Murphy Sets Timetable for NJ Teachers to Get COVID Vaccine

Gov. Phil Murphy started the week by making an announcement many in New Jersey  thought was overdue. New Jersey teachers, child care and transportation workers will be eligible starting March 15 for the coronavirus vaccine.

The governor, appearing on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” said it’s “an imperative” to have those people vaccinated. He followed up with a tweet that expanded that group to "additional public safety workers". The governor has his covid-19 briefing today at 1pm.

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“We’re phasing it in over a couple of weeks because we already have a supply-demand imbalance,” the governor said, adding that other essential workers are expected to be added to the eligibility list by the end of March.

The expanded group includes “pre-K to 12 educators & support staff,” according to Murphy’s Tweet.

The state has administered nearly 2 million doses as of Saturday, including 1,295,891 first doses and 663,855 second doses, according to state data.

It has been a bone of contention with many that New Jersey had opened up coronavirus vaccine distribution to those who have at least one chronic medical condition, which the state said includes smoking and obesity, but teachers and other essential workers who do not fall into this category have had to wait.