TRENTON, NJ – With the expanded access to COVID-19 vaccines to include smokers and people with underlying conditions last week, when asked what’s to stop people from lying about their status, Governor Murphy admitted, ‘nothing’.
“And that needs to be, as you heard a couple of minutes ago, that needs to be a multiple of what it is,” Murphy said as he explained the very relaxed process being used to distribute the vaccine. “What’s to say someone could — people can lie? Unfortunately, they can. We cannot be overly bureaucratic here. We want to get as many shots into people’s arms as humanly possible, as fast as possible. I would just hope that folks would do the right thing.”
In New Jersey, the wait for COVID-19 vaccines is a long one and most private providers are booked solid.
In contrast, in nearby New York State, Governor Andrew Cuomo placed strict regulations on the distribution of the vaccine which led to thousands of doses being trashed because they could not be given out.
Murphy says he wants to make the distribution of the vaccine simple and effective, ensuring that everyone in the state has access to the vaccine as more stock becomes available from the federal government.
To get the vaccine, you need to simply fill out the online registration form on the state’s website and wait for your appointment. Murphy said people who cut the line could possibly be called out in his daily COVID-19 briefings, although it’s unsure if it would actually be considered a crime at this point.