Are you eligible for your Covid vaccine in New Jersey? Here are some tips and advice on where and how to schedule your Covid vaccine shot in New Jersey. The article will also let you know in on valuable shortcuts to make the Covid vaccine appointment booking process much easier for you!
How to Schedule Your Covid Vaccine Appointment in New Jersey
There is no one central website to schedule your Covid vaccine appointment in New Jersey. In order to make your Covid vaccine appointment in NJ, you need to go on many different websites to book your Coronavirus vaccine shot. With so many vaccine websites to keep track of, booking a Covid vaccine appointment in NJ can quickly become overwhelming and frustrating. In this article, you will find a list of links to various New Jersey Covid vaccine websites and also some valuable shortcuts to make it easier for you to score that coveted Covid vaccine appointment.
New Jersey Vaccine Scheduling System (NJVSS)
Your first step is to register in New Jersey Vaccine Scheduling System (NJVSS). Once you are registered, you will be notified when available Covid vaccine appointments come up in New Jersey. However, with demand for Covid vaccine outstripping supply, registered NJ residents are reporting that they have not received notifications of available Covid vaccine appointments. You should still register though because you will get useful Covid-19 Vaccine news and updates via emails from NJ Department of Health. And as Covid vaccine supply increases, you will eventually be notified to schedule your Covid-19 vaccine appointment. Right now, because of limited Covid vaccine supply in New Jersey, you should proactively contact NJ Covid vaccine providers directly to schedule your Covid vaccine appointment or if there are no available appointments, at least try to see if you can get on their Covid vaccine waitlist (if they have one).
New Jersey Covid Vaccine Appointment Bots
It’s not easy to get a Covid vaccine appointment in New Jersey. More often than not you will be greeted with the “No Appointments Available” message. It’s a frustrating and time consuming process because you have to keep checking multiple websites, open multiple browsers and use multiple devices just to see if there are any available Covid-19 vaccine appointments in New Jersey. Then you have to constantly go back and refresh the websites to check for available Covid vaccine appointments. In fact, you can spend all day refreshing the websites and still come back without an appointment especially if you are unfortunate enough to be checking at the wrong time. Remember Covid vaccine appointments become available when a new batch is released or when there are appointment cancellations. The good news is there is a solution to your problem. Instead of wasting a lot of time refreshing or checking the various Covid Vaccine websites for appointment availabilities, you should take advantage of New Jersey Covid vaccine scheduling bots.
You are probably wondering, what exactly are New Jersey Covid vaccine scheduling bots? These bots are created by frustrated tech savvy volunteers to make scheduling Covid vaccine in New Jersey easier. Basically, these programmers created bots to automatically check and recheck the various New Jersey Covid vaccine websites to find out if there are any available appointments. Available Covid vaccine appointments are then posted on their twitter accounts. This saves you a lot of time and frustration when booking your Covid vaccine appointment in NJ. Instead of manually checking and refreshing vaccine registration websites to find available Covid vaccine appointments, these Covid vaccine bots will do the checking for you to find out where the available Covid vaccine appointments are. Vaccine Bot NJ is a bot created by a developer. The bot checks for available Covid vaccine appointments in 29 websites (pharmacies, hospitals, healthcare and county vaccination sites). Available Covid vaccine appointments are then posted to Vaccine Bot NJ twitter account. VaxxUpdates is another bot that checks for available Covid vaccine appointments in NJ. Similar to Vaccine Bot NJ, any available Covid vaccine appointments are immediately posted on VaxxUpdates twitter account. For your sanity, you should follow these 2 twitter accounts, it will be a major timesaver for you. Vaccine Bot NJ twitter handle is @nj_vaccine and VaxxUpdates twitter handle is @c19vaxxupdates.
