Medical group ensures all NJ health care workers will receive COVID-19 vaccine

One private medical practice is making it easier for their employees and other health care workers statewide to get the coronavirus vaccine.

News 12 Staff

Dec 29, 2020, 3:59 AM

Updated 1,386 days ago

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One private medical practice is making it easier for their employees and other health care workers statewide to get the coronavirus vaccine.
Riverside Medical Group's Hoboken location is just one that has now been set up to deliver vaccines to health care workers across New Jersey, their own staff and any others who may not have access to it elsewhere.
Riverside Medical Group began vaccinating its own staff last week. And Monday, it began offering the shots to any health care worker in the state.
"We've been taking on the pandemic from the beginning, opening the first testing sites in New Jersey. Drive-thru testing sites, walk-thru testing sites. So, it just makes sense we were still a part of it when it came to the vaccine because no one more than us wants to see this pandemic over," Dr. Raj Brahmbhatt said.
Brahmbhatt said Riverside is teaming up with municipalities like Hoboken and the state to administer vaccines at 17 of its doctors' offices and urgent care centers in 10 New Jersey counties to any health care worker eligible in this phase of the distribution.
"You don't have to be doctor, you don't have to be a nurse. You can be a receptionist, you can be part of cleaning crew, you can be the maintenance crew, as long as you are in a facility where there are patients and potential exposure," Brahmbhatt said.
Riverside is one of the first medical providers in New Jersey to get the vaccine for those who work outside of a hospital setting. Brahmbhatt explained it's important for them to get it sooner rather than later because they end up seeing a majority of COVID-19 cases.
"What most people don't realize is about 80% of COVID is treated in ambulatory setting," Brahmbhatt said. "It's very important everyday health care workers that aren't in hospitals are protected, and we wanted to make sure of that."
After the first 1A phase of healthcare workers, Riverside hopes to work with cities like Hoboken to use public space to begin administering the vaccine to the next phase and eventually the general public.
For now, eligible health care workers can call them to schedule an appointment at a convenient location.