2,000 to get vaccinations in Rio Rancho

Daylong event targets those who are registered, waiting for first dose

About 2,000 people who have registered on the New Mexico Department of Health’s website for a COVID vaccination and who have been given an appointment confirmation are expected to participate in a Friday vaccination event in Rio Rancho, city spokeswoman Annemarie Garcia said.

The daylong event at the Rio Rancho Events Center, 3001 Civic Center NE, the only vaccination venue in Rio Rancho, is targeting people who have been waiting to receive their first COVID shot, Garcia said Wednesday.

“This is not a drive-through event, and those who have been confirmed for the vaccine must enter the building,” she said.

A follow-up second shot event will take place in about three weeks, also at the Rio Rancho Events Center. “We are working toward having more vaccination events in the future as resources become available,” Garcia said.

The city of Rio Rancho and Spectra are trying to secure an agreement with private pharmacy partners on some of those large-scale vaccination events, which also requires the approval of the Health Department.

Rio Rancho is paying the venue expenses, which include use of the Events Center, cleaning, labor, public safety and other related costs. It will then submit paperwork for reimbursement through the federal government and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Garcia said.

Registration with the DOH for a vaccination can be done through the department’s website, www.vaccineNM.org.

ADOLPHE PIERRE-LOUIS/JOURNAL Walgreens pharmacy technician Ashley Miranda administers a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to Nicole Oglethorpe at the National Hispanic Cultural Center on Wednesday.