Turn On Notifications from NJ Covid Vaccine Bots to Get Your Appointment
In order to save you from constantly checking the twitter accounts of Vaccine Bot NJ and VaxxUpdates, you should turn on twitter notifications. Get notified whenever new appointments are available. Follow their twitter accounts and turn on post notification. You will get notified whenever they make a new post. One thing you should know is that there are thousands of followers in both Vaccine Bot NJ and VaxxUpdates twitter accounts. So when you receive a twitter notification from either Vaccine Bot NJ and VaxxUpdates, don’t be surprised if the available Coronavirus vaccine appointments are snapped up in minutes!
Follow Suburbs 101 on twitter for the latest on the NY Suburbs
Direct Links to Schedule Covid Vaccine Appointments in New Jersey
Even with the help of the NJ Covid vaccine bots, you should also contact Covid vaccine providers in NJ directly. Below you will find direct links to NJ Covid vaccine providers including NJ megasites, national pharmacies, retailers, independent pharmacies in NJ, healthcare providers and hospitals in NJ. Some of these links will lead you to a form to join their Covid vaccine waitlist, some will tell you to check back at a later date or some will not have any Covid vaccines available. You can also try calling these NJ Covid vaccine providers directly. Some of the websites below are being monitored by the bots at Vaccine Bot NJ and VaxxUpdates while some are not. Since Covid vaccine supply is limited in NJ, your best bet is to try all avenues. Contact the Covid vaccine providers directly to check for available appointments. Try to see if you can get on a waitlist or register to be notified when appointments open up.
New Jersey Covid Vaccine Megasites
Below are direct links to Covid vaccine megasites in New Jersey.
Pharmacies in New Jersey with Covid Vaccines
Below are direct links to national pharmacies that administer Covid vaccines in NJ. These pharmacies have multiple Covid vaccination locations in NJ. The appointments at these pharmacies are monitored by the bots at Vaccine Bot NJ and VaxxUpdates, when new appointments are released you will get notified via twitter.
Grocery Stores in New Jersey with Covid Vaccines
Below are direct links to grocery stores that administer Covid vaccines in NJ. These grocery store chains have multiple Covid vaccination locations in New Jersey.
Big Box Retailers in New Jersey with Covid Vaccines
Below are direct links to big box retailers that administer Covid vaccines in NJ. These retailers have multiple Covid vaccination locations in New Jersey.
Direct Links to Bergen County Covid Vaccine Providers
Below are direct links to local department of health, hospitals and health centers in Bergen County that offer Covid vaccine providers.
Bergen County Department of Health
Riverside Medical Health in Saddle Brook, NJ
New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus, NJ
Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, NJ
Summit Medical Group in Teaneck, NJ
Bergen County Pharmacies
Below are independent Bergen County pharmacies that administer Covid vaccines in NJ. You should know that since Covid vaccine supply is limited, Covid vaccine availability at these independent pharmacies may be limited. However, you should still check the Bergen County pharmacy websites below or call the pharmacy directly because you may be able to get on a list to be vaccinated when Covid vaccines become available.
Rock Ridge Pharmacy in Glen Rock, NJ
Ahma RX in Garfield, NJ
Sicomac Pharmacy in Wyckoff, NJ
Ho-Ho-Kus Pharmacy in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ
Waldwick Pharmacy in Waldwick, NJ
Levy’s Pharmacy in Lyndhurst, NJ
Aspire Health in Cliffside Park, NJ
Star Pharmacy in Fort Lee, NJ
Royal Pharmacy in Fort Lee, NJ
Leonia Pharmacy in Leonia, NJ
Direct Links to Camden County Covid Vaccine Providers
Below are direct links to Covid vaccine providers in Camden County.
Riverside Medical Health in Haddon Heights, NJ
Direct Links to Essex County Covid Vaccine Providers
Below are direct links to Covid vaccine providers in Essex County.
Essex County Department of Health
City of Newark Department of Health
University Hospital in Newark, NJ
St. Michael’s Hospital in Newark, NJ
St. James Health in Newark, NJ
Riverside Medical Health in Essex, NJ
Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair, NJ
Newark Community Health Centers in Newark, East Orange, Irvington and Orange, NJ
Essex County Pharmacies
Below are independent Essex County pharmacies that administer Covid vaccines in NJ. You should know that since Covid vaccine supply is limited, Covid vaccine availability at these independent pharmacies may be limited. However, you should still check the Essex County pharmacy websites below or call the pharmacy directly because you may be able to get on a list to be vaccinated when Covid vaccines become available.
