pharmacies Will Soon Have COVID-19 Vaccines

HAZLET, NJ - A group of independently-owned pharmacies in the Hazlet area are slated to have the COVID-19 vaccine in stock by late January.

Bayshore Pharmacy Cards & Gifts of Atlantic Highlands, Hazlet Pharmacy, Little Silver Family Pharmacy and Middletown Family Pharmacy of Belford are all preparing to receive a direct allocation of the vaccine from the state, according to a news release. This will be in time for them to vaccine some of those in Phase 1B, which includes healthcare workers, police, firefighters and EMS personnel. Read more: When Can You Get COVID-19 Vaccine In NJ? Here's The New 2021 List

All of the pharmacies are in the Good Neighbor Pharmacy network, a family of locally owned independent pharmacies. For example, Bayshore Pharmacy, located at the Super Foodtown Plaza in Atlantic Highlands, is a second-generation locally owned family pharmacy.

"We are ready to continue our commitment to patient care as we administer the COVID-19 vaccines to our community of family, friends and neighbors," said Richard Stryker, registered pharmacist in charge at Bayshore Pharmacy.

Healthcare workers and first responders eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine can also register for a vaccination appointment through Monmouth County or Hackensack Meridian Health.

Related: Monmouth Co. Launches Online Vaccine Scheduling System
Related: Bayshore Medical Center To Offer COVID Vaccines To Police, EMS

Grocery giant ShopRite has also announced that 39 of their pharmacies have been selected to distribute the vaccine as part of its partnership with the state of New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Read more: 100K In NJ Now Vaccinated For COVID As State Looks To Expand

"The Covid-19 vaccine has already shown outstanding results, and there will surely be an unprecedented demand for it," said Gerald Jackapino, R.Ph of Hazlet Pharmacy. "The plan that the government is rolling out will ensure that all individuals will have access to the vaccine, starting with the most at risk. We ask for everyone's patience as we undertake this plan to bring normalcy back to our lives. We stand ready, willing, and able to administer the vaccine as it is allocated to us."

According to the CDC, during Dec. 14 to 23, after the administration of 1.89 million first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, reports of 4,393 (0.2 percent) "adverse events" were submitted to the VAERS, a national passive surveillance system jointly operated by the CDC and FDA.

The COVID-19 vaccines will require two doses. The first dose will begin building protection while the second dose will help provide more protection.

Related: Monmouth Co.'s Weekly COVID Cases Up 27 Percent: See Town Updates

The CDC is investigating the incident of a Florida doctor who died about two weeks after getting the coronavirus vaccine. The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner said that his death has not definitively been linked to the vaccine, although that is among the possibilities being explored. Dr. Gregory Michael, 56, was given the first shot Dec. 18 and died Jan. 4.

In New Jersey, as of Jan. 9, the state exceeded 200,000 vaccinations statewide, with a current total of 200,204 doses given out. There have been no adverse reactions reported so far in the state.

As of Jan. 6, more than 17.2 million total doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed in the U.S. More than 5.3 million people have received their first dose, according to the CDC.

All the Good Neighbor pharmacies listed have pharmacists in house trained and ready to give the coronavirus vaccine. For more information, call (732) 291-2900 or visit www.BayshorePharmacy.com.

Here is who is currently eligible to receive the vaccine:

Phase 1A: Healthcare personnel

• Hospital
• LTC workers
• Veteran's home workers
• Home care workers
• Ambulatory and urgent care
• clinic workers
• Dialysis center workers
• Dental office workers
• Morticians and funeral home workers
• Pharmacy workers
• Other non-hospital healthcare facilities workers
• Public health workers (such as those as federally qualified health centers)
• Group home workers
• Other paid and unpaid licensed and unlicensed healthcare workers
• EMS personnel
• Other healthcare settings

Phase 1A: Long-term care residents

• Long-term care facilities
• Veterans' homes
• Correctional facilities, prisons, juvenile centers, county jail
• IDD group homes
• Mental health group homes
• Psychiatric hospitals
• Other long-term care settings

Phase 1B: First responders

• Police
• Firefighters
• Other first responders

With reporting by Carly Baldwin.