Second COVID-19 vaccine mega-site opens in South Jersey

The second of six COVID-19 vaccine mega-sites across the state has opened in South Jersey. State officials toured the new vaccination site at the Rowan College of South Jersey in Gloucester County on Monday.

Officials said the mega-site could serve more than 2,400 people a day if fully supplied with vaccines. As of now, the staff there are able to vaccinate about 1,000 people per week. State officials said the federal government has been under-delivering expected numbers of vaccine doses for weeks.

Healthcare workers, emergency medical technicians, residents of long-term care facilities, police, and firefighters currently are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in New Jersey. Dozens of people were in line outside the Rowan center before 10 a.m. on Monday.

The state’s online COVID-19 pre-registration portal opened last week. Officials said more than a million residents of the state have pre-registered for the vaccine through the state portal so far. State health officials hope the vaccine will be widely available by April or May. 

“We know the supplies will increase,” Gov. Phil Murphy said after he toured the site. “When they do, we don’t want to be caught flat-footed.”

Vaccination hours at the Rowan mega-site are by appointment only for now and are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days per week.

About 300 locations around the state, including pharmacies and urgent care centers, are now set up to administer COVID-19 vaccines to those who qualify.