Ocean County hosts COVID-19 vaccination clinic as health officials stress boosters

The Ocean County Health Department hosted a COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Monday as health officials still want residents to get their booster shots.
The clinic was ran by the Visiting Nurses Association of Central Jersey. Executive director Tom Thees says more shots have been administered in the last two weeks than in the first two months. The clinic was held at the Ocean County Transportation Center.
In Ocean County and statewide, around 1 in 3 eligible people have received a booster. This is up significantly since the discovery of the omicron variant and from the time the case totals in New Jersey began to climb.
SEARCH FOR A CURE: Statistics and State Resources
Last week saw a 65% increase of cases over the previous week, with 1,100 hospitalized. The numbers are the highest statewide since April, but far below the numbers from one year ago before vaccinations began when more than 3,000 were hospitalized. Health experts say the strength of the initial dose of vaccine is showing signs of waning.
“The statistics on the waning of the original primary dose of vaccine is also very clear and such that the need for a booster is not just an option,” says Thees. “It's really a requirement at this point in order to be fully protected. You want to obtain a booster shot as soon as you can after six months with Moderna and Pfizer and after two months with Johnson & Johnson being your primary doses.”
Thees says while you still can contract COVID-19 if vaccinated, the chances of hospitalizations and deaths remain extremely low.