Gov. Murphy, His Wife And 3 Children All Get Booster Shots

LONG BRANCH, NJ — On Sunday, Gov. Phil Murphy, First Lady Tammy Murphy and three of their four children all received booster shots of the coronavirus vaccine at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch.

Murphy is urging all New Jersey residents 18 and older to do the same.

Murphy posted photos to his official Twitter account of him and his wife getting the booster shots. Murphy's three children, Emma, 22, Charlie, 20, and Sam, 18, also received boosters, according to the governor's spokeswoman. It remains unknown why their fourth son, Josh, 24, was not in attendance Sunday.

"Governor Phil Murphy, First Lady Tammy Murphy, Emma, Charlie and Sam Murphy all received their booster shots at Monmouth Medical Center yesterday," said a spokeswoman for the governor.

A day after the Murphy family "got boosted," the CDC released new guidance saying all Americans older than 18 should get a booster shot. Prior to this, the CDC recommended booster shots for older adults. The CDC changed its advice in light of the Omicron variant discovered last week.

South African doctors treating the Omicron variant said it causes mild symptoms, but U.S. health officials said they have to learn more about the new strain.

Murphy urged everyone 18 and older to now get a booster shot.

"Gov. Phil Murphy coming at you from Long Branch," said the governor in a Twitter video he posted Sunday. "I just got my booster, in my case Pfizer, with a bunch of family members, easy peasy, in and out ... It clearly increases your protection against this awful virus. Folks, go out and get boosted; there is no reason not to. It's free; it's easy and it will keep you safe and protected."

The New Jersey Department of Health recommends that anyone 18 and older get a booster shot if six months have passed since their second dose of Pfizer or Moderna, or two months after getting the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine.