New Jersey coronavirus update: Paterson mayor pleads with new President Joe Biden for more vaccine doses

Coronavirus Update New Jersey

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

NJ mayor pleads with new President Biden for more vaccine doses

Governor Phil Murphy wasted no time calling on the new Biden administration to distribute more vaccines to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

PATERSON, New Jersey (WABC) -- The mayor of one of New Jersey's larges cities is wasting no time calling on the new Biden administration to distribute more vaccines to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh made the plea Wednesday morning to new President Joe Biden for more vaccines for the state of New Jersey.

With hundreds of people lining up to get immunized, the city is running low on the vaccine.

It received 2,000 doses from the state this week after requesting 7,000, and now, city officials say they've gotten word it will be allocated less than 2,000 next week.

Sayegh is calling on Biden to get more vaccines to the state to fill the growing need to get inoculated.

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He says the city health department has done it's part in the war against the novel coronavirus and has thus far vaccinated 4,000 residents from around the state.

Residents have come from all over to be vaccinated in Paterson, and an increase in vaccine distribution is needed to keep up with the demand and ultimately beat COVID-19.

Beginning Friday, the main vaccine hub at the International High School will only serve Paterson residents.

On Tuesday, Governor Phil Murphy extended the public health emergency in New Jersey for another 30 days.

Governor Phil Murphy also reported 388,160 vaccinations statewide as of Tuesday morning.

The governor said New Jersey has built the capacity for an aggressive vaccination push, with four mega-sites open and two more coming online soon.

As far as county-run and community-based sites, 130 are open and 100 to come online soon.

"We continue to push forward with the approximately 100,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses we're receiving on a weekly basis," Murphy said. "Our pharmacy partners in the federal vaccination program continue to move through the state providing vaccinations to some of our highest-risk populations."

Murphy also confirmed 3,761 new positive PCR tests and an additional 54 coronavirus deaths Tuesday.

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