COVID-19 NJ: Every county in New Jersey has high or substantial COVID transmission

TRENTON, New Jersey (WPVI) – New Jersey health officials continue to push vaccinations as COVID-19-related hospitalizations increase, especially among younger age groups.

Eighteen-year-old Devon Walker of Williamstown, New Jersey, says she is ready to go to college now that she has been injected with a dose of Johnson and Johnson COVID-19.

But it took him a long time to get here.

“It wasn’t really on my priority list. I didn’t research it. But my grandma would rush me and send me articles and stuff like that,” Walker said, adding that she felt relieved now that it was done.

“She said ‘Oh, granny I don’t know, my roommate doesn’t have it. I don’t know.’ I said, “Well, you have to be really safe to go to the University of West Virginia. You have to be safe, ”said her grandmother, Darlene Walker.

It also imposed a new rule regarding public holidays.

“Only the vaccinated family can come to Thanksgiving dinner. And Devon said to me, ‘I have to go to Thanksgiving dinner,'” Darlene said.

RELATED: Alarming 94K Increase in COVID-19 Cases Among Children, Hospitals Overwhelmed

Until Friday, Inspira offers vaccines at the Pureland Industrial Complex, Office # 608 in Logan Township from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Vaccines are available to everyone, not just those working in the complex, and appointments are not necessary.

“As we have these events in South Jersey here, we see more and more people seeing the signs, it’s more convenient for them,” said Martina Robinson of Inspira Health.

Public health officials continue to push vaccinations as hospitalizations increase.

Statewide, 13 children are hospitalized with COVID-19 and two of them are in intensive care.

On Monday, Gov. Phil Murphy pushed back against those protesting the move to impose masks on New Jersey schools.

“They say they will simply accept countless numbers of asymptomatic children spreading the delta variant among their educators and friends in their schools, or bring COVID home to spread among their families and communities,” Murphy said at the briefing Monday’s COVID-19.

Virtua Health officials say they are seeing an increase in the number of COVID-19 patients at their five hospitals, and it’s happening much earlier than last year.

“Here we are: we’re on the outside, and yet we see a slight increase in early and mid-August. So that’s a concern for me,” said Dr Reginald Blaber, Executive Vice President and clinical director of Virtua Health.

Every county in New Jersey has substantial or high levels of transmission according to the CDC, which means wearing a mask indoors is highly recommended.

RELATED: Governor Murphy Announces Masks Will Be Required for Kindergarten to Grade 12 Students in New Jersey

Virtua health officials have emphasized just how more contagious this variant is – and the importance of getting vaccinated.

“I feel like we are learning again about a virus. This virus is very different from the virus we fought two winters ago and then last summer,” said Dr Blaber.

Blaber says that last year the surge in patient numbers as they see it now didn’t happen until the weather cooled, so they assume hospitalizations will continue to rise.

MASK MANDATE FOR NJ SCHOOLS

It comes just days after Murphy announced that New Jersey students in Kindergarten to Grade 12 will be required to wear masks to school this fall, regardless of their immunization status.

Murphy said on Friday there were several reasons state officials were taking the step.

“Due to the recent and widespread spread of the delta variant, the fact that no child under the age of 12 is yet eligible to be vaccinated, and the fact that too many older students and their parents are not vaccinated, “Murphy said Friday afternoon. .
RELATED: New Jersey Officials Strongly Recommend Masking In Indoor Environments With Increased Risk

“This is not an announcement that pleases any of us or me personally,” he continued. “But as the school year approaches and the numbers increase rapidly, this is the one we need to do.”

There will be exceptions to the mandate, such as when a mask interferes with someone’s health, while eating and drinking, in excessive heat and during high intensity activities.

RELATED: Governor Phil Murphy Tears Up Vaccine Protesters As ‘Ultimate Knuckleheads’