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Young children in New Jersey were slated to begin getting their first COVID vaccine shots on Wednesday less than 24 hours after federal regulators approved a two-shot regimen for 5 to 11-year-olds in an effort health officials hope will continue to drive down cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

The vaccine made by Pfizer is one-third the dose of the adult vaccine. It will be delivered in two shots at least three weeks apart. Shots are free.

Some providers began taking online appointments just hours after the Tuesday approval. They include: 

The vaccine was nearly 91 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 among children in clinical trials. Vaccine side effects were mild and similar to those seen in adults and with other vaccines recommended for children, officials at the Centers for Disease Control said upon approving the vaccine Tuesday night. 

About 760,000 New Jersey children are now eligible for the vaccine. 

NJ election results 2021:See live results for Governor, Senate, sports betting and more

The state pre-ordered 203,800 pediatric doses and plans to ship them to 230 sites in all 21 counties.

This includes 65 primary care practices, 40 independent pharmacies, 37 county and municipal sites, 35 hospitals, 18 chain pharmacies, six urgent care facilities, and the Gloucester County megasite.

“Pfizer pediatric doses has been delivered to some sites and will continue to be delivered over this week and into next week,” said Donna Leusner, a Health Department spokeswoman.

The Health Department’s vaccine finder webpage will include a tab for pediatric dose availability, Leusner said. The page is available at: https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/finder.

Another resource is the Facebook page “New Jersey COVID Vaccine Info” run by volunteers looking to help people book appointments. 

More:Lifelong disability from prenatal injury led doctor to refuse COVID shot. Now he’s fired

A bigger rollout may come next week. 

The Biden administration ordered enough doses to cover all 28 million American children in the age group. The administration’s distribution program will be “running at full strength” the week of Nov. 8, Presidential adviser Jeffrey Zients said Monday.

Children ages 5 to 10-years-old have become the predominant group testing positive for the virus in New Jersey with 93 cases per 100,000 residents for the week ending on Oct. 23., according to the latest statistics from the Health Department. The next most prominent age group was 11 to 13-year-olds at 87. Spot testing has increased at New Jersey schools beginning last month. 

The vaccination approval comes as key COVID metrics like cases and hospitalizations began to fall last month in New Jersey and across the nation after a surge over the summer due to the highly contagious delta variant. 

Demand may be high initially, but many parents are wary of getting their younger kids vaccinated.

A  national poll released last week by the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that only 27% of parents would get their 5- to 11-year-olds vaccinated right away, 33% will take a wait-a-see approach and 30% said they definitely would not let their children get the shots.

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New Jersey adolescents are not getting vaccinated at the rate health officials had hoped when they became eligible in May. Only 57% of 12- to 15-year-olds have gotten at least one shot. 

The state prepared similarly for the rollout of COVID boosters, but so far has not seen high demand for the shots. About 20% of the 2.7 million eligible for boosters have gotten one.

Check back for updates.

This article contains information from USA Today 

Scott Fallon has covered the COVID-19 pandemic since its onset in March 2020. To get unlimited access to the latest news about the pandemic’s impact on New Jersey,  please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: fallon@northjersey.com 

Twitter: @newsfallon 

A Middlesex County man has filed a lawsuit against two private schools, a day camp and the estate of a teacher he claims sexually abused him four decades ago.

The man, whose name is not disclosed in court papers, alleges a wood-shop teacher at The Pingry School in Basking Ridge molested him repeatedly during the 1981-1982 school year, beginning when the student was 8 years old.

The teacher is identified in the lawsuit as Bruce Bohrer, who was named in a private investigator’s report as one of three teachers who abused children dozens of children at Pingry.

Bohrer, who died on March 2 in Florida at age 78, had publicly denied allegations of misconduct. New Jersey’s criminal court database does not show that Bohrer was ever charged with an indictable offense.

The lawsuit filed Oct. 28 in Superior Court of Essex County accuses Bohrer of being sexually inappropriate with children ranging in age from 8 to 11.

The man who filed the suit claims he was molested the first time when the teacher invited him and other students to a day camp in Randolph during Wednesday overnight sleepovers in the summer of 1981, the suit states.

In the fall of that year, the man’s parents – who were unaware of the alleged abuse – invited Bohrer to babysit and housesit their property, the suit states. Instead, the teacher brought the child to his own home, where sexual assaults allegedly occurred regularly through 1982, the suit states.

In addition to his teaching duties at The Pingry School, Bohrer worked as a bus driver for Newark Academy, a coeducational private day school in Livingston, court papers state.

The teacher allegedly took the victim on the school bus during his routes even though the victim did not attend Newark Academy, the suit states.

“During these bus trips, Bohrer spoke to (the victim) in a sexually graphic and abusive manner, in his further grooming of (the victim),” the lawsuit alleges. On one occasion, Bohrer told the student he “was teaching (the victim) about sex” and that he did the same for other children his age, according to the lawsuit.

In 2016, The Pingry School’s new administration alerted alumni that one of its teachers, Thad P. Alton Jr., who was also a Boy Scout leader, had molested children at the school. The administration then commissioned a private firm from New York to investigate the allegations.

The report, released a year later, found that not only had Alton abused children, but that two others – including Bohrer – had sexually assaulted students at the school.

The report found no reason to believe that Pingry officials were aware of the alleged abuse at the time, except for one board member who heard about Alton’s behavior, but never officially reported it.

In the lawsuit filed Oct. 28, attorneys for the man state that “Pingry gained knowledge of such incidents (of abuse) through its employees and agents, who in turn failed to make reports to legal authorities as required by mandatory reporting laws then existing in New Jersey.”

