Residents, under new changes, can now only sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine in Ocean County through the Ocean County Health Department.

New registrations through the health department as of Wednesday night can only be done for people who live in the county. It does not affect people who got the first shot already living outside of the county through the public health department.  

According to State Health Cmmissioner Judy Persichilli, New Jersey is only receiving about 100,000 doses of vaccine per week, and that has to be divided equally to all the providers. The Ocean County Public Health Department has seen its weekly allowance of vaccines drop from 5,000 to 3,000. Once more vaccine becomes available, more slots will open up. 

“With the restrictions and reduction of the vaccine, the state is now allowing us to restrict to Ocean County residents,” says Ocean County Public Health Coordinator Dan Regenye. “We will have to ask for ID at the entrance of our clinics at this point, that'll be likely happening with the other clinics throughout the other counties as well.”

The Ocean County Health Department opened its second mass vaccination clinic Tuesday at the Southern Regional Middle School in Manahawkin. Between this location and their first location at the arena at Toms River High School North, the department could vaccinate thousands of people a day, but as is the case across the state, the supply of vaccine is so limited they had to add tighter restrictions on who can get it.

“Our goal and vision for them is to be more of a community-based model to be out into the senior communities at their municipal buildings and libraries to be able to offer this,” says Regenye. “Right now, with a limited vaccine, the centralized model is what we are looking to do.”

Due to a glitch in the computer system, residents in Ocean County who already received their first dose might not get the email scheduling their second dose for up to two weeks after their first shot.  

Residents have to register through the Ocean County Health Department's website to guarantee a spot. Although they are filled, spaces do open up periodically.