Toms River High School North to serve as COVID-19 vaccination site

The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be delivered on Monday and the first shots could be given a few hours later in New Jersey.

News 12 Staff

Dec 19, 2020, 3:32 AM

Updated 1,465 days ago

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The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be delivered on Monday and the first shots could be given a few hours later in New Jersey.
Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said on Friday that New Jersey’s goal is to have 70% of the state’s adult population vaccinated against the virus within six months.
One of the areas in the state that is in most-need of the vaccine is Ocean County. The county health department has stated that the Toms River High School North arena will serve as a mass vaccination site. It will be one of 215 vaccination sites statewide.
Ocean County health officials say that potentially 1,500 doses will be used at the arena, along with six other sites.
Ocean County had 399 new positive COVID-19 cases confirmed on Friday. There have been 1,100 virus-related deaths since the pandemic began in March.
The vaccine is especially important as new federal data shows that one in four hospital beds in Ocean County is filled with COVID-19 patients - including Ocean Medical Center and Monmouth Medical.
State health officials also announced that New Jersey is on track to opening six mega vaccination sites across the state. They will start vaccinating health care works and eventually move on to the public.
“The goal is to be able to vaccinate up to 2,400 individuals a day at the mega sites,” Persichilli said.
Vaccinations will start at long-term care facilities on Dec. 28.
“We will start at our veteran's homes and then move to assisted living residences, among other long-term settings,” Gov. Phil Murphy said.
The mega sites will be located in Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Gloucester, Middlesex and Morris counties.