Boosters In East Orange: City Keeps Trying To Get Shots Into Arms

EAST ORANGE, NJ — It’s been a full year since the first COVID-19 vaccines rolled out in New Jersey. But East Orange officials – and others across the state – continue the local push to get more shots into arms.

On Wednesday, Gov. Phil Murphy and Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli visited Newark, where the first inoculation in the state was given last year. To mark the milestone, they designated Dec. 15 as “Boost NJ Day” to encourage people to get booster doses.

• See related article: New Jersey Marks Anniversary Of First COVID Vaccine

In solidarity with Boost NJ Day, the East Orange Department of Health and Human Services held a booster shot clinic at the city’s mobile health clinic at 90 Halsted Street. Residents 16 and older were encouraged to receive a booster dose to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus and its new variants, including delta and omicron.

Residents who received their booster shot were met with warm smiles, music and a “goody bag,” courtesy of the city.

East Orange, which has a population of 64,367 residents, has been among the hardest-hit municipalities in Essex County when it comes to cumulative cases and deaths linked to COVID-19. Read More: COVID In Essex County (Latest Case Totals, How To Get Vaccine)

Here are some recent statistics for East Orange, according to Essex County:

• Dec. 15 - 8,697 cases, 338 deaths
• Nov. 15 - 8,282 cases, 337 deaths
• Oct. 15 - 8,049 cases, 326 deaths

According to the New Jersey Department of Health, here are the percentages of East Orange residents who have completed their vaccine courses as of Dec. 15:

• All Ages - 50%
• 12 through 17 - 40%
• 12 and over - 60%
• 18 and over - 62%
• 30 and over - 66%
• 65 and over - 75%

Those numbers are slowly ticking up from four weeks ago, when they stood at:

• All Ages – 48%
• 12 through 17 – 38%
• 12 and over – 58%
• 18 and over – 60%
• 30 and over – 64%
• 65 and over – 73%

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

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