COVID 19

COVID In New Jersey: Vaccination Sites Keeping Opening, But There's Only One Problem -- No Doses To Give Out

/ CBS New York

KEARNY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Mega vaccination sites keep opening in New Jersey, but an appointment is nearly impossible to find due to a lack of supply.

CBS2's Meg Baker was on hand Tuesday at the opening of a new Hudson County site.

MORE: Many Callers Left Frustrated As New Jersey Rolls Out New COVID Vaccine Appointment Hotline: 'This Phone Number Is Useless'

Drive in, check in, stick your arm out the window and you are vaccinated, all from the comfort of your car. On Tuesday, Gov. Phil Murphy toured the new site in Kearny at the U.S.S. Juneau Emergency Management Center with other local leaders.

"Very excited to see you got a shot here," Murphy said.

"Easy, safe and it will help you," EMT Albert Romano said.

COVID VACCINE

The site administered 1,200 COVID-19 inoculations on Friday, but officials said they could have done more.

"Very frustrated that they've set up the infrastructure ready to do what we all know needs to be done and we don't have the dosages," Hudson County Executive Thomas Degise said.

"Only open half the day. It's frustrating to everybody, but this is the situation we find ourselves in," Deputy County Administrator David Drumeler said.

MORE: COVID In New Jersey: Careful Planning Has Helped Essex County Vaccination Site Become Highly Efficient

If you cannot find an appointment, you are not alone.

"We are not registering individuals unless we have the vaccine. While we are all frustrated, that might be something that is helping with the frustration a bit. We haven't had to turn anyone away because we are not taking registrations until we have the vaccine in hand," Hudson County health officer Carrie Nawrocki said.

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

This week, Hudson County is expected to receive 3,500 doses, but Jersey City, alone, is requesting 4,000.

"It's 10 pounds of bologna in a 5-pound bag," Degise said.

Dr. Perry Halkitis, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health, said he believes the state will be in a much different place in two weeks.

"We will likely have the third vaccine available, which is the Janssen vaccine. We will have the [Defense] Production Act, which has already been initiated, which will produce even more vaccine," Halkitis said.

Health experts are reminding people that the vaccine is only one part of the solution to ending the pandemic. Everyone must remain vigilant, mask up and social distance.

CBS2's Meg Baker contributed to this report

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