Atlantic City will postpone its move to offer weekly vaccination appointment to residents.
The vaccinations that were to be offered at the All Wars building every Tuesday will not begin as planned after the FDA paused the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine that was being offered.
The move also has AtlantiCare canceling all their scheduled Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccination appointments at the city's Vaccination Megasite that had been planned for Tuesday and Wednesday.
The site that has administered more than 170,000 two-dose vaccines had just 205 individuals scheduled for the Johnson & Johnson one-dose shot. They now will have th option of getting the Pfizer vaccine or waiting until more guidance on the paused Janssen.
"Out of an abundance of caution, and in following the guidance of the New Jersey Department of Health, we are cancelling all scheduled appointments for Johnson and Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccinations at the Atlantic County COVID-19 Vaccination Megasite for today and tomorrow until we have further guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, New Jersey Department of Health and the Federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices," AtlantiCare spokeswoman Jennifer Tornetta said Tuesday. "We had no other Johnson and Johnson vaccines scheduled at the Megasite. We encourage members of the community to get vaccinated. We have appointments open through the end of April for Pfizer vaccinations."
Mayor Marty Small announced the vaccines for residents Monday, as part of a partnership with Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers.
But on Tuesday, he was preparing to hold a news conference detailing the changes after the one-dose vaccine, which has had reported blood clot issues, was stopped.
Small said they are working on getting the Moderna vaccines for the site at the former Soldiers Home.
The Atlantic County COVID-19 Vaccination Megasite has provided sometimes thousands of appointments daily.
“Everything was running very smoothly when I got my first vaccine,” says Egg Harbor City resident, Peter Gladue. “Parking attendants were very nice, they helped me find a close place to park. When people inside the convention center saw that I have a disability, they helped me to get to the elevator. They took care of me when I received my second dose with the same professionalism and courtesy. Getting vaccinated is something people should celebrate. I’m so grateful for what AtlantiCare and the entire Megasite team are doing.”
Starting Monday, anyone 16 or older can sign up to get vaccinated at the megaite at vaccination.atlanticare.org.
But Small noted that some living in Atlantic City still have not been able to take advantage of the in-city center.
"We wanted to make sure our people had the opportunity to be vaccinated," said the mayor, who has received the two-shot Moderna vaccine.
He said he was still being briefed Tuesday as to what the new timeline will be.
On Monday, the county announced 74 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19, along with the death of a 54-year-old Pleasantville man. It was not indicated that he had any pre-existing conditions.
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TOTAL BREAKDOWN BY MUNICIPALITY
(as of Monday, April 12)
