Bayonne residents can now walk in to get vaccinated at the Korpi Ice Rink behind Bayonne High School at 669 Avenue A, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The city has been vaccinating the general public since eligibility expanded to include everyone 16 and over on April 19.
Prior to the opening of the ice rink site, the city had been administering vaccines at Bayonne Medical Center and the Bayonne Community Museum. Second vaccine doses continue to be administered to many residents at the museum, but new vaccination appointments at that site have ceased.
30,000 fully vaccinated
Health Officer Michele O’Reilly gave the weekly COVID-19 video update on April 29 on behalf of Mayor James Davis. O’Reilly said the city has been concentrating on vaccinations for five months.
“Since the vaccination rollout began in January, we have administered 40,000 doses of either Pfizer, Moderna, or the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to anyone who lives, works, or studies in the city of Bayonne,” O’Reilly said.
According to the Bayonne Office of Emergency Management (OEM), over 30,000 residents are fully vaccinated.
The city has been using Moderna, which is safe for anyone over 18. Now, Bayonne has received a shipment of Pfizer it will start implementing on May 3. The pause on the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was lifted on April 23, and the city has resumed its use.
In light of the new supply of Pfizer vaccines, O’Reilly encouraged parents to have a dialog with children 16 and over about the benefits of getting vaccinated.
“The only way back to normal is getting vaccinated,” O’Reilly said. “Get vaccinated with purpose.”
O’Reilly thanked residents for doing their part during the pandemic and encouraged them to keep it up.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have interacted with so many of you,” O’Reilly said. “I am truly overjoyed by your sense of cooperation and understanding.”
Outbreaks still popping up
While the rollout is progressing, O’Reilly said that outbreaks are still occurring in the city’s sports programs.
There were 130 residents who are COVID-19 positive, as of April 29. According to OEM, “the numbers are trending down,” but case numbers appear stagnant. Actives cases reported by OEM also numbered 130 on April 15. And the last time OEM released statistics before that on March 4, the number of active cases was the same.
The number of hospitalizations remains low, as most residents recover at home. There were eight COVID-19 patients at Bayonne Medical Center as of April 29. OEM does not have data on Bayonne residents in other hospitals.
COVID-19 drive-thru and walk-up testing site is still operating in the parking lot behind Don Ahern Veterans Stadium near the foot of West 25th Street, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, testing will be from 1 to 7 p.m.; on Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. No appointments needed. For more information, go to immcare.com.
Residents are urged to wear masks, social distance, and practice good hygiene.
Register for an appointment
The vaccine is being administered at Bayonne Medical Center, the RWJBarnabas Satellite Emergency Department on Broadway, the Hudson County Vaccination Distribution Center, and to residents in senior housing buildings. Pharmacies and other companies have been offering the vaccine at private sites. Riverside Medical Group, Walmart, Stop & Shop, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Hudacko’s Pharmacy and Brockman’s Pharmacy offer the vaccine in Bayonne.
Appointments are available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Korpi Ice Rink. To register, call 201-537-4818. Walk-ins get vaccinated here, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with no appointment needed.
To register at Bayonne Medical Center, call 201-858-6088 or email bayvax@baynj.org. Leave a message with a name, date of birth, and contact. The vaccine hotline is available weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
When vaccines are available, the city will reach out to registered residents to make appointments. Do not call or email the city multiple times about registering because it hampers vaccination efforts.
To register at the RWJBarnabas Satellite Emergency Department at 519 Broadway, go to rwjbh.org. To register at Riverside Medical Group at 432 Broadway, go to riversidemedgroup.com.
Residents age 65 and older can register at the Walmart at East 22nd Street and Route 440 by calling 201-620-6512, or by calling the New Jersey Senior Hotline at 856-249-7007.
To register at the uptown Rite Aid at the corner of Broadway and West 54th Street, go to riteaid.com/covid-19. To register at the Stop & Shop at Route 440 and LeFante Way, go to stopandshop.com/pages/ss-pharmacy. Register at any of the Walgreens in Bayonne at walgreens.com.
Register at Hudacko’s Pharmacy at 861 Broadway at hudackospharmacy.com. Register at Brockman’s Pharmacy at 78 Avenue C by calling 201-437-2175.
To register at the Hudson County Vaccination Distribution Center, go to hudsoncovidvax.org. To register at one of the state’s vaccination mega-sites go to covidvaccine.nj.gov.
Residents must get their second doses at the same location as their first.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.
