Leaders from New Mexico's major hospital said today during a news briefing they anticipate being ready to increase vaccinations when more supply becomes available—and they expect supply to increase as more vaccines come on the market, and as production of existing vaccines increases.
"The demand is so great," Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Gonzales said, "the number of request we're getting for vaccine far exceeds the supply and once…the supply is there we'll all be busy."
Currently, Gonzales said, Christus is receiving approximately 975 doses each Monday, and vaccinated 600 people on Saturday and 10,000 people overall. Currently, he said, the hospital is focusing on second doses "until the supply becomes more readily available" and using the rest to vaccinate people 75 and older who are within the Christus health care system. With an eye toward the future, he said Christus is looking to hold mass vaccination events when the supply becomes available, with the possibility of working with partners to provide drive-up vaccination that could accommodate 3,000 people per week when supply becomes available.
Doctors from Presbyterian Health, University of New Mexico and Lovelace all echoed the sentiment that while demand currently outpaces supply, they expect more doses to become available and for their facilities to be able to scale up as they do.
The state received 59,500 doses this week, according to DOH Communications Director Matt Bieber, the same amount as last week. As of this afternoon, the state's vaccine dashboard reported that 340,047 doses have been administered, approximately 88,000 of which were booster shots.
"We know how stressful it is to wait while supply catches up with demand," Presbyterian Healthcare Services Medical Director Dr. Denise Gonzales said, also noting that New Mexico is "one of a few states leading the nation in vaccinations with more than 10% or our population receiving the first dose." Gonzales and others credited what she characterized as "an unprecedented collaboration between [the state health department] and all health care systems and providers."
Gonzales also acknowledged reports of New Mexicans traveling to Texas to receive a vaccine, saying, “If you have the wherewithal to get vaccinated outside of the state, I don’t think any of us would ask anyone not to do that,” she said, but noted that New Mexico’s vaccination phases were designed to be equitable and ensure people at highest risk receive them first.
"We have one of the highest vaccination rates and we're doing it in an equitable way," she said. "We want to make sure we're vaccinating the right phase of people first. Although our neighbors may not have the same degree of coordination…I want to encourage people to please be patient and wait for us."
Moreover, UNM Health System Executive Physician Dr. David Pitcher said, one of the reasons New Mexico has been successful in administrating the vaccine has been because of the collaboration with the state. "If independent providers started to set up a separate parallel pathway, that would significantly disrupt the equitable distribution of vaccination and lead to a little bit of chaos," he said. "It's important we're doing so well in New Mexico precisely because we are collaborating and coordinating our efforts."
The health department today also announced that starting tomorrow it will be adjusting the way it reports county-level vaccination figures. On Friday, according to a news release, health department staff identified that the vaccination reports were pulling data based on where vaccinations were taking place versus New Mexicans' county of residence.
Starting tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 9, county-based data on the state's vaccination website will display vaccination totals based on county of residence.
"New Mexico's vaccination program is committed to rapid—and equitable— distribution," DOH Secretary-Designate Dr. Tracie Collins said in a statement. "So far, we're doing very well on both fronts—and today's announcement will ensure that New Mexicans have even more accurate information about where vaccinations are taking place around our state."
In terms of COVID-19, all the hospital leaders said they had seen decreasing numbers of patients, although their facilities remain full.
"The news is good currently, our numbers are still decreasing, which has led to decreased hospitalizations," Lovelace Chief Medical Officer Dr. Vesta Sandoval said. "However, we want to caution everyone to still be diligent. The virus is still out there and still puts everyone at risk."
New Mexico health officials today reported 315 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the statewide total so far to 177,867, of which the health department has designated 112,051 as recovered.
Bernalillo County had 120 cases, followed by Doña Ana County with 41 and Sandoval County with 22. Santa Fe County had nine cases.
The state also announced 13 additional deaths, including a woman in her 90s from Santa Fe County. There have now been 124 deaths in Santa Fe County and 3,412 statewide.
