The Milestone is Extra Special for the Public Health Community by Coinciding with National Nurses Week!
(Toms River) – On May 5, 2021, the Ocean County Health Department (OCHD) announced that 100,510 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered through the OCHD Vaccination Clinics Program. The first doses of vaccine were administered at the end of December 2020 at the RWJ Barnabas Health Arena in Toms River and ever since the OCHD has continued expanding its clinics and clinic services throughout Ocean County.
“This milestone of 100,000 vaccinations delivered to Ocean County residents at the Ocean County Health Department vaccination clinics highlights what cooperation and partnerships can do,” said Ocean County Commissioner Gerry P. Little, liaison to the Ocean County Health Department. “Working together with the Ocean County Health Department, the Ocean County Office of the Sheriff, our health care providers, hospitals, Toms River Regional Schools, Ocean County College, Southern Regional Schools, Manchester Township Schools and a cadre of dedicated volunteers, we have been able to meet and already pass this critical moment in reducing the spread of COVID-19. While our work is not complete, I know this day recognizes everyone’s contribution in getting us here. I want to extend my deepest appreciation to everyone who helped make this happen.”
“On behalf of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners, I want to express our gratitude for the hard work, countless hours and unwavering effort of everyone involved that got us to this milestone,” added Director of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners Gary Quinn. “The vaccination clinics have run smoothly from the opening days late last year until now. We have met and continue to meet the needs of thousands of our citizens – from the elderly and homebound to our emergency responders and medical providers and our general population. We look forward to continuing this effort so we can move forward comfortably and safely with family, friends, co-workers and with all those life events we have had to delay because of COVID-19. This past year has come with great challenges but it’s moments like this that give us great hope.”
In addition to the OCHD clinics, the county, as a whole, has administered more than 421,200 COVID-19 vaccine doses and the State 7,798,096 as of May 6, 2021. That means more than 192,500 Ocean County residents are now fully vaccinated and almost 3,500,000 total in New Jersey. Another positive number is the steady decline in daily COVID-19 cases. For the last week and half, the OCHD reports no more than 100 COVID-19 cases daily in Ocean County.
“These are the important figures and milestones for all of us as public health officials and for the general public,” explained Daniel Regenye, OCHD Public Health Coordinator/Health Officer. “It identifies that we are moving in the right direction. More people getting vaccinated and less becoming infected has been one of our biggest objectives from day one. But the job is far from finished and we still have thousands of individuals that still are in need of the vaccine.”
The milestone also had a special meaning to the people working the front lines of those clinics – the nurses. May 5, 2021 kicked off National Nurses Week so it’s only apropos that this awareness day arrived just in time for this first major vaccine milestone.
OCHD Assistant Director of Nursing, Karen Barish said, “I can’t say enough about the dedicated team of OCHD nurses and all our volunteers that have stepped up over the past year in different capacities. They really are the heart and soul of the clinic services program. People have been waiting a long time for this vaccine and, as nurses, we are so happy to be the one’s delivering this boost of hope as we continue the battle against this unprecedented public health crisis.”
OCHD Vaccine Clinic Schedule for week of 5.10.21 listed below:
RWJ Barnabas Healthcare Arena/Toms River:
Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday: 9AM – 3PM
Saturday: 9AM – 1PM
Ocean County College (Drive-Thru):
Wednesday: 10AM – 2PM
Appointments recommended but walk-ins are welcome. Residents can book an appointment at www.ochd.org.
To learn more about National Nurses Week or the OCHD COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic Program, please visit www.ochd.org or call the OCHD COVID-19 Information Hotline: 732-380-5079 (local) and 833-544-0288 (toll free).