SJFMC is working to protect our communities during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 outbreak.

At Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers (SJFMC) your health and safety is our number one priority, and we are following COVID-19 guidelines as recommended by the CDC and the New Jersey Department of Health.

With that mission in mind, we are taking a number of steps to protect our patients, employees, and the community during this outbreak. Our dedicated Task Force of senior leaders, both clinical and non-clinical, are following planned protocols to keep our facilities as safe as possible and help stop the spread of COVID-19(Coronavirus).

What can you do if you think you have been exposed to the Coronavirus?

If you or your family members have been exposed to anyone with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 or have any of these symptoms:

COVID-19 Testing

COVID-19 testing is available at all eight of our health centers. You can walk-in to any of our sites or call 800-486-0131 to schedule your testing appointment.

COVID-19 Vaccine: What you Need to Know

CDC recommends COVID-19 primary series vaccines for everyone ages 6 months and older, and COVID-19 boosters for everyone ages 5 years and older, if eligible.

• Widespread vaccination for COVID-19 is a critical tool to best protect everyone, especially those at highest risk, from severe illness and death. People who are fully vaccinated can safely resume many activities that they did prior to the pandemic.
• Vaccines are available to all New Jerseyans, regardless of immigration or insurance status.
• You do not have to be a patient of SJFMC, and you do not need an appointment to be vaccinated. Walk-ins are welcome and appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations are scheduled electronically. 

Which vaccine is available at SJFMC?

Three COVID-19 vaccines are available at SJFMC. Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna are COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and are preferred. And Novavax is available.

You may get Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine in some situations.

Read these COVID-19 Fact Sheets to learn more about the vaccines:

Learn more about the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by reading this fact sheet.

Learn more about the Moderna vaccine by reading this fact sheet.

Learn more about the Janssen vaccine by reading this fact sheet.

Learn more about the Novavax vaccine by reading this fact sheet.

When Are You Up to Date

You are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines when you have received all doses in the primary series and all boosters recommended for you, when eligible.

Vaccine recommendations are different depending on your age, the vaccine you first received, and time since last dose, as shown below.

Adults ages 18 years and older

Children and Teens ages 12 – 17 years

Children ages 11 years and under

¹ Talk to your healthcare or vaccine provider about the timing for the 2nd dose in your primary series.

• People ages 6 months through 64 years, and especially males ages 12 through 39 years, may consider getting the 2nd primary dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna; Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna for children ages 6 months through 17 years) 8 weeks after the 1st dose. A longer time between the 1st and 2nd primary doses may increase how much protection the vaccines offer, and further minimize the rare risk of heart problems, including myocarditis and pericarditis.
• People ages 5 through 11 years, people ages 65 years and older, people more likely to get very sick from COVID-19, or anyone wanting protection due to high levels of community transmission should get the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine 3 weeks (or 21 days) after the first dose, or the second dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine 4 weeks (or 28 days) after the first dose. 

² If you have completed your primary series—but are not yet eligible for a booster—you are also considered up to date. Stay up to date by getting one booster when you are eligible. Getting a second booster is not necessary to be considered up to date at this time.

Click this link to schedule a vaccine appointment for children ages 6 months and older and adults of all ages .

About Vaccination for Children and Teens

CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccines for everyone 6 months and older and boosters for everyone 5 years and older, if eligible. Use CDC’s COVID-19 booster tool to learn if and when your child or teen can get boosters to stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.

Additional Shots for Immunocompromised People

 People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised have specific recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.

COVID-19 Booster Shots

Three COVID-19 vaccines are authorized or approved for use in the United States to prevent COVID-19. Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna (COVID-19 mRNA vaccines) are preferred. 

You may get Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in some situations.

When Are You Up to Date?

• Use CDC’s COVID-19 booster tool to learn if and when you can get boosters to stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines.
• The following COVID-19 vaccine and booster recommendations may be updated as CDC continues to use the latest data related to safety and how well vaccines work, including over time and against new variants.

If we need a booster dose, does that mean that the vaccines aren’t working?

No. COVID-19 vaccines are working very well to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death, even against the widely circulating Delta variant. However, with the Delta variant, public health experts are starting to see reduced protection against mild and moderate disease. For that reason, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is planning for a booster shot so vaccinated people maintain protection over the coming months.

Can you mix and match booster doses?

There are now booster recommendations for all three available COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. Eligible individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type that they originally received and others, may prefer to get a different booster. CDC’s recommendations now allow for this type of mix and match dosing for booster shots.

What’s the difference between a booster dose and a third dose?

Sometimes people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised do not build enough (or any) protection when they first get a vaccination. When this happens, getting a third dose of the vaccine can sometimes help them build more protection against the disease. This appears to be the case for some immunocompromised people and COVID-19 vaccines. CDC recommends moderately to severely immunocompromised people consider receiving an additional (third) dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) at least 28 days after the completion of the initial 2-dose mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series.