As of today, 396 people are hospitalized with COVID-19.*
New cases
- 120 new cases in Bernalillo County
- 3 new cases in Chaves County
- 2 new cases in Cibola County
- 7 new cases in Curry County
- 41 new cases in Doña Ana County
- 11 new cases in Eddy County
- 3 new cases in Grant County
- 4 new cases in Lea County
- 4 new cases in Lincoln County
- 5 new cases in Luna County
- 12 new cases in McKinley County
- 19 new cases in Otero County
- 5 new cases in Quay County
- 13 new cases in Rio Arriba County
- 1 new case in Roosevelt County
- 22 new cases in Sandoval County
- 13 new cases in San Juan County
- 1 new case in San Miguel County
- 9 new cases in Santa Fe County
- 4 new cases in Socorro County
- 4 new cases in Taos County
- 2 new cases in Torrance County
- 10 new cases in Valencia County
New fatalities
- A male in his 50s from Chaves County. The individual had underlying conditions.
- A female in her 80s from Doña Ana County. The individual was hospitalized.
- A male in his 80s from Doña Ana County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A male in his 50s from McKinley County. The individual had underlying conditions.
- A male in his 60s from McKinley County.
- A second male in his 60s from McKinley County. The individual was hospitalized.
- A male in his 30s from San Juan County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A female in her 50s from San Juan County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions. The individual was a resident of the Bloomfield Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Bloomfield.
- A male in his 50s from San Juan County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A male in his 60s from San Juan County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A female in her 90s from Santa Fe County.
- A male in his 90s from Socorro County. The individual was a resident of the Good Samaritan Society facility in Socorro.
- A male in his 70s from Taos County. The individual was hospitalized.
Congregate facilities
The Department of Health has identified at least one positive COVID-19 case in residents and/or staff in the past 28 days at the following facilities:
- Adobe Assisted Living in Las Cruces
- Advanced Health Care in Albuquerque
- Albuquerque Heights Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center
- The Aldea House – Heaven Sent LLC in Albuquerque
- The Aristocrat Assisted Living Center in Las Cruces
- Artesia Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center in Artesia
- Atria Vista Del Rio in Albuquerque
- Avamere at Fiesta Park in Albuquerque
- Avamere at Rio Rancho
- Aztec Healthcare in Aztec
- Bear Canyon Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
- BeeHive Homes Gallup
- BeeHive Homes Santa Fe
- Bloomfield Nursing and Rehabilitation in Bloomfield
- The Bridge of Farmington in Farmington
- Brookdale Santa Fe
- Brookdale Valencia in Albuquerque
- Calibre Sagecrest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Las Cruces
- Care Free Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- Carefirst Assisted Living Willow Wood House in Albuquerque
- Casa Bella Residential Care in Las Cruces
- Casa de Oro Center in Las Cruces
- Casa del Sol Center in Las Cruces
- Casa Maria Health Care Center in Roswell
- Casa Real in Santa Fe
- Clovis Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Clovis
- Colfax Long-Term Care Center in Springer
- Desert Springs Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Hobbs
- El Castillo in Santa Fe
- Elmcroft of Quintessence in Albuquerque
- Fairwinds Assisted Living in Rio Rancho
- Fort Bayard Medical Center in Santa Clara
- Genesis San Juan Center in Farmington
- Genesis Silver City Care Center in Silver City
- Golden Hands Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- Good Life Senior Living and Memory Care in Los Lunas
- Good Life Senior Living in Carlsbad
- Good Samaritan Society – Betty Dare in Alamogordo
- Good Samaritan Society Socorro
- Heartland Continuing Care Center in Portales
- Ladera Center in Albuquerque
- Laguna Rainbow Care Center in Casa Blanca
- Lakeview Christian Home in Carlsbad
- Landmark at Desert Gardens in Hobbs
- Las Palomas Center in Albuquerque
- La Vida Llena Healthcare in Albuquerque
- The Legacy at Santa Fe
- Life Spire Assisted Living North Albuquerque Acres in Albuquerque
- Lovington Healthcare in Lovington
