Princeton Receives 500 Coronavirus Vaccines For Second Dose

PRINCETON, NJ — At the town council meeting held Tuesday night, Princeton Health Officer Jeff Grosser said the township has received 500 COVID-19 vaccines for its upcoming clinic.

“We actually just received today our 500 doses for our second dose clinic, which is going to be taking place on Feb. 10,” he said. These vaccines are only for those who have received their first dose.

A nationwide shortage of COVID-19 vaccines has delayed the administering of the second dose in many New Jersey towns. This week, two vaccine megasites — in Rowan and Meadowlands Racetrack — closed due to the shortage.

Read More Here: 2 Mega-Sites, Including Meadowlands, Close For COVID Vaccines

On Wednesday, Gov. Phil Murphy said the state will get $216 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to boost vaccine distribution by 16 percent. The funds will pay for costs associated with storage, transport, distribution, and administration of vaccines

Read More Here: NJ Gets $216M In Feds' 16 Percent COVID Vaccine Boost: Here's Why

“Princeton locally continues to request anywhere from 500 to 1000 vaccines per week, which we feel like we're capable of administering,” Grosser said.

Grosser said the Princeton Health Department (PHD) will be allocating those doses to individuals on the existing waitlist, while prioritization those who are currently eligible.

The health officer informed the town council that the PHD is working with the other local community sites and the county to ensure residents currently on the waiting list, and in groups 1A and 1 B, get their vaccines.

“And then next week, they will be going to either Hopewell or Lawrence Township... We'll continue to set those sites up as we go,” he said.

Grosser said Mercer County received 800 vaccines this week, with an additional 200 from the stockpile. They will be distributing them to the sites in the county. These doses will go to the public health departments in each town.

“We've received to date 800 vaccinations for first doses at the Princeton Health Department. All 800 have been accounted for, with the exception of 20, that were leftover from the (Princeton) university site that we're working on allocated right now,” he said.

All 780 doses have been inputted into the state immunization system, he said.

Councilman David Cohen asked Grosser about vaccinations for public school teachers and which category they fell under.

Grosser said that as of now, teachers have not been moved up the category like police officers and firefighters. “So, we're keeping our eye on that news.”

Register at the state and local portal to increase your chances of receiving the vaccine.

Here is the Princeton registration portal: Microsoft Forms

Here's the link to the state-run registration portal: https://covidvaccine.nj.gov/

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