Due to the abuse, the man has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, ulcerative colitis resulting in the removal of his colon, depression, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment of his life, the lawsuit claims.

A spokeswoman for The Pingry School said in an email that the allegations against Bohrer were detailed in its 2017 report. She declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Donald Austin, head of Newark Academy, released a statement to NJ Advance Media in which he said the school “has the deepest concern and sympathy for anyone who has suffered from past abuse.”

“We recently received a legal complaint with allegations, dating back more than 40 years ago, that names Newark Academy as a defendant,” Austin said. “Regardless of the passage of time, we take this matter very seriously and it is being handled responsibly, with proper care and due diligence.”

The lawsuit alleges assault and battery, negligence, recklessness and violations of New Jersey’s Child Sex Abuse Act and the state’s laws against discrimination.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

New Jersey Senator Vince Polistina has achieved one of the largest margins of victory in District 2, Atlantic County history.

We’re still researching, as Polistina may have actually won by the greatest margin ever in District 2.

That’s saying a whole lot when you consider potentates like Frank S. “Hap” Farley, Joe McGahn, Steve Perskie, Bill Gormley, Jim Whelan and Chris Brown.

It appears that none of these giants of both political parties ever won by the margin that Polistina did last night.

None of the above mentioned political “Mount Rushmore” figures ever faced the millions of dollars that Polistina had to deal with this year.

With additional Vote by Mail ballots that will still have to be added, Polistina defeated outgoing New Jersey Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo by a margin of 24,929 to 17,801 a difference of 7128 votes.

Additionally, Polistina achieved this mandate by having to deal with somewhere between $ 5 to $ 6 million dollars that directly benefited Mazzeo and his running mates Assemblyman John Armato and Atlantic County Commissioner Caren Fitzpatrick.

In the the New Jersey General Assembly races in District 2, Claire Swift was the top vote-getter with 25,061 votes.

It was Polistina who gave-picked Swift. Polistina got his way, but, there was some early Republican (inside baseball) criticism of Polistina for this pick.

Polistina was unfazed by the political sniping and merely said to watch what a great candidate Claire Swift would be.

Swift was fantastic, winning a state legislative seat in her first-ever election.

Former Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian has captured the second Assembly seat with 24,731 votes.

Armato finished 3rd (17,178) and Fitzpatrick 4th (16,349).

It must be memorialized that Mazzeo ran a filthy, dirty campaign against Polistina.

Polistina was accused of killing women and children with cancer. He was also the victim of “Dog Whistles,” accused of being a “Proud Boy” … in other words, they were calling Polistina a racist.

It got so bad, that Polistina and his wife Carolyn filmed a television commercial to respond to the vicious lies that were being told at market saturation levels.

Polistina was also slammed for “owning a mansion in Hollywood.” This was purposeful, to give voters the impression that Polistina was an out of touch, elitist snob with a mansion in Hollywood, California.

When in fact, Polistina is as grounded and humble as they come. Further, his supposed mansion in Hollywood is really a condominium in Hollywood, Florida.

Polistina was even hit hard for being a former member of two local golf clubs.

It is important to note that 1st District Senator Michael Testa, R-1 was the architect of a master plan that flipped all 3 legislative seats in 2019.

Testa, Erik Simonsen and Antwan McClellan were all comfortably re-elected to another term yesterday.

A word about the Stockton University Poll. It was once again very inaccurate. John Froonjian and The Stockton University Poll must seriously consider getting out of this business.

They’re just not good at it. it’s a very hard business. Harder then ever with few landlines and so many people who do not wish to participate in surveys.

In 2019, 11 days before Election Day, Stockton University dropped a stink bomb that Testa was trailing appointed Democrat Senator Bob Andrezjak by 14 points.

Testa defeated Andrezjak by 8 points.

This year’s Stockton University Poll showed Testa leading by 13 points. He won yesterday by 29 points.

The Stockton Poll was even worse with the 2021 Polistina versus Mazzeo race. They actually waited until 4 days of early voting had taken place, to announce their poll, showing Mazzeo with an 8-point lead.

Polistina defeated Mazzeo by at least 28.594 percentage points. This advantage will widen over the next few days.

I’ve been calling for polling reform for more than 30 years.

Look at Jack Ciatterelli versus New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. The Stockton University Poll gave Murphy an 11-point lead.

As of this writing, Ciatterelli leads the incumbent Governor by a whisker, 49.7 % to 49.6 %, with more votes and the Vote by Mail ballots to still be factored in.

Most of the other polls gave Murphy anywhere between a 6 to 12 point advantage over the final two weeks of the campaign.

At this point in time, Murphy versus Ciattarelli is even closer then Tom Kean versus Jim Florio. Kean won by only 1,900 votes.

The Trafalgar Group poll was the closest, showing Murphy with a 4.2 lead, one day before yesterday’s election.

Polistina was outspent by his opponent by a 5-1 margin. Perhaps this will serve notice to those who have been sending $3 to $ 6 million every two years to our region.

Maybe, just maybe, they’ll see it as a very bad return on investment.

Based on the $ 5 to $ 6 million dollars of headwind that Polistina faced … He has achieved one of the greatest election victories in Atlantic County, District 2 history.

NEW JERSEY — Below you will find the most up-to-date information on coronavirus news impacting New Jersey. You can find additional resources and coverage on our coronavirus page.

