N.J. coronavirus vaccination call center goes live

The phone number for the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center is 855-568-0545.

Health care workers station te Essex County Vaccination Site

The Essex County Vaccination Site on Jan. 8, 2020 (Edwin J. Torres/ N.J. Governor's Office).

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A hotline set up to answer questions about New Jersey’s coronavirus vaccination process went live Monday.

The phone number for the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center is 855-568-0545.

An automated message said agents were available Monday to answer questions and help people pre-register for the shot. The state is encouraging people to “pre-register” for the vaccine by filling out a form with relevant information, which the state will use to notify them when they become eligible for the vaccine.

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But the message added that live agents would not be available until later this week to help people book vaccination appointments.

The hotline will be staffed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and is experiencing “higher than expected call volumes,” the message said.

Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli announced the creation of the call center last week as a way to help New Jersey residents, workers, and students navigate the vaccination process.

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The center’s automated message, which also had an option for Spanish-speakers, directed callers to the state’s coronavirus vaccine website for the most up-to-date information.

New Jersey has administered more than 550,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses so far.

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