The Burlington County Health Department is launching new community vaccine clinics to bring COVID-19 shots back into local communities, including the new bivalent boosters aimed at older COVID-19 viral strains and newer Omicron variants.
The new updated boosters from Pfizer and Moderna offer stronger protection against the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants that are now the dominant strains circulating in New Jersey.
“We’ve come a long way since the early days of the pandemic and it’s the vaccines that have helped us turn the corner and regain a sense of normalcy. We don’t want to take a step back or suffer more losses,” said Burlington County Health Department Director Dr. Herb Conaway. “These new boosters will extend protection against serious illness and death and are designed to guard against the new Omicron subvariants now circulating. These variants are highly transmissible, so we’re encouraging residents to get boosted right away to help guard against a new COVID surge.”
The Burlington County clinics will be held three-days-a-week at rotating locations starting on Wednesday, Sept. 14. The locations and times are as follows:
- Wednesdays from 9 AM to 3 PM at the Gibson House Community Center, 535 East Main Street, Evesham;
- Thursdays from noon to 6 PM at the Bordentown Senior Center, 3 Municipal Drive, Bordentown;
- Saturdays from 9 AM to 3 PM at the Burlington County Health Department, 15 Pioneer Blvd., Westampton.
The clinics will be run by the Burlington County Health Department in partnership with Mobile Medical Services and Technology. The initial primary doses of the Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax vaccines will be offered, along with Moderna and Pfizer boosters.
Appointments for the clinics can be made online at https://patientportal.advancedmd.com/149623/onlinescheduling/v2/providers or by calling 844-569-0390 during normal business hours.
No walk-ins will be permitted.
The new Pfizer booster is recommended for persons 12 and up and the Moderna booster is recommended for persons 18 and older. Residents are eligible for either booster after they have received their primary doses of vaccine.
Residents must also wait at least two months since their primary vaccination series or their first or second booster to be eligible for either bivalent booster shot.
More than 82% of Burlington County residents have received their primary series of COVID-19 vaccine and 60% have received at least one booster. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone 6 months or older get vaccinated with the primary series of doses and that anyone 5 and older get boosted.
“With children headed back to schools and fall holidays approaching, we can expect more virus activity,” Dr. Conaway said. “Given the likelihood of fall and winter surges of COVID-19 disease, these new boosters provide the best possible protection for our residents and their families, which is why we’re taking steps to ensure they’re available at multiple locations and times. Also, don’t forget to get your seasonal flu shots.”
In addition to vaccine clinics, Burlington County continues to offer free COVID-19 testing at the Burlington County COVID-19 Testing Site, located next to the Dollar Tree in the Willingboro Town Center, 4390 Route 130 North, Willingboro.
Testing is offered Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 8 AM to 3 PM, and Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 11 AM to 6 PM.
PCR test samples are taken with short nasal swabs and results are typically reported within 48 hours.
Burlington County Commissioner Felicia Hopson, the Board’s liaison to the Health Department, said she was proud of the County’s response throughout the pandemic.
“From COVID-19 vaccines and testing clinics to distributing protective equipment and groceries, our County has responded to help our residents overcome the challenges of COVID,” Hopson said. “We will continue to make that help and resources available for as long as it’s needed.”