[Mendhamtwprecreation] COVID-19 Vaccinations Have Begun in New Jersey

This past Tuesday, New Jersey hospitals began vaccinating frontline healthcare workers. As of yesterday afternoon, the state reported that 2,149 healthcare workers had received their first dose of the vaccine. Around 76,000 doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine were delivered to New Jersey earlier this week - about 54,000 doses have gone to our hospitals and 20,000 will be distributed in long-term care facilities starting on December 28th. The state is currently expecting a total shipment of 183,300 doses of Pfizer’s vaccine in December, representing a 38% decrease from the state’s previous estimate. Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized emergency use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. New Jersey expects to receive the first shipment of the Moderna vaccine in the next few days. Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine does not require ultra-cold storage, so there is more flexibility on the types of sites that can receive and provide the doses, which would allow wider distribution. The state is working on opening 200+ vaccination sites, and announced yesterday that Morris County will house one of the six NJ “mega vaccination sites”. The initial focus of the vaccination effort will continue to be healthcare personnel who are defined as paid and unpaid persons serving in healthcare settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials. This first phase also includes long-term care facility residents and staff, and is expected to continue throughout December and into early 2021. As we begin on the road to the end of this pandemic, please continue practicing social distancing, masking, good hygiene, and testing. We still have a tough few months (at a minimum) ahead. With this in mind, Mendham Township and Mendham Borough with the help of Robinson Drug & Compounding Center and CareGPS Health are standing up a drive-through testing facility before the holidays in order to help prevent the spread of the virus. While we strongly encourage you not to gather for the holidays, if you do so, please get tested beforehand. Please sign up for your COVID-19 test here: caregps.us/mendham<https://caregps.us/reg/mendham.aspx>. Sarah Neibart Mayor, Mendham Township