Credit: (Edwin J. Torres/ Governor’s Office; CC BY-NC 2.0)
April 23, 2021: Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli, center, and Gov. Phil Murphy, right, visit a COVID-19 vaccination site at a ShopRite store.
With COVID-19 vaccine supplies holding steady and demand for the shots declining, New Jersey’s immunization program is shifting gears, with walk-in appointments now regularly available at mega-sites around the state and some larger county operations shutting down or temporarily suspending inoculations.
Gov. Phil Murphy declined to detail state plans for any additional vaccination site closures on Wednesday. But he made clear the evolution is part of the state’s plan to transfer focus from its larger, regional immunization operations to smaller, community-based programs that allow people to get shots in doctors’ offices, local drugstores or at home with help from a visiting caregiver. The state is also targeting younger people, he said, by partnering with colleges and offering the “Shot and a Beer” program announced Monday, which enables those who got a first dose in May to enjoy a free beer at participating breweries.