State updates COVID-19 vaccine rollout

Register for your COVID-19 vaccine cvvaccine. nmhealth.org

Dr. Tracie Collins, secretarydesignate of the New Mexico Department of Health, held a news conference Wednesday (Dec. 30) to give an update on the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines throughout New Mexico.

Since Pfizer-BioNTech began shipping vaccines Dec. 13, New Mexico has received 49,625 doses, and distributed 41,075 of those to frontline workers. According to Collins, the state is still in the middle of Phase 1A of the vaccine rollout. While there is not a solid timeline on exactly when New Mexico will move to Phase 2, or even Phase 1B, the goal is to begin moving to later phases by late January.

“It’s a complex logistical undertaking,” said Collins. “But I am positive in the direction we are moving.”

Holy Cross Medical Center began vaccinating staff a week ago. Staff and residents at the Taos Living Center also were scheduled to receive the first of two vaccinations required for maximum immune response.

Part of the plan involves utilization of the Department of Health COVID-19 Vaccine Registration System ( cvvaccine.nmhealth.org). Since launching eight days ago, the site has registered over 160,000 New Mexicans for the vaccine.

Though the Moderna vaccine is available, Dr. Collins said, for the moment, there simply are not enough doses for people to choose which vaccine they receive.

Regarding the new strain of coronavirus that was recently detected in Colorado and Southern California, Collins said, “We need to be watchful, though the new strain does present the same spikes that the vaccine is designed to protect against. So we are hopeful that [the current vaccines are] sufficient.”

Help is on the way, but Collins said New Mexicans need to continue to be safe. “We just need to hang in there for the next six months … there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel.”