Gov. Murphy gives NJ COVID update

Daily health indicators

• New cases: 1,026 (Statewide total: 1,044,964)
• Hospitalizations: 680
  • ICU: 170
  • Ventilators: 91 
• New deaths: 7 (Death toll: 25,195) 
• The statewide rate of transmission: 1.01
• Vaccines administered: 12,576,325
  • Fully vaccinated: 6,073,883

Vaccinated just as likely to spread delta variant within household as unvaccinated: study

People who have received COVID-19 vaccinations are able to spread the delta variant within their household just as easily as unvaccinated individuals, a new study published on Friday, Oct. 29, shows.

Child tax credit 2022: What we know so far

As inner-party conflict continues to shave off elements of President Joe Biden’s sweeping domestic policy package, there may be good news for parents. While it’s unclear what the ultimate bill will include, Democrats arrived at a framework Thursday, Oct. 28, that included a one-year extension of the expanded child tax credit.

Moderna says its low-dose COVID shot safe, effective for kids 6 to 11

Moderna said on Oct. 25 that a low dose of its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and appears to work in 6- to 11-year-olds, as the manufacturer moves toward expanding shots to children.

FDA says Pfizer COVID vaccine looks effective for young kids

Federal health regulators said late Friday, Oct. 22, that kid-size doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine appear highly effective at preventing symptomatic infections in elementary school children and caused no unexpected safety issues, as the U.S. weighs beginning vaccinations in youngsters.

NJ among top vaccinated states in U.S.

New Jersey is among the top 10 states in the country with the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates at 74%. Helping to lead the charge is Paterson, which has a 90% vaccination rate.

COVID vaccine mandate for state workers, teachers begins

Many state employees returned to in-person work on Monday, Oct. 18, the same day Gov. Phil Murphy’s requirement for them to either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to regular virus testing went into effect. The vaccine or test mandate also applies to teachers in New Jersey.

IRS sending October installment of child tax credit after delay in September

Families across the country are starting to receive their October child tax credit. The IRS says the program’s fourth monthly payment is already hitting Americans’ bank accounts after a technical issue last month caused delays for some recipients. 

New COVID safety guidance for the holidays released by the CDC

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention released updated COVID-19 safety guidance for the holiday season on Friday, Oct. 15, including getting vaccinated, wearing a mask indoors if you’re not vaccinated and avoiding crowded and poorly ventilated spaces.

Rutgers team tries to understand ‘brain fog’ COVID connection

Dr. William Hu, the Chief of the Division of Cognitive Neurology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, is leading a team trying to figure out what brain fog is and how it’s connected to COVID-19.

FDA endorsement essentially calls for Johnson & Johnson to be 2-shot vaccine

An FDA panel unanimously recommended a Johnson and Johnson booster vaccine on Friday, Oct. 15.  The terms of the endorsement essentially call for the J&J COVID-19 vaccine to be a two-dose shot, rather than the one-dose shot for which it’s been known since it first got emergency use authorization last spring.

The panel called for a second shot to be available to people 18 and older, at least two months after the first shot.

FDA panel recommends Moderna booster shot, but the process isn’t over

A panel of medical experts affiliated with the Food and Drug Administration endorsed a COVID vaccine booster from Moderna on Thursday, Oct. 14. The panel recommended a half dose as a booster.  

Need to be vaccinated by Thanksgiving, Hanukkah or Christmas? Here are the deadlines

People who want to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Thanksgiving, Hanukkah or Christmas are running out of time. Two of the three vaccines available in the U.S. require two doses spread weeks apart and a waiting period once the shots have been administered.

Vice President Kamala Harris visits NJ day care, vaccination site

Vice President Kamala Harris made a stop in New Jersey on Friday, Oct. 8, to discuss the state’s latest vaccination efforts. She visited a day care center to highlight child care provisions in the president’s spending proposal as well as a vaccination site at Essex Community College.

Children will feel impact of pandemic on mental health for years: UNICEF report

UNICEF released a critical report on Friday, Oct. 8, which found that children and young people could feel the impact of the pandemic on their mental health for many years to come.

COVID vaccine for kids: Doctor answers your questions

The Pfizer vaccine for kids could be on the market in about a month after the drug maker filed for FDA authorization Thursday, Oct. 7, for their shot for kids ages 5 to 11.

However, many parents still have questions about the children’s COVID vaccine. Dr. Sallie Permar, the head of pediatrics at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, joined the PIX11 Morning News on Friday, Oct. 8, to share more information and answer some of the biggest questions.

Pfizer’s request to OK shots for kids a relief for parents

Parents tired of worrying about classroom outbreaks and sick of telling their elementary school-age children no to sleepovers and family gatherings felt a wave of relief Thursday, Oct. 7, when Pfizer asked the U.S. government to authorize its COVID-19 vaccine for youngsters ages 5 to 11.

U.S. hits 700,000 COVID deaths just as cases begin to fall

The United States reached its latest heartbreaking pandemic milestone Friday, Oct. 1, eclipsing 700,000 deaths from COVID-19 just as the surge from the delta variant is starting to slow down and give overwhelmed hospitals some relief.

NJ leaders take on ‘Mayors Vaccine Challenge’

Two New Jersey mayors are going head-to-head in an effort to get more people vaccinated against COVID-19. It’s all part of the ongoing vaccination campaign in the Garden State that has already propelled it as one of the nation’s leaders in the fight against COVID-19. Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh is squaring off with Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora in what the state is calling the “Mayors Vaccine Challenge.”

New Jersey surpasses 1 million COVID-19 cases

As of Tuesday, Sept. 28, more than 1 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in New Jersey since the pandemic reached the state in 2020.

