Anthony Johnson reports on New Jersey s State of the State address.
Mildred, who has now live through two pandemics, received her shot to a round of applause. She was followed by nurse Esther Moodey, the state s first nursing home staff member to receive the vaccine. It is an understatement to say that this has been an incredibly challenging year for all of us in healthcare, on many levels, Moodey said after receiving the first dose. I am thankful for the COVID-19 vaccine and honored to be the first staff member at our facility receive it, in solidarity with my colleagues in other long term care facilities around New Jersey. The vaccine brings hope and optimism about the future and promise of a return to normal.
NEW JERSEY (WABC) Governor Phil Murphy on Friday defended the decision to move smokers into the category now allowed to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. I must push back on the false narrative that we re vaccinating smokers while not vaccinating another group, he said. We have a limited supply of vaccines from the federal government, roughly 100,000 additional doses coming in per week. Our first priority must be to vaccinate those at higher risk due to age or other health factors that put them at a greater vulnerability for severe COVID.
He went on to say that COVID is a respiratory illness, which puts smokers at higher risk and thus puts them in compliance with CDC guidance.
Murphy said he hopes to have that entire group vaccinated by the end of February. I hope it isn t six months, I hope it isn t that long, he said. There is conviction that wasn t there even a short while ago, that the supplies will be there. There is an enormous supply demand right now, which is your point, and is the right one and the fair one. The feds, both the current administration and the incoming administration, and our assessment is that will begin, and I say begin, it will balance out. I think you get through the next six to eight weeks, we are in a dramatically different place, and that will be good news.
Murphy said he hopes to have that entire group vaccinated by the end of February. I hope it isn t six months, I hope it isn t that long, he said. There is conviction that wasn t there even a short while ago, that the supplies will be there. There is an enormous supply demand right now, which is your point, and is the right one and the fair one. The feds, both the current administration and the incoming administration, and our assessment is that will begin, and I say begin, it will balance out. I think you get through the next six to eight weeks, we are in a dramatically different place, and that will be good news.