ICare Pharmacy in Bloomfield, NJ
Bloomfield Care Pharmacy in Bloomfield, NJ at (973) 780-2400
Obeng Pharmacy in Newark, NJ
Fourth Avenue Pharmacy in Newark, NJ
EZ Care Pharmacy in East Orange, NJ
Brick Church Pharmacy in East Orange, NJ
Springview Pharmacy in Irvington, NJ
Town and Country Pharmacy in Maplewood, NJ
E&M Pharmacy in Orange, NJ
Direct Links to Hudson County Covid Vaccine Providers
Below are direct links to Covid vaccine providers in Hudson County.
Hudson County Department of Health
Riverside Medical Health in Hoboken, Secaucus and Jersey City, NJ
Alliance Community Healthcare in Jersey City, NJ
Carepoint Health- Bayonne Medical Center
Carepoint Health- Christ Hospital in Jersey City, NJ
Metropolitan Family Health Network
Hudson County Pharmacies
Below are independent Hudson County pharmacies that administer Covid vaccines in NJ. You should know that since Covid vaccine supply is limited, Covid vaccine availability at these independent pharmacies may be limited. However, you should still check the Hudson County pharmacy websites below or call the pharmacy directly because you may be able to get on a list to be vaccinated when Covid vaccines become available.
Differx Pharmacy in Jersey City, NJ
Palace Drugs in Jersey City, NJ
Friendly Pharmacy in Jersey City, NJ
Bergen Ave Drugs in Jersey City, NJ
American Pharmacy in Jersey City, NJ
Ultracare Pharmacy in Jersey City, NJ
Midtown Pharmacy in Kearny, NJ
Atlas Drug in North Bergen, NJ
The Galaxy Drugstore in Guttenberg, NJ
United Pharmacy in West New York, NJ
Direct Links to Mercer County Covid Vaccine Providers
Below are direct links to Covid vaccine providers in Mercer County.
Penn Medicine– Princeton Department of Health
Mercer County Pharmacies
Below are independent Mercer County pharmacies that administer Covid vaccines in NJ. You should know that since Covid vaccine supply is limited, Covid vaccine availability at these independent pharmacies may be limited. However, you should still check the Mercer County pharmacy websites below or call the pharmacy directly because you may be able to get on a list to be vaccinated when Covid vaccines become available.
Robbins Pharmacy in Ewing Township, NJ
Olden Pharmacy in Hamilton, NJ
Hopewell Pharmacy in Hopewell, NJ
Direct Links to Middlesex County Covid Vaccine Providers
Below are direct links to Covid vaccine providers in Middlesex County.
Middlesex County Pharmacies
Below are independent Middlesex County pharmacies that administer Covid vaccines in NJ. You should know that since Covid vaccine supply is limited, Covid vaccine availability at these independent pharmacies may be limited. However, you should still check the Middlesex County pharmacy websites below or call the pharmacy directly because you may be able to get on a list to be vaccinated when Covid vaccines become available.
Monroe Care Pharmacy in Monroe Township, NJ
Texas Road Pharmacy in Monroe Township, NJ
Direct Links to Monmouth County Covid Vaccine Providers
Below are direct links to Covid vaccine providers in Monmouth County.
Monmouth County Department of Health
CentraState Health Care System
Visiting Nurse Association of Central NJ
Monmouth County Pharmacies
Below are independent Monmouth County pharmacies that administer Covid vaccines in NJ. You should know that since Covid vaccine supply is limited, Covid vaccine availability at these independent pharmacies may be limited. However, you should still check the Monmouth County pharmacy websites below or call the pharmacy directly because you may be able to get on a list to be vaccinated when Covid vaccines become available.