Pfizer submits vaccine data on kids to FDA

Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE announced they have submitted initial data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from the Phase 2/3 trial of their COVID-19 vaccine in children 5 to 11.

In the trial, which included 2,268 participants 5 to 11 years of age, the vaccine demonstrated a favorable safety profile and elicited robust neutralizing antibody responses using a two-dose regimen of 10 μg doses. 

NJ offers $500 ‘return to work bonus’ to unemployed residents

Unemployed New Jersey residents could earn a $500 bonus to return to the workforce as part of a new program announced by Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday, Sept. 27. The “Return and Earn” initiative will offer the one-time bonus to folks who secure a job through the program, including positions that require on-the-job training.

Is it safe to trick-or-treat this Halloween? CDC weighs in

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said on Face the Nation that kids can trick-or-treat safely this year, adding, “If you’re able to be outdoors, absolutely.”

CDC director overrules panel, backs booster for all adults in high-risk jobs

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday, Sept. 23, endorsed booster shots for millions of older or otherwise vulnerable Americans. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signed off on the recommendations from a panel of advisers, but then overnight added one more the panel had rejected.

The panel had voted against saying that people ages 18 to 64 can get a booster if they are health-care workers or have another job that puts them at increased risk of being exposed to the virus.

FDA OKs Pfizer COVID-19 boosters for 65 and older, high-risk Americans

The FDA authorized booster doses for Americans who are 65 and older, younger people with underlying health conditions and those in jobs that put them at high-risk for COVID-19. The ruling represents a drastically scaled back version of the Biden administration’s sweeping plan to give third doses to nearly all American adults to shore up their protection amid the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.

J&J booster shot 94% effective 2 months after 1st dose

Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday, Sept. 21, said new data shows a second dose — or a booster shot — of their one-shot COVID vaccine was found to be 94% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 when given two months after the initial dose.

Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine works in kids ages 5 to 11

Pfizer said Monday, Sept. 20, its COVID-19 vaccine works for children ages 5 to 11 and that it will seek U.S. authorization for this age group soon — a key step toward beginning vaccinations for youngsters.

Vaccine mandate for child care facilities

Gov. Phil Murphy said all child care workers and facility employees need to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 1 or face regular weekly testing. As of Sept. 24, all employees, students and children in a facility’s care ages two and up will need to wear masks indoors, with limited exceptions.

Moderna vaccine is most effective against hospitalization from COVID-19: study

A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compared how effective each of the three COVID-19 vaccines are in preventing hospitalization from the virus. The CDC reported that effectiveness was higher for the Moderna vaccine (93%) than the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (88%) and the J&J vaccine (71%).

New Jersey surpassed as state with highest rate of COVID deaths

Mississippi has surpassed New Jersey as the state with the highest rate of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S., with roughly 1 of every 320 Mississippians having succumbed to the coronavirus.

COVID-19 is ‘getting better’ at becoming airborne virus

Recent COVID-19 variants are much more adept at airborne transmission than the original version of the coronavirus, according to a new study. University of Maryland researchers analyzed the Alpha variant first identified in the United Kingdom and discovered that carriers breathe out 43 to 100 times more infectious viral aerosols than those infected with the original strain.

U.S. panel backs Pfizer COVID-19 boosters only for 65 and over, high-risk

An influential federal advisory panel overwhelmingly rejected a plan to give Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots to most Americans, but it endorsed the extra shots for those who are 65 or older or run a high risk of severe disease.

COVID outbreaks in NJ schools

As of Wednesday, Sept. 15, there were six outbreaks in New Jersey schools, according to Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli. An outbreak is defined as at least three cases that are epidemiologically connected and not from the same household.

The cases are a mix of students and staff, Persichilli said. More information will be released on the state Health Department website in the coming days.

EU removes US from safe travel list

The European Union recommended that its 27 nations reinstate restrictions on tourists from the U.S. because of rising coronavirus infections there.

COVID-19 variants significantly reduce protection of vaccines, prior infection: study

A new study confirms that vaccinations and even prior COVID-19 infection provide significantly less protection against newer variants. Researchers from Oregon Health & Science University say in order to protect against the Alpha, Beta, and now Delta variants, these findings stress the importance of doubling down on both vaccinations and public health measures during the pandemic.

Mask debate moves from school boards to courtrooms

The rancorous debate over whether returning students should wear masks in the classroom has moved from school boards to courtrooms. In at least 14 states, lawsuits have been filed either for or against masks in schools. In some cases, normally rule-enforcing school administrators are finding themselves fighting state leaders in the name of keeping kids safe.

Supreme Court allows evictions to resume during pandemic

The Supreme Court’s conservative majority is allowing evictions to resume across the United States, blocking the Biden administration from enforcing a temporary ban that was put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. New Jersey’s statewide rent moratorium expires at the end of the year.

These foods are extra hard to find right now because of shortages, supply chain issues

Notice your grocery store shelves looking a little bare lately? You’re definitely not the only one. Supply chain issues have created shortages of highly specific ingredients.

‘It’s up to us’: Fauci says pandemic could possibly end by spring 2022

The nation’s top infectious disease expert believes the pandemic’s end is near as long as the U.S. follows the right protocols to contain COVID-19. Dr. Anthony Fauci said he sees the light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s only open if the country’s 80 million to 90 million unvaccinated people are convinced to get the shot.

Comirnaty: What’s the story behind the new Pfizer vaccine name?

Comirnaty, who? It’s the same exact mRNA vaccine Pfizer has been producing through the emergency use authorization, but now it’s being marketed under a new name.

