On Monday, March 29th, vaccine eligibility in New Jersey will expand to include additional frontline essential workers and on Monday, April 5th eligibility will expand to include additional essential workers, individuals aged 55 and older, and individuals 16 and over with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Learn more about who is eligible to get the vaccine.

To get vaccinated, you can:

• Register in the NJ Vaccine Scheduling System to be contacted when you become eligible and to be notified when an appointment is available to you through the Vaccine Scheduling System
• If you are eligible, schedule an appointment directly with vaccination sites, many of which do not take appointments through the Vaccine Scheduling System

As of this week, more than 3.7 million vaccine doses have been administered in New Jersey and more than 2.4 million people have received at least one dose.

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Individuals aged 65 and older can call a special senior hotline at 856-249-7007 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for vaccination scheduling support. Dedicated appointment slots are reserved for those aged 65 and older. Appointment availability and scheduling varies by location.

The NJ Department of Health released updated COVID-19 K-12 operational guidance this week. If masking and frequent hand washing can be maintained, full-time, in-person instruction can begin with the distance between students reduced to three feet for all elementary schools and for middle and high schools where the region is in low and moderate risk level. Six feet of distance is still critical in indoor common areas when masking is not an option, such as when students are eating and drinking in the cafeteria.

View School Guidance

As more long-term care residents get vaccinated and as outbreaks decline in these facilities, the NJ Department of Health has adopted new federal visitation guidance, which allows for an expansion of responsible indoor visitation.

The guidance allows for indoor visitation at all times regardless of the vaccination status of the resident or visitor—except for a few circumstances where visitation should be limited due to the high risk of COVID-19 transmission.

Residents or loved ones experiencing challenges navigating the options for visitation at long-term care facilities can call the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 1-877-582-6992, or visit nj.gov/ooie to send an email or to file a complaint.

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A second phase of the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program is now open to help New Jerseyans pay their rent or arrears. The program devotes over $350 million to rental assistance for low and moderate income households that have had a substantial reduction in income as a result of the pandemic, including those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Learn more from the Department of Community Affairs and click on the link below to apply online.

Apply for Assistance

Financial institutions across New Jersey have signed on to an agreement to protect federal stimulus funds provided to New Jerseyans through the American Rescue Plan from being garnished. Participating institutions have put measures in place to protect access to stimulus funds regardless of whether the consumer’s bank account is overdrawn or has a negative balance. In addition, stimulus payments will be exempt from garnishment by private creditors and debt collectors.

American Rescue Plan

Get Covered New Jersey is the State’s official health insurance marketplace that provides access to the resources and financial help you need to find the right coverage. This year, there is more financial help available than ever before. The enrollment window for health insurance is extended until May 15th, 2021, through a COVID-19 Special Enrollment Period for residents who still need coverage. Enroll by Wednesday, March 31st for coverage effective April 1st.

Visit GetCoveredNJ

Sign up for the Business.NJ.gov Update to stay up to date with timely updates on regulations, programs, and services likely to affect your business. Whether you own a small business, work at one, or like to stay in-the-know, you won’t want to miss this new email resource.

Every week, the Department of Health is issuing a newsletter with information on vaccination in New Jersey. Last Friday’s newsletter had information on vaccine outreach efforts, targeted vaccine scheduling for seniors, and vaccine eligibility expansion. A pdf of the most recent newsletter is available at the link below.