Essex County Is 'National Model' For COVID Vaccines: Sen. Booker

Eric Kiefer
Updated ·6 min read
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ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Despite supply shortages, Essex County has been distributing more than 1,400 doses of COVID-19 vaccines per day at its five centers. And it’s an effort that the rest of the United States should take note of, according to Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey.

Speaking on FOX5 News, Booker – a Newark resident – said Essex County has become a “national model” for getting vaccines “out really quickly and in people’s arms.”

On Wednesday, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. reported that the county gave first doses of the COVID vaccine to 1,536 people and second doses to 913 people at its give vaccination centers. It brought the county’s 23-day total to 29,980 first doses and 3,056 second doses.

According to the most recent estimate from the U.S. Census, there are 798,975 people living in Essex County.

READ MORE: Where To Get COVID Vaccines In Essex County (See Local Updates)

“We’ve created an effective plan for distribution that ensures our residents get both doses of the vaccine,” DiVincenzo wrote Wednesday, tipping his hat to Booker for the recognition.

Several people agreed with DiVincenzo on his social media post. Seen online:

  • “This was such an easy process … everyone was very nice. Never felt anyone was too close.”

  • “Essex County has done an amazing job! So happy to live here.”

  • “Essex County should be commended for how its team organized and delivered the vaccine program to its citizens. We were way ahead of other counties who floundered, while our program was up and running.”

“Essex County should be the model for New Jersey, if not the nation,” one commenter wrote. “You have done an amazing job.”

Other U.S. Congress members have pitched in for the vaccination effort in Essex County, including U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who recently volunteered at the center in West Orange.

Essex County’s program hasn’t been without its problems, however. Like other counties in New Jersey, its biggest Achilles’ heel has been getting enough doses.

The lack of vaccines in New Jersey is a federal-level issue, DiVincenzo claimed in a Jan. 18 update. He wrote:

"We have experienced an extremely high demand from people who want the vaccine and have hit a few bumps in the road. In response, we are continuing to monitor our website, make updates as information and eligible groups change, and tweak our system to improve user experience. We are the only county in the state to have a call center to respond to questions and help those who don't have access to a computer. During these early stages, through no fault of our own, we have experienced network and equipment failure. We are working through these issues and added staff so we can respond to the thousands of calls coming in."

DiVincenzo continued:

"Unfortunately, the number of people who want the shot far exceeds the doses we have or are scheduled to receive. Because of this, appointments fill up fast and availability is limited. We ask for your patience and understanding that it may take time before everyone can make an appointment. This is not unique to Essex County -This is occurring across the country. We are in constant communication with Governor Phil Murphy and the Department of Health and have requested that more doses be sent to Essex County. While the governor and his staff have been supportive of our efforts, they are experiencing the same supply shortages as we are. The problem exists because of distribution delays by the federal government."

Recently, Essex County rolled out an online schedule that allows residents to see if any appointments are available at its five vaccination centers. However, appointments have been disappearing off the tracker nearly as soon as they’re posted, leaving many residents checking the website daily. (See the tracker here)

Essex County has been among the hardest-hit areas in New Jersey when it comes to the coronavirus. As of Friday, the county has seen 58,554 cumulative cases of the virus. Only Bergen County had more, with 59,029.

Essex County has seen 2,275 confirmed deaths linked to the disease, the most in the state.

VACCINATIONS IN ESSEX COUNTY: A BRIEF BACKGROUND

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.

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. 13, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said that 13,273 doses had been given at the county's centers over the past 13 days. That total has since grown in scope, with a reported 1,534 doses distributed on Jan. 21 alone.

Several local health care workers, emergency responders and elected officials have reported that they got their shots.

Retirement and nursing home residents throughout the county have also been getting vaccinated.

In January, many of those who previously got their first shots received follow-up inoculations, a requirement of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Meanwhile, some towns and cities have been stepping in to fill up the gaps.

In Newark, officials plan to create "rotating vaccination locations" throughout the city, beginning in February.

"For the past year, our city has been fighting against COVID-19 and our community now has access to the vaccine geared to help give us greater protection from the disease," Mayor Ras Baraka said.

In North Caldwell and West Caldwell, municipal officials have been reaching out to homebound residents who can't make it to one of the Essex County vaccination sites or any of the others that have been authorized by the state.

"The list will be used by our local health department to coordinate a mobile vaccination plan for all such residents," North Caldwell police stated.

Have YOU gotten a COVID-19 vaccination in Essex County? Let us know how it went — leave a comment below!

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This article originally appeared on the Newark Patch