Single-shot vaccine arrives in Quay

The single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine made its arrival last week in Quay County, giving health providers another weapon to end the pandemic.

Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari received 250 doses of the vaccine last week and promptly administered some of that, said Vickie Gutierrez, administrator and chief nurse executive. The hospital, which also uses the Pfizer and Moderna versions of the vaccine, administered 170 shots last week.

Gutierrez said the hospital expects to administer 85 doses this week, “but this could change.”

“Moving forward, we anticipate providing Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, depending on supply,” she stated in an email Friday.

C. Renee Hayoz, administrator at Quay County Family Health Center in Tucumcari, said Thursday she’s requested 500 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for this week.

If that large of a shipment arrives, she said the clinic will organize a mass-vaccination event for next week.

State health officials said New Mexico received an initial shipment of the just-approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine and would allocate those to 10 counties with the lowest administration rates. Last week, Quay was one of those counties.

Hayoz said her clinic administered 180 doses of the Moderna vaccine last week — nearly all of them first shots for patients. She said 100 booster shots and 20 primary shots are scheduled for this week.

According to the state Department of Health’s website, 23.9% of Quay County residents were partially vaccinated against COVID-19 and 12.3% were fully vaccinated through Friday.

The state’s Department of Health also announced Monday morning all teachers, early childhood professionals and staff will be eligible to receive the vaccine, effective immediately.

Following a directive last week from the White House, the state will offer first shots to these groups over about a three-week period, as follows:

• Week One (beginning March 8): Educators and early childhood professionals outside the Albuquerque metro area;

• Week 2 (beginning March 15): Educators and early childhood professionals within the Albuquerque metro area, likely at a mass vaccination site;

• Week 3 (beginning March 22): Educators and early childhood professionals who register for vaccine in the interim or who have not been vaccinated.

Statewide, more than 652,000 vaccine doses had been administered through Friday. The total in the last seven days was more than 82,000, an increase of 18,000 in one week.

The percentage of New Mexico residents who have received one shot stood at 24.2%, with 13.8% being fully vaccinated.

The total number of residents who registered for the state’s vaccine distribution portal rose to more than 690,000.

Residents who need a vaccination should sign up at the DOH's dedicated COVID-19 vaccine registration database at https://cvvaccine.nmhealth.org, where they will be notified when they're eligible to receive one.

Residents who have questions or would like support with vaccine registration — including those who do not have internet access — can dial 1-855-600-3453, press option 0 for vaccine questions, then option 4 for tech support. Users with other vaccine-related questions should call 1-855-600-3453 and press option 0.

Those eligible for the vaccine also are encouraged to call Trigg at (575) 461-7100 for an appointment or get on a waiting list for one. Trigg performs weekly vaccine clinics at no cost.

These groups are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in New Mexico:

• Hospital personnel;

• Residents and staff of long-term care facilities;

• Medical first responders;

• Congregate-setting workers;

• Persons providing direct medical care and other in-person services;

• Home-based health care and hospice workers;

• People age 75 and older;

• People age 16 and over who are at risk of COVID complications.

Health Secretary Tracie Collins said during a briefing Wednesday that anyone vaccinated who has lost his or her vaccination card can email [email protected] to make arrangements to receive additional cards.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham recently updated the public health order that authorizes fines of up to $5,000 for anyone who violates the vaccine guidelines, including falsifying data on the vaccine registration website so they can jump the line for shots.