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New Jersey Speeds Ahead With Free-For-All COVID-19 Vaccination Program

Jan 19, 2021

New Jersey started its COVID-19 vaccination program with the rollout of a Statewide Vaccine Scheduling System. This was aimed to be systematic way to provide a phased approach to vaccinations by categorizing and prioritizing individuals based on occupational and health risks. Individuals would answer a few questions and be assigned to one of four categories: 1a, 1b, 1c or phase 2. Vaccinations would be provided in priority order.

But, just days later, the state began opening vaccination mega sites and many other county and local sites began taking appointments for the vaccine. So, what started as a systematic scheduling system has devolved into a first-come, first-served free-for-all with, apparently, no screening of occupational or health risks.  It seems anyone can now register at any of the sites, which are not requiring documentation about where you live, where you work, age or co-morbidities.

NJ CAR continues to seek clarification of whether vehicle sales and service, deemed essential early in the pandemic, would be added to the list of job categories on the vaccine scheduling page and, presumably, place dealership employees in the 1b category. With the opening of the mega sites and other vaccination locations, this seems to now be a moot point.

Dealers should advise employees to find the most convenient site and schedule an appointment to be vaccinated, rather than waiting to be contacted by the State as a follow up to the Vaccine Scheduling System.

You can view a list of vaccination sites HERE.