Virtua Administers 100,000th COVID Vaccine Dose

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Virtua Health has vaccinated more than 100,000 people since the coronavirus vaccine became available in New Jersey, the health care system announced on Monday. More than 70 percent of those vaccinations have taken place at the state’s Mega-Site in the former Lord & Taylor store at the Moorestown Mall.

“Arriving at 100,000 doses is certainly a milestone, and we are just getting started,” Virtua Health President and CEO Dennis W. Pullin said. “We are committed to providing this life-saving service to our community and will do what it takes to get the job done.”

The 100,000th dose was administered on Saturday, according to health officials.

Virtua began its vaccination campaign on Dec. 18, 2020, by establishing a Voorhees-based vaccine clinic for its own front-line employees and other health care workers in the region. At that time, the Pfizer vaccine was available, and the Moderna vaccine became available shortly thereafter.

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The Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine was recently approved, and Gov. Phil Murphy has said he expects it to become available for New Jersey residents this week. Read more here: NJ Expects COVID-19 Vaccine Doses By Next Week

In mid-January, Virtua joined forces with the State of New Jersey, Burlington County, and other partners to open the Burlington County COVID-19 Vaccine Mega-Site – one of six “mega-sites” across the state. Read more here: NJ’s COVID-19 Vaccine ‘Megasite’ Opens At Moorestown Mall

“When we first started vaccinating our workforce, we would average about 3,000 doses a week – that was the supply available to us at the time. Now, we regularly vaccinate more than 3,000 people a day at the mega-site – sometimes nearly 4,000 people a day,” Virtua Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Reg Blaber said.

Vaccine quantities for the Burlington County Mega-Site have grown steadily since its opening. Virtua said it anticipates arriving at 200,000 vaccine doses in less than half the time it took to reach 100,000 doses.

The Burlington County Mega-Site adheres to the CDC’s and State of New Jersey’s phased approach to vaccine eligibility. Presently, those eligible to receive vaccination include health care personnel; long-term care residents and staff; first responders; and individuals at high risk, which includes those ages 65 and older.

On Monday, Murphy announced that teachers and others would soon be added to the list. Read more here: More NJ COVID Vaccine Expansion: Clergy, Food Workers, Day Care

The state set a goal to vaccinate 70 percent of its adult population – or 4.7 million adults – within six months.

“Virtua began caring for patients with COVID-19 when it first arrived in our region, almost one year ago exactly. Now, through these vaccines, we will help guide our community to the pandemic’s end,” Pullin said. “We aren’t just providing vaccines, we are providing hope.”

Vaccinations at the site are by appointment only; walk-ins cannot be accommodated. Those without confirmed appointments from this specific site will not be granted access.

Residents can register online at virtua.org/vaccine to receive an email or text notification as appointments are available.

Who is eligible for vaccination at this time?

Currently, vaccines are available to the following groups:
Healthcare Personnel (Phase 1A)
Paid and unpaid persons serving in health care settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials, including, but not limited to:

• Licensed healthcare professionals like doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists
• Staff like receptionists, janitors, mortuary services, laboratory technicians
• Consultants, per diem, and contractors who are not directly employed by the facility
• Unpaid workers like health professional students, trainees, volunteers, and essential caregivers
• Community health workers, doulas, and public health professionals like Medical Reserve Corps
• Personnel with variable venues like EMS, paramedics, funeral staff, and autopsy workers
• All workers in acute, pediatric, and behavioral health hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers
• All workers in health facilities like psychiatric facilities, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and rehabs
• All workers in clinic-based settings like urgent care clinics, dialysis centers, and family planning sites
• All workers in long-term care settings like nursing homes, assisted living facilities, group homes, and others
• All workers in occupational-based healthcare settings like health clinics within workplaces, shelters, jails, colleges and universities, and K-12 schools
• All workers in community-based healthcare settings like PACE and Adult Living Community Nursing
• All workers in home-based settings like hospice, home care, and visiting nurse services
• All workers in office-based healthcare settings like physician and dental offices
• All workers in public health settings like local health departments, LINCS agencies, harm reduction centers, and medicinal marijuana programs
• All workers in retail, independent, and institutional pharmacies
• Other paid or unpaid people who work in a healthcare setting, who may have direct or indirect contact with infectious persons or materials, and who cannot work from home.

