Vaccine sign-up process in N.M. sees changes

Call center activates this week for those without internet access; residents may add more medical information

Nearly a quarter-million New Mexico residents have registered to receive the COVID-19 vaccine — and state health officials want more to sign up.

The state Department of Health on Monday announced it is expanding its database for its vaccination website — vaccinenm.org — so people may add more comprehensive medical and employment information.

In addition, the state plans to have a call center set up by the end of week for people who do not have access to a computer. That call center will also be a source for people who have questions about the vaccine.

“Our highest priorities remain the

same: ensuring that the vaccine goes to those who are most exposed to infected people or infectious materials, and preventing vaccine from going to waste,” said Dr. Tracie Collins, secretary-designate of the state Department of Health, in a news release Monday.

For Bill Gould, a longtime medical product designer, that’s good news. Gould said he was frustrated when he found the online system did not allow him to add information about pre-existing medical conditions as he tried to register.

The 74-year-old Santa Fean said his conditions should put him “way up on the list” in terms of prioritization for the vaccine. He said he is happy the Department of Health has updated the data collection process.

Health Department spokesman Matt Bieber said his agency received very few complaints about the online registration system. But he noted more detailed information will help the department determine how to prioritize vaccine recipients based on age, ongoing health conditions, employment and other factors.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of Monday morning, 98,625 doses of the vaccine have been delivered to New Mexico and 41,557 New Mexicans received the first dose in a two-shot process.

Bieber said because many New Mexicans — primarily health care workers, plus staff members and residents in long-term congregate facilities — have already received their initial shot, it’s somewhat challenging to collect accurate data on vaccine recipients.

“That’s part of the reason we want everyone registering on the vaccine site, so reporting is easier and we don’t have to cobble together information from different sources every day,” he said.

He said Collins likely provide an update on COVID-19 and the vaccine during a presentation scheduled for Wednesday.

He said the department should be releasing more information on how people will be prioritized for receiving the vaccine by week’s end as well.

“We want to give people an idea of roughly how long it will take for a vaccine to be available to them,” he said.

The vaccine is free, though residents need to report health insurance information to the Department of Health.