Is an earache a new COVID-19 symptom?

Doctors say they’re seeing a new COVID-19 symptom in some patients. According to experts, an earache has been reported more frequently by those testing positive for COVID. Earaches can cause pain, a feeling of blockage and sometimes muffled hearing.

NJ COVID hospitalizations top 1,000 for the first time since May: Gov. Murphy

For the first time since May, more than 1,000 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in New Jersey on Wednesday, Aug. 25, Gov. Phil Murphy said. There were 1,012 people hospitalized with COVID, 92 of whom were on ventilators, according to state Health Department data. The last time the state had more than 1,000 COVID hospitalizations was over three months ago on May 11, Murphy said.

Johnson & Johnson: Vaccine booster provides ‘rapid, robust’ response

Johnson & Johnson on Wednesday, Aug. 25, announced new data the company said supports the use of its COVID vaccine as a booster shot for people previously vaccinated with their single-shot vaccine.

J&J said the new data showed that a booster shot of their vaccine generated a “rapid and robust increase in spike-binding antibodies, nine-fold higher than 28 days after the primary single-dose vaccination.”

NJ to require teachers, state workers be fully vaccinated

All school personnel and state workers in New Jersey will be required to get vaccinated against COVID-19, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday, Aug. 23.

Will COVID booster shot have the same side effects as the first two shots?

The Biden administration said Wednesday, Aug. 18, that COVID booster shots will soon be available, but how will the Sept. 20 rollout work, and what side effects should Americans expect?

Lambda and B.1.621: New COVID variants could be the worst yet, doctor warns

At least two new COVID-19 variants have hit the United States and they could be worse than the delta variant in their infectiousness and ability to stand up to vaccines, according to a top medical authority.

U.S. health officials call for booster shots for all to battle COVID-19

U.S. health officials recommended all Americans get COVID-19 booster shots to shore up their protection amid the surging delta variant and evidence that the vaccines’ effectiveness is falling. The announcement was made on Aug. 18.

August child tax credit payments issued: Here’s why yours might be delayed

The second installment of expanded child tax credits was issued on Aug. 13 to millions of eligible families, but some payments will likely be delayed due to a technical glitch, the U.S. Department of Treasury said.

Schumer calls for federal crackdown on fake vaccine cards

The Senate’s top Democrat says federal law enforcement officials need to crack down on fake COVID-19 vaccination cards being sold online.

COVID claims more young victims as deaths climb yet again

The COVID-19 death toll has started soaring again as the delta variant tears through the nation’s unvaccinated population and fills up hospitals with patients, many of whom are younger than during earlier phases of the pandemic.

NJ county opens COVID booster shot appointments

Health care officials in a northern New Jersey county began offering COVID-19 booster shots to qualified residents on Aug. 14. Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. said appointments for a third shot of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine were open at vaccination centers at Kmart in West Orange and Essex County College in Newark.

Concerts, outdoor events still risky as delta variant surges, experts say

Concerts and outdoor events are returning, and many are requiring proof of vaccination as part of new safety protocols designed to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19. But while experts say being outdoors is less risky in general, they continue to recommend additional precautions for those visiting crowded outdoor venues.

Biden weighs stiffer vaccine rules as delta variant spreads rapidly across U.S.

When the pace of vaccinations in the U.S. first began to slow, President Joe Biden backed incentives like million-dollar cash lotteries if that’s what it took to get shots in arms. But as new COVID infections soar, he’s testing a tougher approach.

Who doesn’t need the COVID-19 vaccine?

It has been eight months since the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered to health care workers nationwide. Since then, the vaccine has become available to anyone over the age of 12. Experts explain the few instances in which a person would not qualify for, or should delay getting vaccinated.

Extra COVID shot OK’d for immunocompromised individuals

The FDA has approved an extra, third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for transplant recipients and others with severely weakened immune systems.

Fake COVID vaccine cards worry college officials

With more than 600 colleges and universities now requiring proof of COVID-19 inoculations, an online industry has sprung up offering fake vaccine cards.

What to do if you lose your COVID-19 vaccine card

Don’t worry if you’ve lost your COVID-19 vaccine card, there are several ways you can get it replaced. No matter where you got your shots, getting a replacement card is possible.

Will NJ reinstate a travel advisory?

Gov. Murphy said on Aug. 9, a new travel advisory is not off the table, but for now he encouraged mask wearing, which is mandatory in all airports and on flights, and other COVID safety protocols. “You gotta use your head,” he added.

Will NJ mandate masks indoors?

Despite CDC data showing New Jersey falls under its guidance to wear masks indoors, Gov. Murphy said he will not yet mandate face coverings but added, “we leave all options on the table.”

COVID transmission levels call for indoor masking under CDC guidelines

Indoor masking is advised in areas with COVID transmission rates considered “substantial” or “high” under recently updated guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Aug. 8, all of New Jersey falls under those categories.

How do you know if you have the delta variant of COVID-19?

So you’ve tested positive for COVID – but which COVID exactly? Is there a way to tell if you have the highly transmissible delta variant? There is a way to tell, but there’s not really a way for you to tell.

COVID breakthrough cases: Is one vaccine better than others?

COVID-19 breakthrough cases are rising, and now people want to know which vaccine offers the best protection from the coronavirus.

Are kids more vulnerable to the delta variant of COVID-19?

Hospitals around the United States, especially in the South, are starting to fill back up again as the delta variant tears though the country. With previous waves of infection, we’ve been most worried about the elderly being vulnerable. Now, it’s younger people – even children – starting to show up in hospital beds.