- McKinley Center in Gallup
- The Meadows Home at the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute in Las Vegas
- Mimbres Memorial Nursing Home in Deming
- Mission Arch Center in Roswell
- The Montecito in Santa Fe
- MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care of Santa Fe
- Muros de Salvación in Albuquerque
- The Neighborhood in Rio Rancho Assisted Living in Rio Rancho
- New Mexico State Veterans Home in Truth or Consequences
- North Ridge Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- Odelia Healthcare (Camino Healthcare) in Albuquerque
- Pacifica Senior Living in Santa Fe
- Palmilla Senior Living in Albuquerque
- Princeton Place in Albuquerque
- Ravenna Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- Retirement Ranches in Clovis
- Retreat Healthcare in Rio Rancho
- The Rio at Las Estancias in Albuquerque
- Rio Rancho Center
- Sandia Ridge Center in Albuquerque
- Sandia Senior Suites Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- Santa Clara Assisted Living in Santa Clara
- Senior Living Systems in Los Lunas
- Sierra Health Care Center in Truth or Consequences
- Skies Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
- Sombrillo Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Los Alamos
- South Valley Care Center in Albuquerque
- Spanish Trails Rehabilitation Suites in Albuquerque
- St. Anthony Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Clovis
- Sugar Hollow Assisted Living Center in Albuquerque
- Tercer Cielo 2 in Albuquerque
- Tres Hermanas Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- Village Retirement Community in Roswell
- Vida Encantada Nursing & Rehabilitation in Las Vegas
- Vista Sandia Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- The Watermark at Cherry Hills in Albuquerque
- Westwind House Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- Wheatfields Senior Living Community in Clovis
- White Sands Healthcare in Hobbs
Statewide cases
According to a health department news release, previously reported numbers included two cases that have been identified as duplicates (one in Cibola County and one in Doña Ana County); as well as two cases have been determined to be out-of-state residents (one in Doña Ana County and one in McKinley County)— these have now been corrected. County totals are subject to change upon further investigation and determination of residency of individuals positive for COVID-19.
- Bernalillo County: 50,357
- Catron County: 73
- Chaves County: 8,346
- Cibola County: 2,644
- Colfax County: 675
- Curry County: 4,793
- De Baca County: 130
- Doña Ana County: 21,592
- Eddy County: 6,137
- Grant County: 1,358
- Guadalupe County: 339
- Harding County: 8
- Hidalgo County: 330
- Lea County: 7,916
- Lincoln County: 1,470
- Los Alamos County: 459
- Luna County: 3,004
- McKinley County: 11,747
- Mora County: 150
- Otero County: 3,008
- Quay County: 408
- Rio Arriba County: 3,288
- Roosevelt County: 1,797
- Sandoval County: 10,410
- San Juan County: 13,189
- San Miguel County: 1,150
- Santa Fe County: 9,332
- Sierra County: 675
- Socorro County: 1,169
- Taos County: 1,472
- Torrance County: 612
- Union County: 212
- Valencia County: 5,929
Cases among people being held by federal agencies
- Cibola County Correctional Center: 425
- Otero County Federal Prison Facility: 441
- Otero County Processing Center: 197
- Torrance County Detention Facility: 47
Cases among people being held by the New Mexico Department of Corrections
- Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Valencia County: 286
- Guadalupe County Correctional Facility: 251
- Lea County Correctional Facility: 400
- Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Union County: 166
- Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center in Cibola County: 117
- Otero County Prison Facility: 472
- Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe County: 215
- Roswell Correctional Center: 229
- Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Doña Ana County: 217
- Springer Correctional Center in Colfax County: 151
- Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Cibola County: 74
*Per the health department, hospitalization figures include people who were tested elsewhere but are hospitalized in New Mexico, but don't include people who were tested here but are hospitalized out of state.
