Murphy Tours Rowan College Vaccine Mega-site, but Supply is Short

By Anthony Birritteri, Editor-in-Chief On Jan 11, 2021

Gov. Phil Murphy this morning toured the new COVID-19 vaccine mega-site located at Rowan College of South Jersey’s college center in Sewell, Gloucester County. The site will be able to inoculate some 2,400 people per day. However, because of the federal government’s delay in vaccine distribution, only 1,000 vaccines are expected to be given this week at the location, according to State Senate President Stephen Sweeney who accompanied the governor on the tour.

“This is not right. Unfortunately, we have to sit back and wait,” Sweeney said. “It is disappointing that our federal government continues to lag in this effort, but hopefully, with the new [Biden] administration, this will become a priority. For the people of New Jersey, the state is ready to ensure that [you] get this vaccine.”

“This is a site that will be able to handle the increasing demand we know exists for the vaccine,” Murphy said. With more than one million people already preregistered for the vaccine on covidvaccine.nj.gov, which debuted last week, the governor said vaccine skepticism is fading.  … “Folks are already seeing things in a different light,” the governor said.

As of today, 214,433 vaccines have been administered in the state. Of that number, 199,293 were first-dose shots, while 14,984 were second, follow-up doses.

Discussing the numbers, Murphy said this and more data can be accessed on the state’s new COVID dashboard found on the covid19.nj.gov information hub. “We are updating the dashboard each day at 9:30 am with latest numbers. It will show the number of vaccinations administered across each county, among other available data,” Murphy said.

State Department of Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said the dashboard will break down the information of vaccine recipients by gender, race and ethnicity.

In other news, Governor Murphy signed an executive order that waives the graduation assessment test requirement for all 12th grade students; eliminates the use of student growth objectives in the evaluation of teachers; and extends the time in which certified teachers can serve as substitute teachers in a single district.

“Each of these steps are being taken because, given the unique challenges our students and educators are facing, we have to reach the conclusion this is not a normal school year. … We said this from moment one,” Murphy said.

“I am proud to be joining the governor in the signing the Executive Order,” said Acting Education Commissioner Angelica Allen-McMillan. “The flexibility granted by this order represents a significant and meaningful step at further adapting our education system to meet the challenges posed by COVID-19.”

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