Volunteers Prepare To Help Lacey Seniors Register For Vaccines

LACEY, NJ — Volunteers from the Community Engagement Response Team will soon be available to help seniors and residents in Lacey Township sign up for COVID-19 vaccine appointments.

The assistance will be provided in the near future as additional appointments for vaccines become available, Mayor Peter Curatolo announced in a letter to residents.

Volunteers will be able to help seniors and those who have challenges with technology, internet access issues and filling out forms. They can also help answer any basic, non-medical questions.

"Technology should never be a barrier to care, rather a facilitator of it," Curatolo told Patch. "It is our duty and responsibility to take care of those experiencing these challenges."

Curatolo spoke with Lacey Township Chief of Police Michael C. DiBella, Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy and the CERT Team Liaison to Ocean County to organize the volunteer effort.

Until the assistance service is established, Curatolo encourages residents to utilize the state’s COVID-19 Information Hub for helpline numbers, a list of every vaccination location by county, phone numbers for each site and each individual location, assistance in scheduling a vaccination and eligibility requirements.

The state's COVID-19 vaccine call center is available at 855-568-0545 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to assist New Jersey residents who lack internet access with vaccine registration and answer any questions.

“As a Township, we continue to move through difficult times but we are turning the corner. I know you have experienced issues and bureaucracy in attempting to receive a COVID-19 vaccination,” Curatolo said in his letter to residents. “It is my sincere hope that these simple directives will assist you as more vaccine becomes available in the coming weeks – which it will.”

Gov. Phil Murphy and Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli hope that the number of sites and availability will greatly expand now that the Food and Drug Administration recently approved the New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. Read more: NJ Expects Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Doses By Next Week

Those currently eligible to receive the vaccine include people ages 65 and older, people ages 16-64 with certain medical conditions, first responders, health care workers and residents and workers at long-term care facilities.

Murphy announced Monday that teachers will be able to get the vaccine by March 15th. He also announced that day care, food workers, clergy and others will be eligible by the end of March. Read more: More NJ COVID Vaccine Expansion: Clergy, Food Workers, Day Care

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