U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez has made a direct request to the governor to send more doses of the coronavirus vaccine to Hudson County, where the number of vaccinations per 100,00 residents has consistently ranked last in the state.
In a letter to Gov. Phil Murphy Monday, Menendez — the former mayor of Union City and the most prominent voice thus far to speak up on behalf of residents here — also asked state officials to identify why Hudson County’s vaccination rate has been lagging.
“I am deeply concerned that Hudson County residents do not have equitable access to COVID-19 vaccinations,” Menendez wrote.
The governor’s deputy press secretary did not comment directly on the senator’s letter, but basically repeated a statement it has provided any officials who question the distribution process:
“Vaccine allocation is based on current inventory, throughput at vaccination sites, population density, disease burden, and equitable geographic access, in terms of both sites available and doses allocated.
“Although allocations to sites may vary each week, the goal is to provide predictability and steady supply, while continuing to balance efficiency with equity in this time of scarcity.”
Hudson County officials have done little thus far to publicly pressure the Murphy administration to provide it with more doses, although they say they have made their own requests privately.
Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop made a plea for more doses when the governor made a recent visit to a city vaccination site and a county spokeswoman said officials ask the state for more doses every week.
Little has changed though since The Jersey Journal first reported that Hudson County didn’t appear to be getting its fair share back in January.
As of Tuesday, Hudson County ranked 10th in the state for the number of doses administered despite having the fourth-highest population. And it still ranks dead last when considering the number of shots administered per 100,000 residents.
The county, meanwhile, saw the greatest increase in deaths last year out of all 21 counties, with deaths surging by 59.6% over a typical year.
The Jersey Journal editorial board has published two pieces urging for change, the most recent calling on officials to “stop sitting on their hands and posing for pictures with the governor and start demanding that more doses of the three COVID-19 vaccines get distributed here.”
In his letter, Menendez noted Hudson County is among the most diverse counties in the state and that the coronavirus has disproportionately harmed communities of color.
“The pandemic’s disparate impact on communities of color only increases the importance of equity in vaccine allocations for counties with large populations of historically marginalized groups,” Menendez wrote.
The Link LonkMarch 24, 2021 at 04:00AM
https://www.nj.com/hudson/2021/03/menendez-urges-state-to-send-hudson-county-more-doses-of-vaccine.html
Menendez urges state to send Hudson County more doses of vaccine - NJ.com
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