COVID-19 Vaccination Access in New Jersey

The first doses of COVID-19 vaccine have arrived at six pre-positioned hospitals in New Jersey. By the end of this week and weekly thereafter, additional vaccine doses are scheduled to arrive and be more broadly distributed to acute care hospitals as well as Points of Dispensing (PODs) being set up throughout the state. The state considers physicians and their staffs to be in the 1A priority group to receive the vaccine. This group is defined as “paid and unpaid persons serving in health care settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials and are unable to work from home.” This definition is inclusive of those working and volunteering in health care settings beyond institutions as well as those who are not formally employed by such settings. Professional licensure is not required to qualify for vaccination during Phase 1A and eligible individuals may live, work and/or are being educated in New Jersey.

For the next few weeks, we expect vaccine supply to be very limited. The best course of action for those seeking to be vaccinated would be to contact their local hospital where the physician is a member of the medical staff and inquire as to the process for scheduling an appointment. Those not on the medical staff of a hospital will soon have the opportunity to register on a state-operated website to schedule vaccination at one of the PODs, which are being established in various settings and locations throughout the state. The state will shortly be distributing information about this registration site. MSNJ urges all members to become vaccinated and to encourage their staff and patients to become vaccinated as the vaccine supply becomes more available over the next few months.