NM administers 1 millionth dose

New Mexico administered its 1 millionth dose of COVID-19 vaccine Friday as state and local officials also expanded the eligibility of residents to receive the shot.

On a local level, Quay County saw a decrease in immunizations after nearly 600 people were given shots during several mass-vaccination events during the previous week.

Trigg Memorial Hospital, Quay County Public Health Office and Quay County Family Health Center combined to administer about 80 doses of vaccine last week.

Quay County Family Health Center received about 100 doses of Moderna vaccine and are scheduled to administer about 20 this week. Administrator C. Renee Hayoz said she’s giving her workers a bit of a break this week to prevent burnout.

Trigg Administrator and Chief Nurse executive Vickie Gutierrez said the hospital plans to administer 129 booster shots of Moderna vaccine this week.

The public health office plans to hold vaccination events each Wednesday at the Tucumcari Convention Center from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m.

Through Friday, 25.7% of Quay County residents had received at least one dose of vaccine, and 16.9% were fully vaccinated against the disease.

Neighboring Guadalupe County remains the most heavily vaccinated area in the state, with more than 40% of its residents fully vaccinated.

The county’s health facilities are encouraging people who haven’t been vaccinated to register for those shots at https://cvvaccine.nmhealth.org. Those who are signed up will receive texts or emails informing them of vaccines in their area.

Residents who have questions or would like support with vaccine registration — including those who do not have internet — can call 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.

The New Mexico Department of Health on Friday announced all residents in Phases 1B and 1C of the state’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan are eligible for vaccine.

These groups now are eligible:

• Frontline essential workers;

• Residents of congregate care facilities;

• Those age 60 and older;

• Other essential workers.

These four groups also remain eligible for vaccine:

• Phase 1A (primarily healthcare workers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities);

• People age 75 and older;

• Educators, early childhood professionals and school staff;

• Those with a chronic health condition.

In total, all people in Phases 1A, 1B and 1C are eligible. Combined, they represent about 1.62 million of 1.68 million New Mexicans aged 16 and over eligible for vaccine.

Phase 2, or members of the general public not included in one of the listed categories, likely will become eligible in mid- to late April.

The DOH announced the 1 millionth vaccine was administered Friday morning.

“We’ve made extraordinary progress in a very short time — and we intend to keep going,” Health Secretary Tracie Collins stated in a news release.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, New Mexico remains first in the nation in vaccine administration by population and percentage of doses used). As of Friday, 37.4% of New Mexicans age 16 and older had received at least a first shot, and 22.4% were fully vaccinated.

During a briefing Wednesday, Collins said the agency anticipates administering more than 98,000 vaccines this week, which includes 2,400 of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The overall total would be an increase of 2,000 from the previous week.

DOH Deputy Secretary Laura Parajon said the agency is implementing a vaccine equity plan that targets vulnerable minority and poverty-stricken populations. The effort includes sending mobile vaccination units to those areas.

COVID-19 variants are becoming more prevalent in the neighboring states of Texas and Colorado, though just Parajon said just nine total cases had been reported in New Mexico.

Human Services Secretary David Scrase cited studies that indicate 30% of those who’d contracted the virus still were showing symptoms nine months later. Fatigue, loss of the sense of smell and brain fog were among the most common complaints. Some so-called “long-haul” patients reported symptoms subsiding after receiving a vaccine.

Scrase noted the seven-day average of COVID-19 cases had dropped below 200 — the lowest level since September — and was approaching the gating criteria of 168. He attributed the drop in cases not only to vaccinations, but improved contact tracing.