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On January 27 at the COVID-19 vaccination center at Camden County College in Blackwood, NJ, Marisol Rivera shows off the Prichard Industries Employee of the Month certificate she s just been awarded. (April Saul for WHYY)
Last week, as a Marc Anthony song blared through a loudspeaker at Camden County College’s Papiano Gymnasium, Marisol Rivera salsa danced through rows of people who had just been inoculated against COVID-19. She was dressed as a leprechaun.
Periodically, the 53-year-old Camden grandmother disinfected vacant chairs, while medical personnel observed whether anyone was experiencing adverse reactions to the Moderna vaccine.
“I’m gonna make you laugh!” she said to an elderly woman. “Forget COVID!”
As snow and sleet continue to blanket South Jersey, New Jersey officials and South Jersey county officials have closed COVID vaccination sites for Monday and Tuesday.
The three South Jersey mega sites at the Moorestown Mall, Rowan College of South Jersey and the Atlantic City Convention Center are closed Monday and Tuesday as a snowstorm that began Sunday is forecasted to continue into Tuesday morning.
Camden County s largest vaccination location, at Camden County College in Blackwood, will also be closed on Monday and Tuesday, said Dan Keashen, the county s director of public affairs. Burlington County s second vaccine site, at the Emergency Services Training Center in Westampton, is closed as well.
MOORESTOWN The COVID vaccination mega site at the Moorestown Mall opened Friday morning.
Located in the anchor store space once occupied by Lord & Taylor, the mall is one of six vaccination mega sites in New Jersey. It can administer up to 40 shots at a time and 2,400 per day, according to Burlington County officials. It is also fully staffed and ready to go, added Virtua Health officials, who are providing much of the staffing.
The state mega site is just waiting on one thing: more vaccines.
Herb Conaway, Burlington County health director, said the vaccine distribution from the federal government certainly leaves much to be desired.
BLACKWOOD Come and get a COVID vaccination at Camden County College.
Camden County officials stated and repeated that call to action Wednesday on the community college campus, during opening day for the county s biggest COVID vaccination site.
But officials were clear that, while they want residents to get vaccinated, not everyone is eligible yet. So far, only people in Phase 1A and certain people in Phase 1B of New Jersey s rollout plan can visit the local site.
Phase 1A now includes healthcare workers and non-hospital healthcare personnel, like doctors and pharmacists. Phase 1B groups that are eligible include emergency medical services personnel and police officers.