Village Pharmacy in Allentown, NJ
Direct Links to Morris County Covid Vaccine Providers
Below are direct links to Covid vaccine providers in Morris County.
Atlantic Health in Morristown, Mountain Lakes, NJ
Direct Links to Passaic County Covid Vaccine Providers
Below are direct links to Covid vaccine providers in Passaic County.
GMed Healthcare in Clifton, NJ
Passaic County Pharmacies
Below are independent Passaic County pharmacies that administer Covid vaccines in NJ. You should know that since Covid vaccine supply is limited, Covid vaccine availability at these independent pharmacies may be limited. However, you should still check the Passaic County pharmacy websites below or call the pharmacy directly because you may be able to get on a list to be vaccinated when Covid vaccines become available.
Vital Plus Pharmacy in Paterson, NJ
Williams Pharmacy in Paterson, NJ at (973) 523-0777
Florida Drugs in Paterson, NJ at (973) 742-6313
Farmacias Del Pueblo in Paterson, NJ at (973) 523-0500
ICare Pharmacy in Paterson, NJ
Sussmans Drugs in Paterson, NJ
Mort Jacobs Pharmacy in Paterson, NJ
Sheefa Pharmacy in Paterson, NJ
Burgio’s Pharmacy in Totowa, NJ
Community Care Specialty Pharmacy in Totowa, NJ
De Blieck’s Pharmacy in North Haledon, NJ
Colonial Pharmacy in Clifton, NJ
Van Houten Pharmacy in Clifton, NJ
Blue Jay Pharmacy in Clifton, NJ
Valley Pharmacy in Wayne, NJ
Black Oak Pharmacy in Wayne, NJ
Direct Links to Somerset County Covid Vaccine Providers
Below are direct links to Covid vaccine providers in Somerset County.
Somerset County Pharmacies
Below are independent Somerset County pharmacies that administer Covid vaccines in NJ. You should know that since Covid vaccine supply is limited, Covid vaccine availability at these independent pharmacies may be limited. However, you should still check the Somerset County pharmacy websites below or call the pharmacy directly because you may be able to get on a list to be vaccinated when Covid vaccines become available.
Amwell Pharmacy in Hillsborough, NJ
Direct Links to Union County Covid Vaccine Providers
Below are direct links to Covid vaccine providers in Union County.
Direct Links to Warren County Covid Vaccine Providers
Below are direct links to Covid vaccine providers in Warren County.
St Luke’s University Health Network
Who Is Eligible for the Covid Vaccine in NJ
New Jersey is currently vaccinating individuals in the 1a, 1b and 1c phase of their Covid vaccine rollout. Below you will find the list of individuals who are eligible for the Covid Vaccine in NJ. New Jersey will continue to add more eligible individuals as Covid vaccine supply increases, check the New Jersey Covid Vaccine Eligibility List for the latest.
Currently, vaccines are available to the following groups (more details, including exactly who qualifies in these categories can be found below):
- Individuals age 55+
- Individuals age 16-54 with certain medical conditions
- Individuals age 16-54 with intellectual and developmental disabilities
- Childcare workers in licensed and registered settings
- Clergy
- Communications, IT, and media workers
- Educators and staff, including pre-K to 12 and higher education
- Eldercare and support workers
- Elections personnel
- First responders
- Healthcare workers
- Hospitality workers
- Individuals experiencing homelessness and those living in shelters
- Judicial system workers
- Laundry services workers
- Librarians and library support staff
- Long-term care and high-risk congregate care facility residents and staff
- Medical supply chain employees
- Members of tribal communities
- Migrant farm workers
- Postal and shipping service workers
- Public safety workers
- Real estate, building, and home services workers
- Retail financial institution workers
- Sanitation workers
- Social service workers and support staff
- Transportation workers
- Utilities workers
- Warehousing and logistics workers
Upcoming Eligibility Changes
As of Monday, April 19th, all individuals aged 16 and older will be eligible for vaccination.
