Dr. Ed Lifshitz

During a coronavirus pandemic response press conference held virtually on Wednesday, Gov. Murphy said to date only 20% of the 1.2 million of those that are eligible to receive a booster shot have done so.

Gov. Phil Murphy continues to use numbers to urge the unvaccinated to roll their sleeves up as the state nears almost six million people who are fully vaccinated.

During a coronavirus response press conference in Trenton on Monday, the Murphy administration was asked by reporters how Powell's death from COVID-19 could happen if he was fully vaccinated.

According to Dr. Ed Lifshitz, the director of communicable disease services for the state Health Department, there is no easy answer to the question.

State Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said if you and your kids have been away on vacation and been around a group of people you don’t know, “get yourself tested, and I really recommend everybody get tested before they go back to school.”

State Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said for those who are not vaccinated it is believed “the Delta variant is between 40% and 60% more transmissible and could become the dominant strain in the U.S. sometime next month.”

Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said of the 2.2 million people fully vaccinated in the first four months of the state's vaccination program, a total of 1,319 breakthrough cases were identified.

Most COVID testing locations across the state take at least a few days to get results, but New Jersey pharmacies and discount stores are now carrying COVID-19 antigen self tests that are moderately priced and give results in about 15 minutes.

“I think the faith will come back, I really believe that,” said Murphy. “The pause over the blood clots I think is proof that the system is working."

As education efforts continue the NJ Health Department Commissioner says a new survey shows a higher percentage of Garden State residents will definitely get the shot