New Jerseyans now have one less thing to worry about: contracting swine flu. The influenza season is about to begin, and the state government attempting to do everything in its power to help stop the spread of the H1N1 virus.

On September 3rd, Gov. Jon Corzine unveiled his new plan to immunize all uninsured New Jersey residents against swine flu. Even if you are covered under health insurance,  officials are trying to get a plan into place to waive the cost of the immunization. The goal of the program is to prevent the 1.3 million New Jersey residents who don’t have health insurance from getting the swine flu.

“There has been a tremendous amount of planning and preparation so that we can respond to any kind of circumstance,” Corzine said on the first day of classes at the new Park Street Elementary School in Newark.

About 500 New Jersey residents have been hospitalized since April due to the swine flu outbreak. The number of those stricken with the H1N1 virus number in the thousands, but health officials have stopped counting all but the most serious cases. According to the state department, 17 state residents have died from the condition, which can be easily prevented through common sense health measure like hand-washing and staying home when you’re feeling sick.

The free vaccinations are expected to begin in October and will focus on groups of people who are the most vulnerable to the flu, including pregnant mothers, the elderly, and those who are under 24 years old. Individuals who work in the health care and medical fields will be among the first to receive the vaccinations. Even if you don’t fall into any of these groups, you will still be able to receive the vaccination.

This is great news for the 90 health clinics in New Jersey that are designed for low-income residents. In addition to these clinics, schools and community halls will be hosting vaccination drives throughout the state. Anyone who meets the income standards will be eligible to receive a shot, even if they aren’t a citizen of the U.S. In addition to receiving a vaccination for swine flu, state residents are encouraged to get their shots for the normal seasonal flu shots. If you have insurance, these shots cost only about $10 in co-payments.

Corzine said that New Jersey officials will be monitoring the spread of the disease in the months to come, and will have the ability to deploy future health resources if necessary.

“If the seriousness of this changes — if there is a so-called morphing of the H1N1 virus — we are prepared for more serious steps,” he said.

If you think you are eligible to receive a swine flu shots, go here to the Health Department’s website. Click on “Find a Flu Shot” and enter your town. CVS and Walgreens pharmacies also will be administering vaccinations.