Livingston Mayor Says Get COVID-19 Vaccine If You Qualify

LIVINGSTON, NJ — Livingston Mayor Shawn Klein issued a plea to local residents on Thursday as coronavirus cases spike across the state: get a COVID-19 vaccination if you qualify.

On Wednesday, Gov. Phil Murphy and state officials announced that a new category of residents are eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccination. Read More: NJ Expands COVID Vaccine To 65 & Older, Those With Medical Issues

Livingston's mayor welcomed the news in a statement on Thursday.

"For nearly 11 months, COVID-19 has created unprecedented challenges for all of us," Klein wrote. "Our healthcare community and regular citizens alike have had to learn and adapt, thanks to a global pandemic caused by what was a new, unknown, and easily spread virus."

"Now that a COVID-19 vaccine is available, I encourage everyone to get vaccinated as soon as the vaccine becomes available to you, unless your personal doctor instructs you otherwise," Klein added.

Klein continued:

"The best way for us to protect ourselves, our families and our neighbors – and to get the economy back on track – is for all of us work together. Let’s all remember to mask up, wash our hands properly, maintain social distancing, and get the vaccine when we can. If you have family members or friends without internet access, please share this information with them. If you know of others who may not be signed up for Swift911 email messages, forward this email to them to help keep them up to date. Stay safe and healthy, and help us get the word out, because we’re all in this together."

Livingston Township officials shared the following details about getting vaccinated for COVID-19. Read More: Here's How Livingston Residents Can Get COVID-19 Vaccinations

Vaccine Eligibility

The State of New Jersey has announced that individuals in the following groups are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccination:

1. All individuals in Phase 1A, plus police officers and fire professionals, paid and unpaid.

2. Adults age 65 and older.

3. High-risk individuals between the ages of 16 and 64 who have specific medical conditions as defined by the CDC that increase the risk of severe illness from the virus are now eligible for the County vaccine. Find the list of CDC-defined medical conditions here

It’s important to also know the following about this Phase category:

· This Phase category includes those ages 16 – 64 who qualify.

· The County sites in NJ are giving the Moderna vaccine, which is approved only for those ages 18 and above; these individuals can register with either the County or State.

· Individuals ages 16-18 who are eligible based on the list of CDC-defined conditions must register for a vaccine appointment through the NJ Vaccine Scheduling System (NJVSS) to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, which is approved for use in individuals 16 years of age and older.

Scheduling a COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment

If you are eligible and are age 18 or older: Visit essexcovid.org online to schedule your Moderna COVID-19 vaccine appointment. Those without a computer or internet access can call 973-877-8456 for help scheduling an appointment. Alternatively, you may choose to schedule the Pfizer vaccine through the State’s registration site: covidvaccine.nj.gov.

If you are eligible and are age 16 – 18: Visit covidvaccine.nj.gov to schedule your Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine appointment.

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