Murphy Addresses Troubles with Vaccine Distribution

These are not good times for anti-vaxxers.

“The anti-vax concern seems like it is fading rapidly,”  Gov. Phil Murphy said today.

The governor acknowledged there was some apprehension among state health officials that too many people wouldn’t want to get the COVID vaccine; after all, so-called anti-vaxxers have shown themselves to be a very vocal group.

The facts, at least as of now, tell a different story.

Murphy said about 565,000 vaccine doses have been administered in New Jersey; about 50,000 or so since last Friday.

Additionally, more than 2 million residents have signed up to get the vaccine. Keep in mind, the entire state population is not yet eligible.

Not only that, a vaccine hotline that just went live this morning garnered about 17,000 calls in the first hour and 58,000 by noon. The number is  (855) 568-0545.

“That’s an overwhelming amount of incomings,” Murphy said.

At the same time, there continue to be problems with vaccine supply.

“We are doing our best to maximize the resources before us,” the governor said.

Murphy hasn’t been shy criticizing the vaccine rollout under Donald Trump; now that’s Joe Biden’s problem.

Switching to a basic rite of politics, the governor had good news for activists who enjoy going door-to-door to get petition signatures.

Pandemic or not, that love will continue.

Murphy said there will be no restrictions on the “in-person collection” of signatures on nominating petitions for the June primary.

At the same time, he also announced that petition signatures can be gathered on-line. Of course, that’s not as much fun.

The governor did say that however candidates get signatures, they should do it safely and responsibly.

This is, of course, a big year for New Jersey politics.

All 120 legislative seats are up, along with the governor.

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