Vaccine Access for Homebound Individuals

AARP is fighting for equitable COVID-19 vaccine distribution and to ensure all Americans 50+ are prioritized.

On April 14, AARP New Jersey sent a letter to Governor Phil Murphy and NJ Department of Health Commissioner, Judy Persichilli, urging the state to immediately launch a statewide plan for homebound individuals and their caregivers.

AARP New Jersey called for the state to follow the lead of other states, including Massachusetts, Florida, and Connecticut, by launching a statewide approach where homebound individuals or their designee can register and schedule an appointment via email or call a designated phone number to schedule an appointment to receive a vaccine in their own home.

On May 5, Governor Murphy announced a designated website to collect information for vaccinating homebound individuals.

The dedicated webpage is: covid19.nj.gov/homeboundvax. It does not schedule a vaccine appointment, but it collects information on the homebound and sends it to local health departments, home-care agencies, pharmacies and other organizations authorized to administer a COVID-19 vaccine at home.

The state's vaccine call center at 855-568-0545 will also collect information to pair a homebound person with a provider.

“Governor Murphy’s announcement that New Jersey has created a statewide website dedicated to vaccine access for homebound residents is good news,” said AARP New Jersey Associate State Director for Advocacy, Katie York. “We are also encouraged the statewide call center will be collecting information to help homebound individuals make appointments for vaccines. Homebound residents have been confronted with significant barriers to accessing the vaccine; this centralized approach will make it easier for some of our most at-risk and vulnerable populations to get vaccinated. AARP will continue our fight to ensure that everyone who wants to get vaccinated can do so.”

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