Home LifestyleHealth ‘Sarah’s Vaccine Angels’ Help At-Risk Hudson County Residents Book COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments

‘Sarah’s Vaccine Angels’ Help At-Risk Hudson County Residents Book COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments

by Diana Cooper
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Sarah’s Vaccine Angels, a local group in Hoboken made up of volunteers, is helping those without resources and those who need assistance book COVID-19 vaccination appointments. Read on to learn more about the group and how Sarah’s Vaccine Angels can be useful for Hudson County residents.

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How The Group Came About

Founder Jennifer Delgado tells The Hoboken Girl the backstory to coming up with the name and group, Sarah’s Vaccine Angels. “This group was born from a promise I made to my beloved grandmother Sarah, who passed away in September. She was survived by my 93-year-old grandfather. I promised that our family would take care of him and her two elderly sisters,” Delgado says.

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“I started this group because I was so frustrated about how difficult it is for people who need the vaccine the most to get an appointment. I decided to do something about it, and enlisted some friends, colleagues, and members of the community to join me.”

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The growing group consists of volunteers {many with young kids and full-time jobs}, all of which collectively speak nine different languages. “Because all vaccine sites in NJ that we are aware of are only written in English, this process is untenable for individuals for whom English is not their first language. I am thankful that several of our volunteers are fluent in other languages, including, Spanish, Hindi, Marathi, and Gujarati, so that we can address some of these needs,” Delgaldo shares. “We also welcome [new] volunteers that are fluent in other languages [such as] Arabic, Mandarin, and Cantonese.”

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Who Can Benefit from Sarah’s Vaccine Angels

Apart from non-English speakers, all kinds of people can benefit from the assistance provided by the Angels. “We are hoping to reach seniors, less affluent members of our community, people without computers or reliable internet access or facility with technology, people who suffer from physical or mental disabilities, and/or people of color.

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“Based on the data that has been collected and reported by the states so far, people of color are receiving fewer vaccinations … There is something really wrong with the system,” Delgado, whose daytime job is a lawyer, notes.

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The perks of asking Sarah’s Vaccine Angels for help is that they do all the work {at no cost}. “We are a group of people who have developed the ability to book Covid-19 vaccination appointments through research, persistence, and sleep deprivation,” the mom-of-two shares.

“Most nights, several volunteers can be found pouncing on appointments that are released at midnight or even later. The early birds wake up early and try to snag appointments as they are released in the early morning hours. Others are able to follow certain vaccine sites during the business day through Twitter alerts, and when appointments are released, they make appointments.”

The Latest on COVID-19 Vaccines in NJ

Per the state’s eligibility guidelines, updated last on March 15, vaccines are available to the following groups:

  • Paid and unpaid healthcare workers
  • Residents and workers of long-term care and high-risk congregate-care facilities
  • First responders including sworn law enforcement and fire professionals
  • Individuals aged over 65
  • Individuals aged 16-64 that have certain medical conditions that increase the risk of severe illness from the virus
  • Pre-K to 12 educators and staff
  • Childcare workers in licensed and registered settings
  • Transportation workers
  • Additional public safety workers
  • Additional high-risk individuals

Starting March 29, “other essential workers including those in food production, hospitality, eldercare, warehousing, postal services, and other industries will become eligible for vaccinations.” Governor Murphy said the goal is to start vaccinating the general public by Memorial Day {May 31, 2021}.

The good news is that on March 19, Governor Murphy increased the limit on general indoor gatherings to 25 people and for certain businesses {restaurants, recreational/amusement, gyms/fitness clubs, and barbershops/salons/other personal care businesses}, indoor capacity limits increased to 50 percent. Also, the limit on outdoor gatherings increased to 50 people.

Delgado, who recently received her first dose of Moderna, shares with The Hoboken Girl her strong belief in the vaccine {currently three different types: Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson} and why she would encourage the community to research and get the vaccine as well.

“I am not a doctor, but I trust science.  These vaccines are highly effective in preventing COVID-19 infections, as well as preventing serious illness, hospitalization, and death, even if you do get it.  The CDC just released a list of things that fully vaccinated people can do safely.  That list includes visiting with other vaccinated households indoors without masks.  This, plus staying the course with mask-wearing and other important safety measures, is how we get our lives back,” she adds.

To view a list of COVID-19 vaccination sites in Hudson County, see here.

To contact Sarah’s Vaccine Angels for assistance in booking an appointment or to help get the word out by volunteering your time, email the group at hobokenc19vaxxvolunteers@gmail.com.

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