WALL, N.J. - Jan. 27, 2021 - New Jersey is in the process of rolling out COVID-19 vaccines in a phased approach to all adults who live, work or are being educated in the State. Within six months, NJ aims to vaccinate 70 percent of the adult population. "To determine which vaccination phase you are in and be notified when you are eligible for a vaccine, please click this link: https://covidvaccine.nj.gov/," said Dr. Bruce W. Peters of Ocean Otolaryngology Associates (Ocean ENT). "The state also unveiled a new toll-free hotline (855-568-0545) for making vaccine appointments and asking vaccine-related questions."
Vaccines are currently available to the following groups in New Jersey: Healthcare personnel (Phase 1A), long-term care residents and staff (Phase 1A), first responders (Phase 1B) and individuals at high risk (Phase 1B). For detailed information regarding these groups, please click here. The following groups will soon be eligible for the vaccine: Additional essential workers (Phases 1B and/or 1C), additional individuals at high risk (Phases 1B and/or 1C) and the general population (Phase 2).
Vaccination phases are tentative and subject to change, per the state guidelines. The movement between vaccination eligibility phases is also fluid as phases may overlap with another. Categories of individuals are informed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) "Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce" advisory list, ACIP recommendations, and recommendations of the NJDOH COVID-19 Professional Advisory Committee.
"COVID-19 vaccines help us develop immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19, without having to get the actual illness," said Dr. Peters. "Both the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine (https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/c...) (manufactured by Pfizer Inc) and the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/c...), (manufactured by ModernaTX, Inc) received FDA Emergency Use Authorization last month. These vaccines are messenger RNA vaccines (mRNA), which tells our cells out to make a protein that triggers an immune response inside our bodies. This response produces antibodies that protect us from getting infected when and if the real virus enters our bodies."
The FDA reports (https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine#:~:text=On%20December%2011%2C%202020,of%20age%20and%20older) that the most commonly reported side effects for both vaccines, which typically lasted several days, were "pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain and fever". The FDA also reports that more people experienced these side effects after the second dose than after the first dose, so it is important for vaccination providers and recipients that there may be some side effects after either dose, but even more after the second dose.
"Anyone with any concerns about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine should contact his or her medical provider before receiving the vaccine," said Dr. Peters. "If you have additional questions in regard to how COVID-19 vaccines work, we encourage you to visit https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/vaccine for specific information."
The Ocean ENT office is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm. For the most up-to-date information, please follow Ocean ENT on Facebook. (https://www.facebook.com/OceanENTNJ)
About Ocean ENT
Ocean ENT (Ocean Otolaryngology Associates, P.A.) is a respected provider of ear, nose and throat care serving Monmouth and Ocean counties. Ocean ENT's board-certified physicians have extensive training and clinical experience and pursue ongoing education to stay abreast of the latest trends. A wide range of services, including treatment of sinus disease, thyroid disease, hoarseness, hearing loss, childhood ENT disorders and nasal breathing difficulty are provided at the practice's Toms River and Manasquan offices. To learn more about Ocean ENT, visit https://oceanentnj.com or call 732-281-0100.
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