A Day with Whoopi Encouraging Vaccinations – TAPinto.net

EAST ORANGE, NJ — It was a perfect day in East Orange. The parking lot of the ShopRite shopping center (Roberto’s Pizza side) was full of excitement. Smiling eyes could be seen behind the masks everywhere.  Black cars pulled-up, and out popped Governor Phil Murphy and his wife Tammy Murphy. He was joined by Whoopi Goldberg, the Lt. Governor, County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin, and Assemblywoman Britnee Timberlake who brought her masked children in tow for the special occasion. East Orange City Council members and city officials were also out and about, everyone eagerly waiting to say hello to Whoopi.

After walking around, witnessing a few members of the community getting vaccinated, and elbow bumping people hello, Whoopi was the first introduced by the Governor. She spoke of the importance of the vaccine and getting our lives back. The Lt. Governor spoke about communities of color lagging behind in vaccination rates, and that needing to change.

Fans of Whoopi lined up waiting to be vaccinated, all hoping to catch a glimpse or a word. Fans got much more than that as Ms. Goldberg was humbly conversational with each person who approached.

The event was sponsored by “Grateful for the Shot”, an initiative to get more people vaccinated. Comparisons to “Souls to the Polls” were made as this initiative is beginning with places of worship. First-up, St. Matthew Church in Orange. The Pastor of the church, Melvin Wilson has been leading the COVID-19 testing and vaccination charge in Orange since the beginning of the pandemic. If churches are able to get 50 people signed-up to be vaccinated, then “Grateful for the Shot” will arrange the vaccine and other services.

Whoopi Goldberg, an Essex County resident, is a talk show host, actor, author, comedian, and television personality. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, is known worldwide. Whoopi happens to be one of only sixteen entertainers in the world who have won four major awards: an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, an Academy Award, and a Tony Award. Goldberg is the second celebrity in Essex to help get the word out about vaccinations. Queen Latifah was the first. 

According to a new map released by the state of New Jersey, urban areas throughout the state have some of the lowest percentage rates of vaccinated residents. Orange and East Orange are being eclipsed by neighboring suburban towns who have double the percentage of population vaccinated. The maps however do not initially appear to take density into consideration. To compare towns, the map can be viewed by municipality and broken down by people who got one shot, and people who got two.