U.S. averaging 100,000 new COVID-19 infections a day as delta surges

The United States is now averaging 100,000 new COVID-19 infections a day, returning to a milestone last seen during the winter surge in yet another bleak reminder of how quickly the delta variant has spread through the country. The U.S. was averaging about 11,000 cases a day in late June. Now the number is 107,143.

NJ schools mask mandate: Teachers’ union backs, Republicans slam Murphy decision

New Jersey Republicans have largely trashed Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement on Aug 6 that masks will be required in all schools in the upcoming academic year.

Gov. Murphy mandates masks in schools

In a reversal of plans, Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Aug. 6 a mandate for masks in schools for the upcoming academic year.

NJ health care workers must be vaccinated or tested for COVID-19

Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order on Aug. 6 mandating that all workers in state and private health care facilities either be vaccinated for COVID-19 or tested for it twice a week.

50% of U.S. population is fully vaccinated, White House says

The United States reached a vaccination milestone on Aug. 6: 50% of the population, all ages, were fully vaccinated, the White House COVID-19 data director confirmed.

CDC says people who’ve had COVID should get shot or risk reinfection

Even people who have recovered from COVID-19 are urged to get vaccinated, especially as the extra-contagious delta variant surges — and a new study shows survivors who ignored that advice were more than twice as likely to get reinfected.

‘You have lost your minds’: Murphy lashes out at anti-vax protesters

Gov. Phil Murphy ran out of patience for protesters against the COVID-19 vaccine at a bill signing in Union City on Aug. 4.

Warning of more delta mutations, Fauci urges vaccinations

The White House COVID-19 response team said the delta variant continues to surge across the country. During a briefing on Aug. 5, Dr. Anthony Fauci called on Americans to take precautions to stop the virus from mutating. “The ultimate end game of all this is vaccination,” he said.

Moderna says vaccine 93% effective after 6 months

Moderna said its COVID vaccine has 93% efficacy six months after the second shot, according to a report released on Aug. 5.

Can I get ‘long COVID’ if I’m infected after getting vaccinated?

It’s unclear, but researchers are studying the chances of long-term symptoms developing in anyone who might get infected after vaccination.

What is the delta plus variant of COVID?

The latest surge in COVID-19 infections is fueled by the highly contagious delta variant first identified in India late last year. Now, a variation of that variant is beginning to generate headlines. Here’s what we know about the COVID sub-strain being called delta plus.

Vaccine mandate for state colleges?

Currently, some state colleges in New Jersey are mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for students and staff and some have made it optional. Murphy said a universal mandate “is certainly an option,” but for now individual universities can make their own call.

More ‘pain and suffering’ ahead as COVID cases rise, Fauci says

Dr. Anthony Fauci warned on Aug. 1 that more “pain and suffering” is on the horizon as COVID-19 cases climb again and officials plead with unvaccinated Americans to get their shots.

Walmart requiring COVID vaccination, masks for many employees

In a memo, Walmart announced that associates who work in multiple facilities, and associates of its campus office, will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 4. Walmart also required associates, including those fully vaccinated, to wear masks in its stores.

Iconic NJ restaurant The Fireplace closes after 65 years

A popular restaurant in New Jersey closed its doors after 65 years of service.

The Fireplace, like many other restaurants across the country, was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and temporarily shuttered its doors before reopening in May, when they implemented drive-thru, takeout and curbside pickup followed by indoor dining in October.

New delta variant research makes strong case for vaccination

A report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasized the delta variant is more dangerous and fast-spreading than first thought. The findings also made clear why efforts to get more people vaccinated are vital.

CDC data shows delta variant spreads as easily as chickenpox

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new information on July 30, saying the coronavirus delta variant can spread as easily as chickenpox.

Pfizer: COVID vaccine protective for at least 6 months

The effectiveness of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine wanes slightly over time but it remains strongly protective for at least six months after the second dose, according to company data released on July 28.

Disney World requires masks indoors regardless of vaccination status

Beginning July 30, Disney World required all visitors ages 2 and older to wear a face covering while indoors as well as in Disney buses, the monorail and the Disney Skyliner, regardless of vaccination status.

NJ mask guidance

Gov. Phil Murphy and New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli strongly recommended that both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents wear masks in indoor settings when there is increased risk.

CDC mask guidance: Vaccinated people should wear face coverings in public indoor settings

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course on some masking guidelines, recommending that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging.

U.S. headed in ‘wrong direction’ on COVID-19, Fauci says

The United States is in an “unnecessary predicament” of soaring COVID-19 cases fueled by unvaccinated Americans and the virulent delta variant, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert said on July 25.

Doctors warn about slightly different symptoms with delta variant of COVID

As concern grows regarding the COVID-19 delta variant, health leaders are warning about somewhat different symptoms that come with it.

Most unvaccinated Americans unlikely to get COVID-19 shots, new AP poll finds

A new poll shows that most Americans who haven’t been vaccinated against COVID-19 say they are unlikely to get the shots. About 16% say they probably will get the vaccine.

Is asking about someone’s COVID vaccine status a HIPAA violation?

HIPAA was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996 during a time when medical records were being computerized. It was created to simplify the administration of health insurance and to prevent unauthorized access to peoples’ medical histories.

In fact, HIPAA doesn’t block anyone from asking another person about their health status, according to Alan Meisel, law professor and bioethics expert at the University of Pittsburgh.

