TOMS RIVER, NJ – Nearly three months after the first COVID-19 vaccine was administered in Ocean County, 103-year-old Hedwig Rogine finally got hers.
This wasn’t her first time fighting through a pandemic although she may not fully remember her first one. Mrs. Rogine is a survivor of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic and on Friday, with fanfare from Sheriff Michael Mastronardy, her son Joseph and staff members from the Ocean County Health Department, she is on her way to becoming more protected from COVID-19 during her many remaining years.
The OCHD reported, “On Friday, March 5, 2021, Hedwig Rogine, of Toms River, received the COVID-19 vaccine at the OCHD Clinic held at the RWJ Barnabas Health Arena. Hedwig was accompanied by her son, Joseph, and took time for a few photos with Ocean County Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy and OCHD staff.”
The 1918 virus pandemic infected 500 million people worldwide when she was just a little girl.
She said the biggest difference between then and now is the constant wearing of face masks
“Hedwig is impressed with how people have dedicated themselves to wearing them for this long, exclaiming,” the OCHD Said.
“It’s tough,” Mrs. Hedwig said.
In Ocean County, 1,760 have died from the virus since the outbreak began a year ago.