John Plumber, 90, was the 100,000th patient to receive a COVID-19 vaccination at the Atlantic City mega-site run by AtlantiCare.
New Jersey residents 65 and older who have been unable to get a COVID-19 vaccine should have an easier time now that appointments are being reserved for them at designated Walmarts and Sam's Clubs.
In Atlantic County, this includes three Walmart locations - Egg Harbor Township, Hammonton and Mays Landing - as well as the Sam's Club in Pleasantville. Eligible residents may call the stores directly to make their appointments or call the state's 65 and older hotline at 856-249-7007, available 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
This population is among the most vulnerable for COVID-19 yet a significant number remain unvaccinated, not because they choose to but because they have been unable to find appointments, Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson said.
Levinson noted that with the supply of vaccine the county has received it offered clinics at Atlantic Cape Community College for eligible residents earlier in the year before the county was asked to move its staff and resources to the Atlantic City Convention Center to support the vaccination mega-site, one of six in the state.
Most recently, the state provided Atlantic County with 500 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which county public health staff are administering to its home delivered meal customers.
The one-dose J&J vaccine is ideal for the homebound who might otherwise go unvaccinated and be unable to accept family and visitors into their homes, Levinson said. The response has been very positive. Ideally, we would like to provide this service to other homebound residents who may not be current customers. If we are able to obtain more vaccine we will certainly consider doing so.
In the meantime, Levinson encourages mobile residents 65 and older to make appointments through the hotline or these additional local vaccinator providers.
The stores will be administering the Moderna two-shot vaccines, a county representative said.
New Jersey has the unfortunate distinction at this time of having the most new COVID-19 cases in the country. And according to the CDC, the risk of getting infected with COVID-19 and experiencing severe illness increases with age, noted Levinson. These services should help those 65 and older who want the vaccine to get it.
