COVID-19 Information & Updates

NJ COVID-19 Information Hub

  • This site has a wealth of information about COVID-19 and the ongoing situation in New Jersey. Case number statistics and testing site locations can also be found there. It should be your primary source for accurate, up-to-date facts.

You can also text NJCOVID to 898-211 to receive text information related to the virus and stay informed. To receive live text assistance, you can text your zip code to 898-211.

Add Your Phone to the COVID Fight. Download COVID Alert NJ

COVID-19 Testing is Available

There are more than 1,000 testing sites open across the state.

It's especially important to get tested if you are feeling sick or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

To get tested:

Vaccine & Booster Shot Information

  • Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine for Adolescents: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the emergency use of Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine , Adjuvanted for the prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals 12 through 17 years of age. This authorization follows a rigorous analysis and evaluation of the safety and effectiveness data conducted by the FDA. The agency previously authorized the vaccine for individuals 18 years and older. Additional information is available on the agency’s web site. Following FDA’s authorization, the CDC recommends Novavax COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents. CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., signed a decision memo that Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine be used as another primary series option for adolescents ages 12 through 17. This recommendation follows FDA’s authorization to authorize the vaccine for this age group under emergency use. Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine, which is available now, is an important tool in the pandemic and provides a more familiar type of COVID-19 vaccine technology for adolescents.
  • COVID-19 Vaccines for Children Under Five: The Biden-Harris Administration announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have authorized and recommended the first COVID-19 vaccines for kids under the age of five. Appointments are ramping up as more doses are shipped out, and every parent who wants a vaccine will be able to get one. Vaccines.gov is now live with vaccine availability.
  • The FDA EUA Authorization: The FDA authorized emergency use of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 to include use in children down to 6 months of age on June 17. 
    • For the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, the FDA amended the emergency use authorization (EUA) to include use of the vaccine in individuals 6 months through 17 years of age. The vaccine had been authorized for use in adults 18 years of age and older.
    • For the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, the FDA amended the EUA to include use of the vaccine in individuals 6 months through 4 years of age. The vaccine had been authorized for use in individuals 5 years of age and older.
  • The CDC ACIP Recommendation: Following FDA’s authorization, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky endorsed the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendation that all children 6 months through 5 years of age should receive a COVID-19 vaccine. This expands eligibility for vaccination to nearly 20 million additional children and means that all Americans ages 6 months and older are now eligible for vaccination.
  • COVID-19 Vaccinations Covered Without Cost-sharing for Eligible Children Aged Six Months to Five Years: In light of recent action by the FDA and the CDC, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that children aged six months to five years with Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage are eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations without cost-sharing. Nearly all people with Medicaid, CHIP, Basic Health Program coverage, self-insured employer-sponsored coverage, and group and individual health insurance coverage can get COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, at no cost. People with Medicare pay nothing to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, and there is no applicable copayment, coinsurance, or deductible. People without health insurance or whose insurance doesn’t provide coverage for the vaccination can also get COVID-19 vaccines and their administration, including boosters, at no cost. 
  • COVID-19 vaccines are working well to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death. However, studies show that vaccination may become less effective over time, especially in preventing infection or milder illnesses. Booster doses provide necessary protection against waning immunity.
  • Studies show that after getting vaccinated against COVID-19, protection against the virus and the ability to prevent infection with variants may decrease over time. Booster doses provide necessary protection against waning immunity.

    The recent emergence of the Omicron variant further emphasizes the importance of vaccination, boosters, and prevention efforts needed to protect against COVID-19.

    Booster shots are available to everyone 12 and older:

    • Two months after their one-dose Johnson & Johnson shot, or 
    • Five months after their last Pfizer shot or Moderna shot.
  • And — everyone 5 and older should complete their initial vaccination!
  • Atlantic Health System is scheduling appointments in Morris County.
  • Ride United Transportation Access - Free or discounted rides to vaccination sites (PDF)
  • Concerns on the J&J Vaccine
  • 5 Reasons to Get Vaccinated (PDF) + 5 Motivos Para Vacunarse (PDF)
  • When You've Been Fully Vaccinated (PDF) + Cuando Esté Completemente Vacunando (PDF)
  • Obtain up-to-date information on vaccinations at the State's COVID-19 Vaccination website:
  • Why Get Vaccinated? (PDF)
  • Getting 'Back to Normal' is Going to Take All of Our Tools (PDF)

Holiday Guidelines

Additional Resources:

Understanding Long-Term COVID-19 Symptoms and Enhancing Recovery:

NIH published a blog on understanding long-term COVID-19 symptoms and enhancing recovery. For the past two years, NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and my National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) along with several other NIH institutes and the office of the NIH Director, have been leading NIH’s  Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER ) initiative, a national research program to understand PASC. The initiative studies core questions such as why COVID-19 infections can have lingering effects, why new symptoms may develop, and what is the impact of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, on other diseases and conditions? Answering these fundamental questions will help to determine the underlying biologic basis of Long COVID. The answers will also help to tell us who is at risk for Long COVID and identify therapies to prevent or treat the condition. The RECOVER initiative’s wide scope of research is also unprecedented. It is needed because Long COVID is so complex, and history indicates that similar post infectious conditions have defied definitive explanation or effective treatment. Indeed, those experiencing Long COVID report varying symptoms, making it highly unlikely that a single therapy will work for everyone, underscoring the need to pursue multiple therapeutic strategies.

Helpful information related to the COVID-19 pandemic:

  • Hospitalizations of Children Aged 5–11 Years with COVID-19: CDC released an MMWR on hospitalizations of children aged 5–11 years with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in 14 states from March 2020 to February 2022. COVID-19 can cause severe illness in children. Children aged 5–11 years became eligible for COVID-19 vaccination on November 2, 2021. During the period of Omicron predominance (December 19, 2021–February 28, 2022), COVID-19–associated hospitalization rates in children aged 5–11 years were approximately twice as high among unvaccinated as among vaccinated children. Non-Hispanic Black children represented the largest group of unvaccinated children. Thirty percent of hospitalized children had no underlying medical conditions, and 19% were admitted to an intensive care unit. Children with diabetes and obesity were more likely to experience severe COVID-19. Increasing COVID-19 vaccination coverage among children aged 5–11 years, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups disproportionately affected by COVID-19, can prevent COVID-19–associated hospitalization and severe outcomes.
  • Cleaning and Disinfecting Fact Sheet (PDF)
  • What is Social Distancing? (PDF)
  • Social Distancing: What Does It Mean? (PDF)
  • COVID-19 Informational Flyer (PDF)
  • NJ Department of Health COVID-19 FAQ (PDF)