Residents, under new
changes, can now only sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine in Ocean County through
the Ocean County Health Department.
New registrations through the
health department as of Wednesday night can only be done for people who live in
the county. It does not affect people who got the first shot already
living outside of the county through the public health department.
According
to State Health Cmmissioner Judy Persichilli, New Jersey is only receiving
about 100,000 doses of vaccine per week, and that has to be divided equally to
all the providers. The Ocean County Public Health Department has seen its weekly
allowance of vaccines drop from 5,000 to 3,000. Once more vaccine becomes
available, more slots will open up.
“With the
restrictions and reduction of the vaccine, the state is now allowing us to restrict
to Ocean County residents,” says Ocean County Public Health Coordinator Dan
Regenye. “We will have to ask for ID at the entrance of our clinics at this
point, that'll be likely happening with the other clinics throughout the other
counties as well.”
The Ocean
County Health Department opened its second mass vaccination clinic Tuesday at
the Southern Regional Middle School in Manahawkin. Between this location and
their first location at the arena at Toms River High School North, the
department could vaccinate thousands of people a day, but as is the case across
the state, the supply of vaccine is so limited they had to add tighter
restrictions on who can get it.
“Our goal
and vision for them is to be more of a community-based model to be out into the
senior communities at their municipal buildings and libraries to be able to
offer this,” says Regenye. “Right now, with a limited vaccine, the centralized
model is what we are looking to do.”
Due to a
glitch in the computer system, residents in Ocean County who already received
their first dose might not get the email scheduling their second dose for up to
two weeks after their first shot.
Residents have to register
through the Ocean County Health Department's
website to guarantee a spot.
Although they are filled, spaces do open up periodically.