With nearly 5.9 million New Jerseyans fully vaccinated, New Jersey is getting set to cross the 75% threshold, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday.
Murphy also said that 83% of those eligible have received at least one shot — meaning the state could reach that total in the coming weeks.
According to data on the Mayo Clinic website, New Jersey has reached the following percentages:
- Over age 65: 90.6%
- Ages 18-64: 73.8%
- Ages 12-17: 58.2%
Murphy said the number of additional doses and boosters also continues to move upward.
Murphy again stressed the value of vaccination.
“Overall, the vaccines continue to prove effective in not only protecting people from contracting COVID — still, more than 99.5% of the fully vaccinated have remained coronavirus-free — but especially in keeping those who do out of the hospital and from dying,” he said.
While there have been just over 30,000 COVID-19 cases for those who have received the vaccine, that is just 0.55% of the number of those vaccinated. More telling, only 629 vaccinated people have been hospitalized — or just 0.01% of those vaccinated.
Murphy said the rate of transmission continues to remain under 1.0, at 0.91, but he is concerned that rate may soon grow as the weather grows colder and forces more people inside.
All that being said, Murphy remains frustrated it appears the number will never approach 100%.
“We are now at a very distinct minority of residents who aren’t vaccinated,” he said. “And we acknowledge that, for a good number of them, there is nothing we can do that will ever break through the misinformation they are clinging to.
“But, for those we know who may just still be on the fence, look at these numbers. And then remember that the vaccines are free. And a free vaccine is far, far better than an expensive hospital stay or the cost to your family for your funeral.”
