Has Vaccine Accessibility in NJ Really Increased?

By Nancy Sanchez-Diaz

Entertainment Editor

While nursing home residents were in the first group of people to become eligible for the vaccine back in December and those over 65 became fully eligible in January, only 54% of older New Jersey residents are fully vaccinated, according to NJ.com.

Wide disparities are especially noted in vaccination rates between different counties, reports NJ.com.

As of April 5, just five counties have vaccinated more than half of the residents older than 65: Burlington, Warren, Bergen, Cape May, and Morris counties.

Six of the eight counties with the lowest vaccination rates are counties with the highest shares of Black and Hispanic population, highlighting the difficulties those communities face in access to the vaccine, continued NJ.com.

As NJ.com says, one of the ways to help combat this issue is by maintaining access to appointment phone lines for older people. Community vaccination sites placed in neighborhoods with those over 65 can help, too.

Making sure homebound residents have vaccine access is another area the state could improve in, continued NJ.com. Currently, there is no statewide system to request a vaccine at home.

The wide disparities among elderly people and communities of color is something FDU students should work to combat. Many commuter students live with or often see someone who is 65 and older, and we have a responsibility to help keep loved ones safe.

There is still much work to be done.

COVID-19 Numbers

The following is the latest COVID-19 cases for yesterday and today.