Gov. Phil Murphy, Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli and officials at University Hospital were on hand this morning to watch New Jersey administer its first doses of the coronavirus vaccine to front-line health care workers just after 8:05 a.m.
According to the NJ Department of Health officials, today was deemed 'the beginning of the last chapter' and the end of the pandemic's opening scenes.
A female health care worker at University Hospital was the first to get the Pfizer vaccine as she told Governor Murphy that today was her birthday.
Gov. Murphy Tweeted; ”Thank you, Maritza Beniquez, for setting the example for others – not just by being the first of our health care workers to be vaccinated, but through your dedication to the health and safety of your fellow New Jerseyans”.
Officials say tens of thousands of doses of the vaccine will be in the state this week.