East Orange One of First Municipalities in NJ to Launch Mobile Health Clinic to Administer the COVID-19 Vaccination.
March 9, 2021, East Orange, NJ: The City of East Orange, under the leadership of Mayor Ted R. Green, the East Orange City Council, the Department of Health and Human Services, and in conjunction with Essex County, will be launching its Mobile Health Clinic on Wednesday March 10, 2021 at 10am at The Pavilion Senior Apartments, 220 Prospect Street, in East Orange.
**Media is invited to 220 Prospect Street**
For its initial rollout, the mobile clinic will focus on administering the COVID-19 Vaccine to seniors and disabled residents in senior buildings and private residences. The mobile health clinic, a 36-foot refurbished truck, was procured late last year in anticipation of the approval of the COVID-19 vaccine, said Dr. Monique Griffith, Director of the Department of Health and Human Services.
“Due to historical experiences, we knew that misinformation and a general distrust of vaccines would be challenges in our community,” Dr. Griffith said. “Bringing this vaccine and our clinical team right to the homes of some of our most at-risk residents will be a key weapon in our fight to stop the spread of the coronavirus in East Orange.”
To date, East Orange has confirmed 5,476 positive cases and 275 confirmed deaths, the second highest in Essex County.
Dr. Griffith said limited access to care has also been identified as a major factor that contributes to health disparities. To assist with this, last month, Essex County designated two vaccination sites in Newark for East Orange residents, but Dr. Griffith said many residents – especially seniors who have remained in or close to home since the beginning of the pandemic – are either reluctant to leave the city or require transportation.
“In partnership with the county, we will continue to provide transportation to the Newark sites for residents while also meeting our most vulnerable where they feel most comfortable ─ at home,” added Dr. Griffith.
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Mayor Green lauded the efforts of Dr. Griffith, Public Health Officer Victor Kuteyi and the entire health department for leading the city through this unprecedented public health crisis.
“For nearly a year, we have been lockstep with our health team in managing this pandemic. We know our community well and this mobile health clinic is an extension of all of our efforts to ensure that access to quality health care, and in this case, the COVID-19 vaccination, is never an issue in East Orange,” said Mayor Green.
The health department is also finalizing plans to set up a temporary bricks-and-mortar facility at East Orange Campus High School, 344 Prospect Street, in East Orange to administer the vaccination to all residents once it becomes available for everyone. Both the mobile clinic and the local facility will be staffed by a team of health clinicians and medical corps volunteers.
Vaccinations will be administered free of charge, but those with Medicaid or individual health insurance should bring ID cards to their appointment, as administrative fees will be billed to insurance only. For more information, please call the Department of Health and Human Services at 973.266.5480.
If anyone is interested in volunteering, please call the OEM Deputy Coordinator at 973.677.8924.
Who: Mayor Ted Green and Department of Health and Human Services
What: Launch of Mobile Health Clinic to Administer COVID-19 Vaccine
When: Wednesday, March 10 at 10am
Where: The Pavillion, 220 Prospect Street
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