Long-Term Care Residents and Staff (Phase 1A)
All residents and staff of long-term and congregate care facilities, including:

• Skilled nursing facilities
• Veterans homesGroup homes like residential care homes, adult family homes, adult foster homes, and intellectual and developmental disabilities group homes
• HUD 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program residences
• Institutional settings like psychiatric hospitals, correctional institutions, county jails, and juvenile detention facilities (for eligible minors, e.g. 16+ years of age may be eligible for Pfizer vaccine under the emergency use authorization)
• Other vulnerable, congregate, long-term settings

First Responders (Phase 1B)
Sworn law enforcement, firefighters, and other first responders, including:

• New Jersey State Police troopers
• Municipal and county police officers
• Campus police officers
• Detectives in prosecutors' offices and state agencies
• State agency/authority law enforcement officers (e.g. State Park Police and Conservation Officers, Palisades Interstate Parkway Officers, Human Services police, and NJTransit police)
• Investigator, Parole and Secured Facilities Officers
• Aeronautical Operations Specialists
• Sworn Federal Law Enforcement Officers and Special Agents
• Bi-State law enforcement officers (e.g. Port Authority)
• Court Security Officers
• Paid and unpaid members of firefighting services (structural and wildland)
• Paid and unpaid members of Search and Rescue Units including technical rescue units and HAZMAT teams
• Paid and unpaid firefighters who provide emergency medical services
• Paid and unpaid members of Industrial units that perform Fire, Rescue and HAZMAT services
• Members of State Fire Marshal's Offices
• Bi-State Fire Service Personnel (e.g. Port Authority)

Individuals at High Risk (Phase 1B)
Individuals aged 65 and older, and individuals ages 16-64 with medical conditions, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that increase the risk of severe illness from the virus. These conditions include:

• Cancer
• Chronic kidney disease
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• Down Syndrome
• Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
• Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2)
• Severe Obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2)
• Sickle cell disease
• Smoking
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Individuals who are pregnant and those in an immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant are also eligible but should follow CDC guidance and first discuss vaccination with their medical provider before receiving the vaccine.
If you are currently eligible, click here for more information on where to get vaccinated.

Beginning March 15, the following groups will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine:

• Educators, including support staff, in pre-K through 12th grade settings
• Childcare workers in licensed and registered settings
• Public and local transportation workers, including bus, taxi, rideshare, and airport employees; NJ TRANSIT workers; and Motor Vehicle Commission staff
• Public safety workers who are not sworn law enforcement or fire professionals, including probation officers and fire safety inspectors
• Migrant farm workers
• Members of tribal communities
• Individuals experiencing homelessness and those living in shelters, including domestic violence shelters

"Two weeks from today, these groups which I just mentioned will be able to make their appointments and start getting vaccinated," Murphy said. "We expect this to be a total of several hundred thousand workers and residents. What is being constructed between now and the 15th … the exact how and where, and in some cases when, is going to be worked out."
Beginning March 29, front-line essential workers in the following categories will also be eligible for vaccination:

• Food production, agriculture and food distribution (including grocery store and restaurant workers)
• Eldercare and support
• Warehousing and logistics
• Social services support staff
• Elections personnel
• Hospitality
• Medical supply chain
• Postal and shipping services
• Clergy
• Judicial system

After these phases are complete, then the general public will be eligible for vaccination. The timing of the progression among the groups depends on the supply of vaccine to the state balanced by the demand in various phases, officials said.

Other things to know about the vaccine:

• The state has changed the immunization system from an opt-in to an opt-out program for any resident who chooses to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. People who wish to be vaccinated against COVID-19 do not have to first opt-in to the system to make sure that their two-dose regimen is properly tracked and managed.
• Thirty days after the current public health emergency ends, people who enrolled due to the COVID-19 vaccine will be afforded the opportunity to withdraw from the system. The Executive Order does not force anyone to receive the vaccine.
• The state will securely store the vaccine recipient's name, address, date of birth, race, ethnicity, and gender. These are standard data elements that have been used across vaccines administered in New Jersey.
• New Jerseyans can also expect to provide additional demographic and occupational data to ensure equitable and efficient scheduling of vaccinations.
• Medical screening questions will be asked to assess eligibility. All data collected can only be used for public health purposes, like ensuring that the same person returns for a second dose of the same COVID-19 vaccine at the right time interval.
• Data cannot be used for civil or criminal enforcement and cannot be used for immigration enforcement.