Gov. Murphy holds off on reinstating mask mandate

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy says he’s not ready to reinstitute mask requirements, now or when schools are back in session in September. Murphy says he “is comfortable where we are” on mask mandates but is also closely monitoring developments.

Child tax credit checks: Will they become permanent?

The parents of an estimated 60 million American children began receiving child tax credit payments from the IRS in a move expected to lift millions of families above the poverty baseline for the remainder of 2021. Should they become permanent?

Biden grapples with ‘pandemic of the unvaccinated’

President Joe Biden is confronting the worrying reality of rising cases and deaths — and the limitations of his ability to combat the persistent vaccine hesitance responsible for the summer backslide.

Child tax credit: When to expect payments, how it may impact tax returns

Payments for the highly anticipated expanded child tax credits were being sent to families in the tri-state area, and the rest of the nation, for the first time in mid-July. While the additional money may be very helpful for some families across the economic spectrum, the overall tax credit situation is complicated.

Common cholesterol drugs may significantly reduce risk of death from COVID-19: study

Statins, a common medication for lowering cholesterol, may be saving lives among patients with COVID-19. A new study reveals hospitalized coronavirus patients who take statins are much less likely to die from the illness.

WHO chief says it was ‘premature’ to rule out COVID lab leak

The head of the World Health Organization acknowledged it was premature to rule out a potential link between the COVID-19 pandemic and a laboratory leak, and he said he is asking China to be more transparent as scientists search for the origins of the coronavirus.

Wildfire smoke linked to increased COVID-19 risk, study says

A new study suggests that exposure to wildfire smoke is linked to an increased risk of contracting COVID-19.

What can I do if I didn’t get my child tax credit payment?

The official disbursement date for the first child tax credit payments from the Internal Revenue Service was July 15, but parents may not see the cash right away.

Delta now dominant COVID variant in New Jersey

The highly transmissible delta variant is now the dominant strain in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy said on July 12. The governor urged New Jersey residents to get vaccinated against COVID if they haven’t already done so.

Global COVID-19 deaths hit 4 million amid rush to vaccinate

The global death toll from COVID-19 eclipsed 4 million in July as the crisis increasingly becomes a race between the vaccine and the highly contagious delta variant.

99 percent of U.S. COVID deaths are unvaccinated people: Fauci

America’s top infectious disease expert says about 99.2% of recent COVID-19 deaths in the United States involved unvaccinated people. And Dr. Anthony Fauci says “it’s really sad and tragic that most all of these are avoidable and preventable.”

There’s more to the worker shortage than pandemic unemployment, experts say

The workforce shortage is a combination of several factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a shift in the economy, and changes in the workforce demographics, experts say.

Free health insurance included in stimulus benefits for unemployment recipients

Along with $1,400 stimulus checks and monthly child tax credit payments, the American Rescue Plan has another important benefit available to people who qualified for unemployment assistance this year: free health care.

Will one dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine protect me?

Yes, but not nearly as much as if you had both doses. Experts recommend getting fully vaccinated, especially with the emergence of worrisome coronavirus mutations such as the delta variant first identified in India.

Workers enjoy the upper hand as companies scramble to hire

With the economy growing rapidly as it reopens from the pandemic, many employers are increasingly desperate to hire. Yet evidence suggests that as a group, the unemployed aren’t feeling the same urgency to take jobs.

Vaccine freebies

New York, New Jersey and several companies nationwide are offering incentives for those who get vaccinated, including free food and drinks.

Latest official indicators

As of Wednesday, there have been 1,044,964 total positive PCR tests in the state since March 2020, and there have been 25,195 lab-confirmed coronavirus deaths, according to the state Health Department.

COVID-19 timeline: How novel coronavirus spread

Tips to protect yourself and others amid coronavirus outbreaks

Glenn Youngkin, a Republican business executive, marched to victory in Tuesday’s election, delivering his party the governorship of Virginia and highlighting a strong night for Republicans less than a year after voters pushed them fully out of power in the nation’s capital.

The outcome in Virginia, combined with an unexpectedly close contest in New Jersey, where the governor’s race remained too close to call, delivered a jolt of encouragement for Republicans and a stark warning sign for the Democrats less than 10 months into President Biden’s term.

Glenn Youngkin, a Republican business executive, marched to victory in Tuesday’s election, delivering his party the governorship of Virginia and highlighting a strong night for Republicans less than a year after voters pushed them fully out of power in the nation’s capital.

The outcome in Virginia, combined with an unexpectedly close contest in New Jersey, where the governor’s race remained too close to call, delivered a jolt of encouragement for Republicans and a stark warning sign for the Democrats less than 10 months into President Biden’s term.

Incumbent Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy narrowly trailed Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli heading into Wednesday morning with ballots — many of them vote-by-mail — in Democratic-rich areas yet to be counted. 

With nearly 89% of precincts reporting early Wednesday morning, Ciattarelli held a tenuous lead in the contest to decide the next governor — 49.9% of the vote compared to Murphy’s 49.4%, according to The Associated Press. 

Enthusiasm ran high at Ciattarelli’s Election Night headquarters in Bridgewater as early results showed him ahead of the popular incumbent Murphy, who led in all public polling in the race. 

“I wanted to come out here tonight and tell you that we won. But I’m here to tell you that we’re winning, we’re winning,” Ciattarelli said in a speech early Wednesday morning. 

The Murphy event in Asbury Park became more subdued over time, but as the night wore on there still had not been complete results from deep-blue areas such as Essex and Passaic counties.

