Mercer County Executive Urges Booster Shots To Fight Omicron 

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — On Sunday, New Jersey reported 6,533 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases. While the Delta variant continues to spread, the Omicron variant is expected to become the dominant strain across the county, warns the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Mercer County Executive, Brian M Hughes has urged residents to get the booster shot to prevent a surge in COVID-19 related hospitalization.

"We know what we must do to protect ourselves and loved ones from contracting the virus - wear masks in public places, practice physical distancing and frequently wash your hands - but the best prevention strategy is to get vaccinated and get your booster shot," said Hughes.

The Mercer County Division of Public Health and its partners have dispensed nearly 32,000 vaccines at about 130 clinics.

Dec. 15, marked the one-year anniversary of the first COVID-19 vaccinations in New Jersey, and Mercer County has managed to get shots into as many arms as possible. Hughes said the County is in a much better place than this time last year, when vaccines were in short supply. “But case numbers and hospitalizations have been increasing in recent weeks and our continued vigilance is needed to prevent a surge of patients from entering our local hospitals and straining our healthcare system during the holiday season,” Hughes said.

Since Thanksgiving, cases and hospitalizations continue to rise. In response, Mercer County officials have conferred with its regional hospital partners to verify hospital capacity in the event that COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise as a result of the highly contagious Omicron variant.

"Over the last few weeks, St. Francis has experienced a sharp increase in the number of COVID patients we're treating," said Daniel P. Moen, President and Chief Executive Officer, St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton.

"While we are able to manage the current surge, our team strongly recommends that residents take all precautions available, including COVID vaccinations and booster shots for those eligible, proper masking, regular handwashing, and avoiding crowds. With the holidays approaching, and the Omicron variant now present in New Jersey, this is the time to be as cautious as we can to help protect our loved ones and our community."

Al Maghazehe, President and CEO,Capital Health, agrees being vaccinated can help prevent further spread.

“As we celebrate the holiday season and the new year, it is important that we remain vigilant in order to protect ourselves and our loved ones from COVID, particularly given the uptick we have seen recently in hospitalized patients,” said Maghazehe.

“We know there are some very concrete actions people can take such as getting vaccinated and boosted when eligible, and practicing recommended precautions. I would encourage members of our community to take advantage of the many opportunities available to get vaccinated and to follow recommendations for masking, handwashing and social distancing, and to use other resources such as the testing kits being made available through the county.”

Residents can use the NJ Vaccine Appointment Finder to find available appointments near them or sites with walk-in vaccinations. Here are the upcoming Mercer-sponsored clinics:

CURE Insurance Arena, Gate A South Broad Street entrance

• Monday, Dec. 20, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Tuesday, Dec. 21, p.m. – 6 p.m.
• Monday, Dec. 27, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m..
• Tuesday, Dec. 28, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
• Thursday, Dec. 30, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

930 Spruce St., Lawrence, heated tent next to Trenton Farmers Market

• Wednesday, Dec. 29, 9 a.m. – 4 pm.

Pop-up Clinics:

• Monday, Dec. 20, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Ewing Senior Center, 999 Lower Ferry Road, Ewing.
• Thursday, Jan. 6 4 p.m. - 6 p.m., Mercer County Park Festival Grounds, Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.

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