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These Towns Rank Worst In Coronavirus Vaccine Rates, Murphy Says

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VACCINE UPDATE: 7,135,235 total doses have been administered as of Monday morning, Gov. Phil Murphy said, and 3.25 million residents are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

VACCINE UPDATE: 7,135,235 total doses have been administered as of Monday morning, Gov. Phil Murphy said, and 3.25 million residents are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

 Photo Credit: NJ Office of the Governor
A shot and a free beer vaccination campaign

A shot and a free beer vaccination campaign

 Photo Credit: Twitter @GovMurphy
Gov. Phil Murphy announced that more than 3.25 million residents have been fully vaccinated.

Gov. Phil Murphy announced that more than 3.25 million residents have been fully vaccinated.

 Photo Credit: Twitter @GovMurphy
Jon Craig
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Gov. Phil Murphy released a ranking of the lowest vaccination rates among Garden State cities and townships on Monday, along with a new "Operation Jersey Summer" campaign to reach underserved communities.

The governor focused on 16 communities with 10,000 or more residents -- where less than 40% of those eligible got an initial shot.

Lakewood Township, which met the most initial resistance to wearing masks, has the lowest vaccination rate, at 10%, according to Murphy.

Irvington and Pemberton townships tied for second lowest at 11%, while Camden, New Brunswick and Phillipsburg each reported 12% of their residents got a first COVID-19 vaccine. 

"This is not going to be a competition between towns and communities, or meant to shame any community," Murphy promised, while announcing the other 10 cities and towns with low vaccine rates:

  • East Orange 13%
  • Bridgeton, 14 %
  • Trenton 14%
  • City of Orange Township, 15%
  • Fairview Borough, 15%
  • Garfield, 15%
  • Newark, 16%
  • Perth Amboy, 16% 
  • Plainfield City, 16%
  • City of Passaic, 16%

At his Monday afternoon news briefing, Murphy said that 7,135,235 total doses have been administered. The statewide total of fully vaccinated residents now exceeds 3.25 million, he said.

In a new campaign called "Operation Jersey Summer," state officials said they will use several approaches to reach unvaccinated residents including "proof of a shot gets a free beer" at these 12 participating breweries:

  • Battle River Brewing in Toms River
  • Bradley Beer Project in Bradley Beach
  • Bolero Snort Brewing Company in Carlstadt
  • Brix City Brewing Company in Little Ferry
  • Carton Brewing Company in Atlantic Highlands
  • Flounder Brewing Company in Hillsborough
  • Flying Fish Brewing Company in Somerdale
  • Hackensack Brewing Company in Hackensack
  • Kane Brewing Company in Ocean Township
  • Little Dog Brewing Company in Neptune
  • Magnify Brewing Company in Fairfield, Essex County
  • River Horse Brewing Company in Ewing

The campaign also includes mobile vaccination units to visit hard-to-reach communities, state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said.

“Like any good campaign, we’re also putting an army of boots on the ground safely knocking on doors in communities throughout the state,” Murphy said.

State officials said they will expand hours of operation at these six large "walk-in" sites where eligible residents can get shots without appointments:

  • Atlantic County at Atlantic City Convention Center, 1 Convention Boulevard, Atlantic City

  • Bergen County at 1 Racetrack Drive, East Rutherford
  • Burlington County at 400 Route 38, Moorestown
  • Gloucester County at Rowan College of South Jersey, 1400 Tanyard Road, Sewell
  • Middlesex County at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center, 97 Sunfield Ave. Edison
  • Morris County at 301 Mount Hope Ave., Rockaway.

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