More Details About Who Is In Each Category
Healthcare Personnel (Phase 1A)
Paid and unpaid persons serving in health care settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials, including, but not limited to:
- Licensed healthcare professionals like doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists
- Staff like receptionists, janitors, mortuary services, laboratory technicians
- Consultants, per diem, and contractors who are not directly employed by the facility
- Unpaid workers like health professional students, trainees, volunteers, and essential caregivers
- Community health workers, doulas, and public health professionals like Medical Reserve Corps
- Personnel with variable venues like EMS, paramedics, funeral staff, and autopsy workers
- All workers in acute, pediatric, and behavioral health hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers
- All workers in health facilities like psychiatric facilities, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and rehabs
- All workers in clinic-based settings like urgent care clinics, dialysis centers, and family planning sites
- All workers in long-term care settings like nursing homes, assisted living facilities, group homes, and others
- All workers in occupational-based healthcare settings like health clinics within workplaces, shelters, jails, colleges and universities, and K-12 schools
- All workers in community-based healthcare settings like PACE and Adult Living Community Nursing
- All workers in home-based settings like hospice, home care, and visiting nurse services
- All workers in office-based healthcare settings like physician and dental offices
- All workers in public health settings like local health departments, LINCS agencies, harm reduction centers, and medicinal marijuana programs
- All workers in retail, independent, and institutional pharmacies
- Other paid or unpaid people who work in a healthcare setting, who may have direct or indirect contact with infectious persons or materials, and who cannot work from home.
Long-Term Care Residents and Staff (Phase 1A)
All residents and workers of long-term care and high-risk congregate care facilities, including:
- Skilled nursing facilities
- Veterans homes
- Assisted living facilities, continuing care retirement communities, and personal care homes
- Group homes like residential care homes, adult family homes, adult foster homes, and intellectual and developmental disabilities group homes
- HUD 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program residences
- Institutional settings like psychiatric hospitals, correctional institutions, county jails, and juvenile detention facilities (for eligible minors, e.g. 16+ years of age may be eligible for Pfizer vaccine under the emergency use authorization)
- Other vulnerable, congregate, long-term settings
First Responders (Phase 1B)
Sworn law enforcement, firefighters, and other first responders, including:
- New Jersey State Police troopers
- Municipal and county police officers
- Campus police officers
- Detectives in prosecutors’ offices and state agencies
- State agency/authority law enforcement officers (e.g. State Park Police and Conservation Officers, Palisades Interstate Parkway Officers, Human Services police, and NJTransit police)
- Investigator, Parole and Secured Facilities Officers
- Aeronautical Operations Specialists
- Sworn Federal Law Enforcement Officers and Special Agents
- Bi-State law enforcement officers (e.g. Port Authority)
- Court Security Officers
- Paid and unpaid members of firefighting services (structural and wildland)
- Paid and unpaid members of Search and Rescue Units including technical rescue units and HAZMAT teams
- Paid and unpaid firefighters who provide emergency medical services
- Paid and unpaid members of Industrial units that perform Fire, Rescue and HAZMAT services
- Members of State Fire Marshal’s Offices
- Bi-State Fire Service Personnel (e.g. Port Authority)
Individuals at High Risk (Phase 1B and 1C)
Individuals aged 55 and older, and individuals ages 16-54 with medical conditions, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that increase or might increase the risk of severe illness from the virus. These conditions include:
- Asthma (moderate to severe)
- Cancer
- Cerebrovascular Disease
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Down Syndrome
- Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
- Hypertension or High Blood Pressure
- Liver Disease
- Neurologic conditions (e.g. dementia)
- Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2)
- Severe Obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2)
- Overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2)
- Pulmonary Fibrosis (damaged or scarred lung tissues)
- Sickle cell disease
- Smoking/nicotine addiction
- Thalassemia (type of blood disorder)
- Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus
- Note: Individuals who are pregnant and those in an immunocompromised state (weakened immune system)are also eligible but should follow CDC guidance and first discuss vaccination with their medical provider before receiving the vaccine.
