Rosetta Oliver, RN, was the first person to receive a COVID-19 vaccination at Cooper in December 2020. Now, 10 months later, Cooper has administered more than 100,000 COVID-19 vaccinations.
Cooper University Health Care recently administered its 100,000th COVID-19 vaccine, reaching a new milestone in its efforts to combat COVID-19.
“This milestone is a testament to the team’s tireless efforts to educate the community on the facts concerning vaccine safety and effectiveness while simultaneously ensuring widespread access to the vaccine throughout our region,” said Kevin O’Dowd, JD, co-CEO of Cooper.
“The complicated logistics of vaccine distribution at multiple sites over the better part of a year while treating COVID-19 patients is a testament to the dedication of Cooper’s team members as well as the commitment of our community partners as we work together to keep South Jersey safe from this virus,” said Anthony J. Mazzarelli, MD, JD, MBE, co-CEO of Cooper. “We encourage everyone to get a vaccine – it is not too late, whether you need a booster or a first-time vaccination.”
Cooper was the first hospital in South Jersey to receive COVID-19 vaccine doses from the State of New Jersey, in December 2020, and immediately began begin vaccinating its team members as part of the first wave. Once more vaccine doses became available, Cooper worked with the Camden County Health Department and many other community agencies, organizations, and educational institutions to provide staffing and logistical support to numerous community-based vaccine clinics including the mega-site at Camden County College in Blackwood.
In February 2021, Cooper opened the first-of-its-kind, neighborhood-based COVID-19 Vaccination and Education Center at The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center in Camden, in an area of the city that was hard-hit by COVID-19. The unique center added an education component to answer questions from members of community who have been traditionally skeptical about receiving vaccines.
From the very beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, Cooper has been a leader in the region’s COVID-19 response on all fronts. Cooper, as one of the three academic health systems designated by the State of New Jersey to coordinate COVID-19 response, partnered with all of the health systems in southern New Jersey to ensure there were enough critical care beds, personal protective equipment for clinical teams, and planning for the transportation of patients, if necessary.
Cooper also collaborated with city and county officials and neighboring health systems to develop numerous pop-up COVID-19 testing sites in community hotspots throughout Camden. Cooper developed dedicated COVID-19 testing sites for first responders, public employees, and other essential frontline personnel. The New Jersey Department of Health enlisted Cooper’s services to provide testing for more than 3,000 residents and staff at nursing homes and extended care facilities throughout South Jersey, which was executed in days. To date, Cooper has tested nearly 135,000 residents, and continues to provide these services.
Cooper’s critical care specialists have treated more than 3,800 COVID-19 patients requiring hospitalization to date, while working closely with other health systems and providing critical care/intensivist coverage to a dozens of hospitals throughout southern New Jersey.
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Contact:
Wendy A. Marano
Public Relations Manager
Cooper University Health Care
856.382.6463