This week we were joined by Marcy Goldstein-Gelb, Co-Executive Director of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health and Dr. David Adinaro, Deputy Commissioner for Public Health Services, New Jersey Department of Health.
Marcy started the episode off with breaking news – Doug Parker was confirmed as the Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Parker brings his experience as head of Cal/OSHA, the nation’s largest statewide safety agency. He also served as executive director at Worksafe, a non-profit that provides legal services and public advocacy for workers seeking to improve safety on the job. Worksafe and WEC are both affiliates of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health.
Then Dr. Adinaro shared with us the latest recommendations from the C.D.C on COVID-19 vaccine boosters. The new recommendations read as follows: For individuals who received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, the following groups are eligible for a booster shot at 6 months or more after their initial series: 65 years and older, Ages 50-65 who live in long-term care settings, Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions, Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings. For those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, booster shots are also recommended for those who are 18 and older and who were vaccinated two or more months ago. It also allows for a “mix-and-match” strategy allowing individuals to pick which vaccine they receive as a booster. You can find more information here on boosters, including eligibility. Dr. Adinaro also shared vaccination information broken down by county, gender, and race. To date, 76% of eligible NJ residents have been fully vaccinated. Click here for Dr. Adinaro’s presentation for more information. More than 94 people attended this webinar.
REMINDER: We are taking next Tuesday off for Election Day. We will be back the following Tuesday. November 9 @ 12pm.