Educators and Childcare Workers (Phase 1B)
- Paid and unpaid people working in pre-K through 12th grade settings, including teachers, staff, classroom aides, bus drivers, janitors, counselors, administration staff, cafeteria workers, and substitute teachers
- Head Start and Early Head Start program staff
- Any other paid or unpaid persons working in schools serving those pre-K to grade 12
- Paid and unpaid people working in licensed or registered childcare settings, including center-based and family childcare providers
Transportation Workers (Phase 1B)
- Public and local transportation workers, including bus, taxi, rideshare, and airport employees; NJ TRANSIT workers; and Motor Vehicle Commission staff
Additional Public Safety Workers (Phase 1B)
- Public safety workers who are not sworn law enforcement or fire professionals, including probation officers and fire safety inspectors
Additional High-Risk Individuals (Phase 1B)
- Migrant farm workers;
- Members of tribal communities;
- Individuals experiencing homelessness and those living in shelters, including domestic violence shelters.
Additional Frontline Essential Workers (Phase 1B and 1C)
Essential workers in the following sectors are eligible for vaccination:
- Clergy
- Communications, IT, media workers, including communications infrastructure support (engineers, technicians) and members of the press
- Eldercare and support workers
- Elections personnel
- Food production, agriculture, and food distribution workers
- Higher Education workers, including educators and support staff
- Hospitality workers
- Real estate, building, and home services workers, including construction workers, code officials, plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, property management, and maintenance workers
- Retail financial institution workers, including bank tellers, lending service, public accounting, and check cashing workers.
- Judicial system workers
- Laundry services workers, including workers in laundromats, laundry services, and dry cleaners
- Librarians, including librarians and support staff at municipal, county, and state libraries (i.e. those not included in K-12 announcement)
- Medical supply chain workers
- Postal and shipping service workers
- Sanitation workers, including workers providing disinfection and janitorial services for all essential facilities and modes of transportation; city sanitation workers; residential, commercial, and industrial solid and hazardous waste removal
- Social service workers and support staff
- Utilities workers, including electrical generation and supply system, natural gas delivery, nuclear power plant, water supply, telephone, cable/fiber optical/broadband/cellular service workers
- Warehousing and logistics workers
Individuals 16 and older with intellectual and developmental disabilities (Phase 1C)
- Developmental disabilities are a group of conditions due to an impairment in physical, learning, language, or behavior areas.
Final Thoughts on Booking Your Covid-19 Vaccine Appointment in New Jersey
Remember, be patient when booking your Covid vaccine appointment in NJ. You should take advantage of the free services from the bots at Vaccine Bot NJ and VaxxUpdates when booking your Covid vaccine appointment. Turn on post notification on twitter so you don’t miss out on available NJ Covid vaccine appointments! Also, you should try all the different websites above and put your name on their waitlists so you are next in line when Covid vaccines become available. Remember, as Covid vaccine supply increases, finding available Covid vaccine appointments will get easier.
You May Also Be Interested In:
Cheat Sheet: How to Book a Covid Vaccine Appointment in NY
Complete Guide to Covid Vaccines in CT
8 Tips to Keep Your Child Safe with the Babysitter During the Covid-19 Pandemic
My Housekeeper Got Covid-19, We Didn’t. My Safety Tips
Upgrade Your Air Filters and Air Purifiers to Reduce Indoor Covid-19 Transmission
Need a Local Real Estate Agent?
Suburbs 101 has a free service to connect you with local real estate agents. Check it out!
About Suburbs 101
Suburbs 101 is an online lifestyle guide for the New York Suburbs of Westchester County, Long Island, Fairfield County and Northern New Jersey. Get the inside scoop on what it’s really like to live in the New York suburbs through our interviews with local suburbanites and features on Food, Fashion, Home, Travel, and Local Events. Be sure to Follow Us on Instagram, Like Us on Facebook, follow Suburbs 101 on Twitter and subscribe to our Monthly Newsletter.