Most of vaccines in state administered

New Mexico has received 49,625 vaccines, and administered 41,075 of them over the last two weeks, according to Dr. Tracie Collins, New Mexico Health Secretary-Designate during a press conference on Wednesday.

“This vaccine distribution for this pandemic is really a complex, logistical operation so we are ramping up currently. I would say I am positive in the direction we are going and I would hope to see us move along in this direction, moving forward, to get everyone in New Mexico vaccinated,” she said.

Collins added that priority lists and the next phases for the vaccine are still being worked on. She said the advisory committee on immunization practices recommends that those 75 years and older are included in Phase 1b, and those with high risk conditions under 75 in Phase 1c.

Part of the planning they are still working on includes analyzing the ACIP recommendations and making sure they will work for the state. The state currently remains in Phase 1a. Phase 1b should begin later in January, and 1c in February.

“We know we're in Phase 1a ... but the planning is looking at frontline essential workers and the older adults. But understanding how we prioritize within the next groups, 1b and 1c, I want to have very clear information for you once we go through our meetings and planning. Which we'll have that information very soon,” Collins said.

An initial challenge with vaccine distribution was getting people registered, which Collins said has been overcome with the vaccination registration website.

The registration website has been live for over a week, with 160,000 New Mexicans utilizing it within the first eight days.

Since its initial release the state has updated the vaccine registration to include a person's relevant health information. Collins said the registration website will help health officials contact those who qualify when their time comes.

If a person’s occupation or health risk do not fall in line with the phases then registering early will not necessarily mean a person receives the vaccine earlier. Collins added that allergies and allergic reactions will not be considered a health risk in the coming phases if they are not severe. When a business registers its employees, the employees will not be administered the vaccine at the same time and will instead be determined by personal health factors.

When patients receive their first dose of the vaccine, they will have a 25% reduction in contracting the virus 10 days after, officials have said. After the second dose patients will have over 90% protection against the virus. It is possible for patients to receive their first dose and still catch the COVID-19 virus.

Collins addressed the new strain of the virus that evolved in Europe and is now in Colorado and California saying, “the positive thing is even though it's a variant, it has the spikes that the current vaccines target for energizing your immune system.” Health officials are optimistic the current vaccines will still be effective against the new strain.

Last week, pharmacies that would be distributing the Moderna vaccine for the state to local care facilities in Curry and Roosevelt County had not yet received doses or a timeline of when they would in the future. Collins addressed the question of metropolitan areas, like Albuquerque and Las Cruces, receiving the Moderna vaccine for longterm care facilities but rural areas not yet by saying pharmacies could experience a delay because they are still preparing to receive doses.

In the future, New Mexicans will likely be able to choose which vaccine they will receive, but Collins said right now due to supply and demand whether a patient receives the Moderna or Pfizer's vaccine will be based off their phase grouping.