West Caldwell Tech Designated as One of Five Essex County Vaccination Sites – TAPinto.net

WEST CALDWELL, NJ — The West Caldwell School of Technology will be one of five vaccination centers in Essex County for the administration of COVID-19 vaccines, the county disclosed on Tuesday.

The school on 620 Passaic Ave. in West Caldwell will serve residents of West Caldwell, Bloomfield, Caldwell, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Newark, North Caldwell and Roseland.

Essex Fells residents who choose to be vaccinated would go to the 235 Prospect Ave. in West Orange, the site formerly occupied by K-Mart.

“Since March, the Coronavirus pandemic has impacted all of our lives and created numerous unforeseen challenges and obstacles. Very soon, vaccines for the Coronavirus will be available and, working in partnership with our 22 municipal mayors, health officers, public safety officials and emergency management personnel, we have developed a comprehensive plan to administer vaccines to Essex County residents,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said Tuesday. “In addition to wearing a mask, washing our hands, social distancing and getting tested, we encourage residents to help stop the spread of COVID-19 by getting vaccinated. Our comprehensive plan provides vaccination centers that are convenient to all Essex County residents. We encourage everyone to get the vaccine.”

Limited doses of the vaccine will be available initially, and the State Department of Health has compiled a phased in approach to ensure the vaccine is distributed in a fair and equitable manner until larger quantities of the vaccine become available. 

Those who are eligible to receive the vaccine first are healthcare workers who may have contact with infected patients or infectious materials and people who are at a higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness, including those over the age of 65 and those with underlying health issues. 

Next to receive the vaccine will be critical populations which include, but are not limited to, healthcare workers (hospital, long-term care, home care, urgent care and clinics, dialysis centers, dental offices, funeral homes, pharmacies public health, group homes, EMS); first responders, food and agriculture workers, transportation, education and child care, energy, water and sanitation, law enforcement and government; adults at higher risk (long term care residents, people ages 65 and older, those with underlying medical conditions, immunocompromised, incarcerated, homeless shelters, group homes and other congregate settings such as psychiatric facilities); and others at high risk (communities that have disproportionately acquired or died from COVID-19, colleges and universities, people with disabilities and people who are under- or uninsured). The general population will be vaccinated last.

“The vaccines are the light at the end of the tunnel, but we still have to continue wearing a mask, social distancing, washing our hands and practicing good hygiene, and be tested regularly,” NJ State Senator and Deputy Chief of Staff Teresa Ruiz said.