Here's Where Essex Co. COVID Vaccine Sites Have Been Announced

Eric Kiefer
Updated ·7 min read

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — New Jersey has been expanding the number of publicly listed COVID-19 vaccination sites, and the state continues to announce new locations (see Essex County's list below).

Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said the state plans to increase the number of vaccination sites beyond 300. State officials have said the goal is to vaccinate 70 percent of the adult population by the spring.

Gov. Phil Murphy also has announced that the state just exceeded 200,000 vaccinations statewide. He also announced that New Jersey has created a county-by-county vaccine hub that reports the number of immunizations across the state.

"We're working strategically and efficiently to vaccinate our frontline health care workers, law enforcement and fire professionals and long-term care center residents and staff," he said.

Health officials said not all sites are publicly listed because some are not open to the public, such as prisons and psychiatric hospitals.

Persichilli said New Jersey currently doesn't have a lot of vaccine availability, but she expects that to change soon. The incoming Biden presidential administration has said that it plans to greatly expand the number of vaccine doses available to the American public.

New Jersey recently expanded the list of eligible people, allowing police and fire professionals and people older than 65 to get the vaccine. Read more: NJ Expands COVID Vaccine To 65 & Older, Those With Medical Issues

Persichilli said the state has administered at least 36 percent of vaccine doses allocated. Hospitals have administered vaccines at least 50 percent of their health care workers.

Her hope is to continue to expand the number of "mega-sties" in convention centers and large spaces, aiming for 1,000 people vaccinated a day.

You can find out if you qualify by going here: When Can You Get COVID-19 Vaccine In NJ? Here's The New 2021 List

WHERE CAN I GET VACCINATED IN ESSEX COUNTY?

There are several locations where eligible Essex County residents can get a COVID-19 vaccination.

Essex County has plans to create five vaccination sites in Livingston, Newark, West Caldwell and West Orange.

Each location only serves residents of certain towns, however, people who live in Newark – which had more than 45 percent of the county's total COVID-19 cases as of Friday – can go to any of the sites.

LIVINGSTON

  • Where - Livingston Mall, former Sears building, 112 Eisenhower Parkway, Livingston (Entrance is in the back).

  • Towns Served - Livingston, Belleville, Maplewood, Millburn, Newark, Orange and South Orange

NEWARK - ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE

  • Where - Essex County College, 303 University Avenue, Newark (Gym entrance on West Market Street)

  • Towns Served - Newark, East Orange and Irvington

NEWARK - DONALD PAYNE SCHOOL

  • Where - Essex County Donald M. Payne, Sr. School of Technology, 498-544 West Market Street, Newark *NOTE: Not operational, scheduled to open on Jan. 18

  • Towns Served - Newark, East Orange and Irvington

WEST CALDWELL

  • Where - Essex County West Caldwell School of Technology, 620 Passaic Avenue, West Caldwell

  • Towns Served - West Caldwell, Bloomfield, Caldwell, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Newark, North Caldwell and Roseland

WEST ORANGE

  • Where - Former Kmart building, 235 Prospect Avenue, West Orange

  • Towns Served - West Orange, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Montclair, Newark, Nutley and Verona

Here’s how it works, county officials say:

"When vaccinations are available, the sites will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents can make appointments at www.EssexCOVID.org or by calling 973-877-8456. Appointments only can be made after the county receives the vaccines. Vaccinations will be given in two doses. Residents making reservations to receive the vaccination will receive two appointments. It is critical that residents attend both appointments. Residents will be asked to provide their medical insurance information and their insurance provider will be billed $16.94 for the first dose and $28.39 for the second dose. If a resident does not have insurance, the cost of the vaccine will be covered by the Health Resources and Services Administration's Provide Relief Fund. There will be no out-of-pocket expenses charged to residents."

Here’s what to expect, county officials say:

"Each vaccination site is set up in a similar fashion. Residents entering the site will first be pre-screened to verify they have an appointment. Those who do not have an appointment will not be allowed to receive the vaccine that day. Residents will then proceed to a registration table where they will be provided with their paperwork for their visit and receive a card to remind them about their second appointment. After being inoculated with the vaccine, residents will be required to wait 15 minutes while they are monitored for any side effects. Social distancing guidelines will be followed at every site and areas will be sanitized on a regular basis throughout the day."

New Jersey has also cleared the way for other vaccination sites across the state, including Federally Qualified Health Centers, ShopRite supermarkets and doctor's offices. People can visit COVIDvaccine.nj.gov to preregister.

The list includes:

Belleville

  • Riverside Medical Group, 195 Cortlandt St., (973) 759-1221

Bloomfield

  • Riverside Urgent Care , 135 Bloomfield Ave., (973) 748-7459

Livingston

  • ShopRite Pharmacy, 483 South Livingston Ave., (973) 992-6854

Newark

Verona

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

New Jersey is rolling out its vaccines in phases. An exact timeline hasn’t been made available.

Vaccination is voluntary; nobody is required to get a shot.

Here's how state officials originally described the eligibility list:

  • In Phase 1A, only frontline health care workers in close contact with the virus were cleared to get a vaccination. Certain vulnerable populations such as nursing home residents and prison inmates were also able to get a shot.

  • In the first part of Phase 1B, police and firefighters were cleared to get their shots. When the second part of Phase 1B kicks in, other essential employees such as teachers, food service workers and truckers, as well as people over 75-years-old, will be eligible to get a vaccination.

  • In Phase 1C, the list will expand to other essential employees who work in “overcrowded settings” such as colleges, adults 65 to 74, and people aged 16 to 64 with medical conditions that increase the risk for severe COVID-19.

  • In Phase 2 of the rollout, anyone in the general public will be able to get a vaccination.

However, New Jersey took a detour from its distribution plan on Jan. 13. Now the list includes seniors over 65 and people with medical conditions that put them at risk from the virus (a group that was originally in Phase 1C.) Read More: Gov. Murphy To Expand COVID Vaccine To NJ Seniors 65 And Older

Eligible conditions include:

  • Cancer

  • Chronic kidney disease

  • COPD

  • Down syndrome

  • Heart conditions

  • Obesity

  • Sickle cell anemia

  • Type 2 diabetes

  • Smoking

  • Individuals who are pregnant

  • Those in an immunocompromised state and a weakened immune system because of issues such as an organ transplant

Learn more about the state’s plan for distributing the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccinations here.

TAKING A TOUR

The first COVID-19 vaccinations in New Jersey were given to workers at University Hospital in Newark, with cameras rolling and Gov. Phil Murphy in attendance.

Since then, several other local health care workers and emergency responders have reported that they got their shots.

Officials have been sharing photos from the five Essex County vaccination sites, which are being run by health care professionals and bolstered by volunteers, who are eligible to get a vaccination from the virus in return.

On Jan. 11, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. reported that 1,090 shots were given at four of the county’s vaccination centers. It brought the county’s 11-day total up to 11,036 innoculations.

This article originally appeared on the Montclair Patch