Middlesex County and RWJBarnabas Health officials joined New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy in opening the Middlesex County Regional COVID-19 Vaccine Mega-Site in Edison on Jan. 15 at the New Jersey Convention & Exposition Center.
The Edison vaccination mega-site is equipped with 20 vaccination stations and will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.
Administration of up to 2,400 COVID-19 vaccinations can occur at the site per day to qualified individuals as per the state’s priority guidelines, which now include individuals ages 65 and up, according to information provided by the Middlesex County Office of Communications.
The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, both currently granted with Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA, will be administered at the site.
Qualified individuals must pre-register online for an appointment to receive the vaccine at covid19.nj.gov.
“We are pleased that Middlesex County has been selected as a vaccine mega-site destination and are proud to partner with a trusted name in healthcare, RWJBarnabas Health and the state on this historic effort,” County Commissioner Director, Ronald G. Rios, said in the statement. “Our county is fully equipped to provide the necessary resources and advanced infrastructure to deploy the COVID-19 vaccine safely and efficiently both at the mega-site and at our own vaccination sites. This vaccine is a powerful blow to the pandemic, but we need to continue to remain vigilant by wearing masks, socially distancing, and maintaining good hand hygiene.”
“We are proud to partner with Middlesex County and Gov. Murphy in [setting] up this vaccination site here in Edison,” Barry H. Ostrowsky, president and chief executive officer for RWJBarnabas Health, said in the statement. “This mega-site represents the next vital step in getting this vaccine out into our communities so that we can turn the corner in this vicious battle against the virus and make our communities healthier.”
The mega-site is currently vaccinating healthcare workers, staff and residents of long-term care facilities, members of law enforcement and emergency responders including police officers and firefighters. Also included are individuals over the age of 65 and those with certain chronic medical conditions between the ages of 16 and 64, according to the statement.
Teams from RWJBarnabas Health, Middlesex County and the National Guard are coordinating efforts at the site to operate, staff and ensure maximum safety and efficiency of the vaccination effort, according to the statement. Together, more than 100 staff members are currently on-site to provide services including security, registration, vaccination and medical observation.
The Middlesex County Vaccination Center is one of six mega sites in New Jersey. The other locations include Gloucester County (Rowan College of South Jersey in Sewell), Morris County (former Sears store at Rockaway Townsquare Mall), East Rutherford (The Meadowlands, opening soon), Burlington County (The Moorestown Mall) and Atlantic City (The Atlantic City Convention Center, opening soon).
To schedule an appointment at the Edison Mega-Site, visit covid19.nj.gov. Registrants cannot select the specific brand of COVID vaccine to receive; vaccines will be determined by the supply that is available, according to the statement.
For more information and resources from the State of New Jersey, visit covid19.nj.gov. For general COVID-19 questions, call 2-1-1. For medical COVID-19 questions, call 1-800-962-1253.
For COVID-19 resources and vaccine information from Middlesex County, visit www.middlesexcountynj.gov/COVID-19.