Board of Health Members:

Amanda Aaron, MSN RN, Joan Brennan, BSN, RN, Andrew Carroll, BSN, RN, CNOR, Jennifer Philips-Katzburg, ND, Karla Rubini, NP,  Sean Fitzgerald, Council Liaison

Contact Information:

1 West Maple Avenue, Merchantville NJ 08109                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      (856) 662-2474 Ext. 303                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                healthdepartment@merchantvillenj.gov

Meetings: Health Department meetings occur on the 2nd Thursday of each month in Council Chambers, 1 West Maple Avenue, Merchantville, NJ.

Agendas 

11/9/2023

12/14/2023

1/11/2024

Minutes

11/9/2023

12/14/2023

1/11/2024

 

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Health Department Services:

HEALTH ALERTS

Get four free at-home COVID-19 tests this fall on COVIDTests.gov As of August 2023, the New Jersey Department of Health is no longer maintaining a roster of free testing sites. Contact your local health department, municipality or trusted community organization to learn about possible local resources. Every U.S. household may place an order to receive four free COVID-19 rapid tests delivered directly to your home. Order your FREE at home tests here: https://special.usps.com/testkits

Need help placing an order for your at-home tests? Call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489). Beginning September 25, every U.S. household can again place an order to receive four more free COVID-19 rapid tests delivered directly to their home. Before You Throw Out “Expired” Tests: Check FDA’s website to see if your COVID-19 tests’ expiration dates have been extended.

Get Your Flu Shot

The Merchantville Health Department strongly encourages everyone to get a flu shot.

The CDC, Camden County Department of Health and Human Services, and the NJ Department of Health recommends everyone six months of age and older receive a flu vaccine every year with the best time to get vaccinated in the early fall.

Since COVID -19 will likely be circulating during this year’s flu season, getting a flu vaccine will be more important than ever. Getting a flu vaccine will not protect against COVID-19, however the vaccine can reduce flu illnesses and hospitalizations, helping to minimize the stress on the healthcare system as these two illnesses circulate.

Getting a yearly flu vaccine helps protect you and those around you who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness such as infants and young children, older adults, and people with certain chronic health conditions. Camden County is currently providing drive thru flu shots throughout the county. Please check the dates and locations provided in the link below:
https://www.camdencounty.com/service/health-human-services/seasonal-flu-shots/

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NEWS RELEASE

Feb. 28, 2024

Americans ages 65 and older should receive an additional dose of the latest Covid vaccine this spring, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said o Wednesday, February 28th. The spring shot would be a second dose of the mot recent iteration of the Pfizer-BioTech, Moerna or Novavax vaccines introduced in the fall. People who arre immunocompromised are already eligible for additional doses of the vaccine. At a meeting ofthe agency’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices earlier on Wednesday, federal researchers presented preliminary data showing that the latest vaccines have an effectiveness of about 40-50 percent against symptomatic infection or hospitalization, altough estimates against currently circulating variants were based on small nubers. Adults ages 65 and older accounted for two thirds of all hospitalizations related to Covid between October 2023 and January 2024, and those ages 75 and older accounted for nearly half. Adults in this age group were also the most likely to have opted for the fall shot. To schedule an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine, reach out to the location where you normally receive vaccines such as the flu shot or use this NJ Vaccine Appointment Finder.