By Judy O’Gorman Alvarez
If it feels like trying to get a long-awaited COVID-19 vaccination is more difficult than getting Springsteen or “Hamilton” tickets (back in the day when concert arenas and Broadway theaters were open), you’re right. New Jerseyans in the designated 1a or 1b categories may be eligible for the vaccine but getting an appointment, or even getting through phone lines or onto websites, is proving frustrating and difficult for many.
As a third-grade teacher, Heidi Clark of Middletown thought her profession qualified her for the Phase 1b category to receive a vaccine but when the state made modifications, she said, teachers were bumped.
“I am amazed how the vaccine was developed so quickly but unfortunately, we are seeing distribution at the state level is not going well at all,” said Clark, who returned to the classroom for a while when her school opened for hybrid classes but now teaches virtually full time. “And that’s what’s so frustrating. We want to get everyone vaccinated and back into the classroom as soon as possible.”
With health concerns, Clark has been trying to get an appointment for herself and for her parents, but to no avail. “I’m trying to be patient and wait my turn, but what can you do? There’s only so many vaccines out there. There’s no availability.”
Stephanie Cartier of Lincroft has been trying to secure a vaccination appointment for her 22-year-old daughter Katie. “As a parent of a child with Down syndrome, who is considered high risk, I have not been able to get her a vaccine,” she said. “I have spent countless hours on websites and the phone trying to get her an appointment. It is totally frustrating and so scary knowing your child is high risk and as hard as you try, you cannot get them the vaccine that could potentially save their life. I know many other parents of children with Down syndrome who are in the same boat as me – a sinking boat!”
New Jersey is rolling out COVID-19 vaccines to inoculate adults who live, work or go to school in the state. The goal is to vaccinate 70 percent of the adult population – or 4.7 million adults – within six months.
Currently, vaccines are available to New Jerseyans in two phases – 1a and 1b. Phase 1a includes health care personnel and long-term care residents and staff. Phase 1b includes first responders and individuals at high risk.
Those in the first phase, such as a health workers – including health care professionals, students, volunteers and caregivers – residents or employees of nursing homes, EMS, paramedics or funeral home staff may have already been vaccinated. According to the state’s website, that includes “Paid and unpaid persons serving in health care settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials.”
Phase 1b includes first responders and the like, paid and unpaid, but it may be the Individuals at High Risk category of the phase that’s proving to be a catchall so many residents fall into.
Eligibility for Phase 1b includes those 65 years and older and those with medical conditions, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that increase the risk of severe illness from the virus. But that includes everything from cancer to Type 2 diabetes to heart conditions to smoking.
For a full breakdown of who is eligible for vaccines, see page 2.
Next up for the shot will be additional frontline essential workers (Phase 1b), other essential workers (Phase 1c) and the general population (Phase 2).
There are several locations to be vaccinated, including various health centers and even some ShopRite pharmacies, but all of them require an appointment. Monmouth County residents can use the Monmouth County COVID-19 Vaccination Scheduling System (MCCVSS) to make an appointment. For more information, go to visitmonmouth.com. If there are no appointments available, residents can sign onto the vaccination waitlist.
The VNA of Central Jersey Community Health Centers (VNACJ CHCs) and the YMCA of Greater Monmouth County have teamed up to provide COVID-19 vaccines to eligible residents.
VNACJ CHC is now offering the COVID-19 Moderna vaccine at the Red Bank Family YMCA by appointment, in addition to testing for the coronavirus. It is the first satellite vaccination site in New Jersey.
“The Red Bank Y has served as a safe testing location since May, and now we are one of several locations in the county where people in the community can come to get their COVID-19 vaccine,” said YMCA of Greater Monmouth County president and CEO Laurie Goganzer in a press release. “This is part of what we do, it is the embodiment of our longstanding commitment to the community, especially during the pandemic.”
Vaccines are offered at the Red Bank Family YMCA, at 166 Maple Ave. in Red Bank, by appointment, Monday through Friday. Those who are eligible must register in advance at the VNA CHC website www.vnachc.org.
More than 600 people have already been vaccinated at the Y since the program started in early January.
The vaccine is free for those who fit the criteria. The VNACJ CHC registration site does ask for insurance information in case they have to bill the patient. Those without insurance can still receive the vaccine.
The VNA plans to open a vaccination site at BellWorks in Holmdel on Monday, Jan. 25.
“Our primary goal is to get our community members vaccinated,” said Christopher Rinn, CEO of the VNACJ Community Health Centers. “We are trying everything we can to continue to do that with the parameters we have relative to supply.”
“Currently, the demand is very high but as our vaccine supply increases, the Community Health Centers plan to expand our operations to other higher throughput sites to address the great need.” said Rinn.
“Discovering the vaccine is in short supply after months of waiting is understandably frustrating, but I’m asking residents to please be patient a bit longer as we expand vaccine access to more residents,” said Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso (R-Monmouth) in a press release last week.
“Unfortunately, it is difficult to prepare for the enormous volume of traffic to scheduling websites following the addition of 1.5 million eligible seniors over 65. As we all know, vaccine supply is a critical issue across the state and appointments can only be made based on supply.”
For more information, visit covid19.nj.gov.
The article originally appeared in the January 21 – 27, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