In contrast, a “booster dose” refers to another dose of a vaccine that is given to someone who built enough protection after vaccination, but then that protection decreased over time (this is called waning immunity). HHS has developed a plan to begin offering COVID-19 booster shots to people this fall. Implementation of the plan is subject to FDA’s authorization and ACIP’s recommendation.

The Possibility of COVID-19 after Vaccination: Breakthrough Infections

COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing infection, serious illness, and death. Most people who get COVID-19 are unvaccinated. However, since vaccines are not 100% effective at preventing infection, some people who are fully vaccinated will still get COVID-19.

An infection of a fully vaccinated person is referred to as a “vaccine breakthrough infection.”

What we know about vaccine breakthrough infections

• Vaccine breakthrough infections are expected. COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing most infections. However, like other vaccines, they are not 100% effective.
• Fully vaccinated people with a vaccine breakthrough infection are less likely to develop serious illness than those who are unvaccinated and get COVID-19.
• Even when fully vaccinated people develop symptoms, they tend to be less severe symptoms than in unvaccinated people. This means they are much less likely to be hospitalized or die than people who are not vaccinated.
• People who get vaccine breakthrough infections can be contagious.

Read more information on CDC’s website.

Safety Policy and Visitor Guidelines

MASKING IS NOW OPTIONAL IN NON-CLINICAL AREAS.

Masking is required when:

• If COVID-19 transmission in a county is reported to be “high” (red), as report by the CDC, it will be required that staff, patients and visitors mask with a surgical mask or better for clinical sites located in that county. Signage will be posted on clinic’s door stating the weekly masking requirements.
• When a patient is present with any symptoms indicating the possibility of COVID-19 or any other airborne disease, patients shall be asked to wear a mask by the provider or staff member.
• If a patient desires to wear a mask. All clinical staff tending to the patient shall also wear a mask to respect the patients’ preferences.
• Any employee that is not fully vaccinated, shall always wear a mask in the clinical areas.

Telemedicine Available for Visits from home

SJFMC is now using Telemedicine to allow you to talk to your provider and receive medical care at home. Visits are available virtually on video. Please call 800-486-0131 to make an appointment today.

Dental Services

Full-service dentistry is offered at all of our dental sites. Our team is following guidance from the American Dental Association and adhering to strict safety protocols in addition to normal infection control procedures to keep you and our team safe.

How You Can Help

As we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 crisis, personal protective equipment(PPE) is in high demand. You can help protect our Health Care Heroes by donating, masks, gloves, gowns, goggles, face shields, disinfectants, and hand sanitizers. Please call Mika Hasan at 856-298-8493 to arrange your donation drop-off.

Similarities and Differences between Flu and COVID-19

Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a new coronavirus (called SARS-CoV-2) and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses.

There are some key differences between flu and COVID-19. COVID-19 seems to spread more easily than flu and causes more serious illnesses in some people. It can also take longer before people show symptoms and people can be contagious for longer. Another important difference is there is a vaccine to protect against flu. There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus. More information about differences between flu and COVID-19 is available here.

Steps you can take to prevent the spread of common cold, flu, and Coronavirus:

• Wear a mask in public
• Wash hands often with soap and water. If not available, use hand sanitizer
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
• Avoid contact with people who are sick
• Stay home while you are sick and avoid contact with others
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing

For more information regarding Coronavirus COVID-19 in New Jersey, visit the New Jersey Department of Health website.

Frequently Asked Questions About Coronavirus

What is Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China.

Who is at risk for Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

Currently, those at greatest risk of infection are persons who have had prolonged, unprotected close contact with a patient with symptomatic, confirmed COVID-19. Close contact is defined by the CDC as:

• Being within approximately six feet of a COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time; close contact can occur while caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a health care waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case; or
• Having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (such as being coughed or sneezed on).

Similar to the flu, people who are older than 65, or have chronic illnesses or a weak immune system are more vulnerable to be infected by COVID-19.

What are the symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

According to the CDC, symptoms of COVID-19 may appear two to 14 days after exposure and include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

How can I protect my child from COVID-19 infection?

You can encourage your child to help stop the spread of COVID-19 by teaching them to do the same things everyone should do to stay healthy.

• Clean hands often using soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Avoid people who are sick (coughing and sneezing)
• Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily in household common areas (e.g. tables, hard-backed chairs, doorknobs, light switches, remotes, handles, desks, toilets, sinks)
• Launder items including washable plush toys as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If possible, launder items using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items and dry items completely. Dirty laundry from an ill person can be washed with other people’s items.

Are the symptoms of COVID-19 different in children than in adults?

No. The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar in children and adults. However, children with confirmed COVID-19 have generally presented with mild symptoms. Reported symptoms in children include cold-like symptoms, such as fever, runny nose, and cough. Vomiting and diarrhea have also been reported. It’s not known yet whether some children may be at higher risk for severe illness, for example, children with underlying medical conditions and special healthcare needs. There is much more to be learned about how the disease impacts children.

For up to date information visit the CDC website and check out NJDOH updates.