Bergen County Hospitals Partner For 'Vax To School'

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A trio of Bergen County hospitals are hosting a "Vax to School" drive next week across the county as spread of the coronavirus has risen to "substantial" levels, and government officials are revising mitigation measures.

Holy Name Medical Center, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center and Hackensack Meridian Health have partnered for a vaccine drive, hoping to expand vaccinations before the start of the fall semester across North Jersey.

All three will host vaccination appointments on Monday across seven sites in North Jersey, and Hackensack Meridian will host additional appointments on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently designated Bergen County — and basically the rest of New Jersey — as a region with a "substantial" level of coronavirus transmission, as of this week. The CDC also recommended that all adults, even if fully vaccinated, wear masks indoors if they live in areas with "substantial" transmission.

Additionally, news of the vaccine drive comes as Gov. Phil Murphy is expected to update masking guidelines in New Jersey schools. Read more: WATCH: Gov. Murphy To Address K-12 Mask Mandate

Here are the dates and locations for the week of Aug. 9:

First doses will be given starting Aug. 9, and second dose appointments will be scheduled for the week of Aug. 30. On this timeline, students and staff can be fully vaccinated in early September.