As of Monday, vaccine may be available in New Jersey for anyone 16 years and older.
Vaccination administrators say they expect there to be a huge demand and that there are not enough immediate appointments to satisfy those eager to be vaccinated.
According to them, they expect a repeat of what happened earlier this year when each new group qualifies: a rush to find an open lock and frustration when there is little to get.
The ease of making an appointment depends on how many doses are allocated to each site, and it depends on how much is sent by the federal government, something that has increased, although the numbers change weekly.
‘Demand is still heavier than the supply in the state, although the supply of vaccines is increasing, and the department continues to work to gain access, especially for hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations, and ultimately that everyone who wants a vaccine , it can get, ”said Nancy Kearney, spokeswoman for the health department.
The health department said the state expects 252,720 Pfizer doses and 185,900 doses of Moderna next week.
That compares with 272,000 Pfizer and 178,000 Moderna this week, the state said.
The withdrawal of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will not make a big difference in the total supply. The state expected 15,600 doses this week and just 5,200 doses next week, said Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli.
More offerings are welcome news for vaccine administrators, who said they expect a flood of new people looking for their shots from Monday.
“All of our hospital-based sites are at their capacity,” said Ben Goldstein, a spokesman for Hackensack Meridian Health, which has 26 vaccine sites, including the mega-site in Bergen County on the Meadowlands. “The mega-website has a bit of a shortage of capacity, but we expect that to change next week when the qualification starts.”
“We do not see a tipping point,” he added. “We do not see an abundance in supply.”
RWJ Barnabas Health, which runs the mega-website in Edison, is encouraging people who are already eligible to register now, ahead of Monday’s new permission, spokeswoman Carrie Cristello said. She said the capacity of the mega-website has increased over the past few weeks, and he expects demand to increase on Monday.
CVS said it still has a big demand.
“Appointments are being filled quickly because of the limited amount of vaccine we are receiving and as criteria for eligible populations are increasing,” said Tara Burke, spokeswoman.
But anyone who wants a vaccine should eventually be able to get vaccinated.
There are different ways to book an appointment. Some facilities require pre-registration and will email or sms you to sign up for an appointment. With others, you need to go online and look at individual websites and hope you get a lock.
As of Thursday, 5.7 million doses had been administered in New Jersey, with 2.3 million people fully vaccinated, according to the state’s COVID dashboard.
The state’s goal is to vaccinate 6.9 million adults, or 70% of the adult population, by 30 June.
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Karin Price Mueller can be reached at [email protected].