In a speech just before Ciattarelli, Murphy apologized to supporters “that tonight could not yet be the celebration we wanted it to be.” But “when every vote is counted — and every vote will be counted — we hope to have a celebration.” 

In addition to the uncounted ballots, there were also about 700,000 early and mail-in votes to tally. 

Still, Ciattarelli’s strong performance in Republican strongholds and in voter-dense Bergen County spelled trouble for Murphy, who is seeking to become the first Democratic since 1977 to win a second term.

Ciattarelli received more votes in Ocean County than the last Republican governor, Chris Christie, did in 2009 and 2013, according to the AP and the Secretary of State’s office. He performed similarly to Christie in Monmouth County, too.

Those two counties and Bergen are crucial to any Republican victory. But there are also 1 million more registered Democrats than Republicans statewide, giving Murphy a significant advantage. 

That surplus of Democrats showed its strength late Tuesday. A three-point lead by Ciattarelli quickly narrowed to half a point shortly after midnight when a bulk of Essex County’s votes were tallied.

In Virginia, the country’s only other gubernatorial election this year, Republican Glenn Youngkin beat Democrat Terry McAuliffe in another tight race.

Similar to that race, New Jersey’s took on a more national flavor than in years past, when state spending and property taxes dominated. Ciattarelli leaned heavily in the last few days of the race on his message that Murphy is free-spending executive with no regard for taxpayers. 

And as he did throughout the campaign, Murphy portrayed Ciattarelli as a Trump loyalist who caters to the extremist wing of the Republican Party. 

“This year, the campaigns themselves have become nationalized,” said Ashley Koning, director of Rutgers University’s Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling.

“The race has become more about referendums on the national parties, politicians and policies rather than on New Jersey-centric issues, and more about automatic partisan-based opposition than genuine support of either candidate or their positions.”

The Rutgers poll, the last of the race, said 24% of voters were casting ballots in opposition to, not in support of, the candidates. When asked why they were voting for a certain candidate, they said things like their choice is “better than the other guy” or the “lesser of two evils,” the poll said.

Issues were not much of a factor in voters’ decisions. According to the poll, 6% cited the pandemic as influential and 6% mentioned taxes or the economy.

With turnout typically low in New Jersey’s off-year gubernatorial elections, Murphy and Ciattarelli spent the weekend and into Tuesday rallying voters to the polls while independent groups spent heavily on advertising.

The day started late in some polling locations while others had trouble with things like connecting to electronic poll books, according to a lawsuit filed by the ACLU of New Jersey and League of Women Voters on Tuesday evening.

The organizations sought to extend polling hours past the 8 p.m. closing time, but a Mercer County Superior Court judge, William Anklowitz, dismissed the suit. 

“I can’t find that anybody would be disenfranchised based on the evidence provided,” Anklowitz said. 

He noted that the late hour of the hearing, which began after 6:30 p.m., “would cause such disarray as to call the integrity of the process into question.”

Whomever is declared the winner, he will be charged with leading the state out of the COVID-19 crisis.

A Ciattarelli victory could mean no more vaccine requirements for workers or mask mandates in schools. In an interview Tuesday on 1010 WINS, Ciattarelli suggested he would lift the current requirement for certain workers to get vaccinated or regular COVID testing.

“I’m never going to have a government tell any adult or parent that their child has to be vaccinated,” Ciattarelli said. “We’re not going to do that in New Jersey, nor are we going to have front-line workers lose their jobs after everything they did for us at the height of the pandemic a year and a half ago.”

Murphy, who has earned high approvals for his handling of the pandemic, has said more restrictions are possible but, as he told 1010 WINS on Tuesday, “I don’t think we need it. I feel like the package we have in place is the right package.”

Although Ciattarelli tried to focus the campaign on kitchen table issues like property taxes and affordability, policy was not a feature of this election season. Murphy did not outline his vision beyond “moving New Jersey forward” and declined again Monday during a press briefing to say what his priorities would be if elected to a second term.

“We want to make sure that we have a state that is growing in the economy and that is fairer for a lot of folks where we haven’t been fair in our state’s history. I think we’ve made significant progress and I hope we can continue,” he said.

Ciattarelli, on the other hand, has promised to overhaul the state’s school funding formula, revise the tax code and lower property taxes. Yet throughout the campaign he was dogged by his attendance at a “Stop the Steal” rally and fending off the label of being a Trump extremist.

The pandemic, spending and taxes were on the top of some voters’ minds as they entered voting booths. 

In Dover, in western Morris County, 70-year-old Gail Rodriguez said she voted for Ciattarelli because she thinks the state is headed in the wrong direction.

“People of value are leaving. Taxes are high,” said Rodriguez, who is retired.

Both candidates have pledged not to raise new taxes if elected. 

Just after the polls opened at 6 a.m. in Morris Plains, Billy Houston cast his ballot for Murphy, citing education and taxes as his top concerns.

“I like the job the governor has been doing,” said Houston, 42, who is a project manager, a husband and father of two elementary school children.

Charles DeNise, a 44-year resident of Toms River, said he was backing Murphy because of his leadership in the pandemic. 

“He (Murphy) was a driving force in the initial stages, and I think a lot of what he did in the beginning is starting to pay dividends,” DeNise said.  “New Jersey is at the forefront of controlling this pandemic, and I think he’s the man.”

Staff writers Jerry Carino, Mary Chao and Mike Davis contributed to this article.

Dustin Racioppi is a reporter in the New Jersey Statehouse. For unlimited access to his work covering New Jersey’s governor and political power structure, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: racioppi@northjersey.com 

Twitter: @dracioppi