New Mexico Announces New Groups Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine

State reports 1,645 new COVID-19 cases and 30 more deaths

As of today, people 75 years and older; those with underlying conditions (16 years and older) putting them at greater risk from COVID-19; frontline employees unable to work remotely and residents of congregate care settings in New Mexico all are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

The health department announced the official start of Phase 1B for its vaccine rollout, following the initial vaccination of frontline health care workers. According to the state's vaccine allocation plan, those groups falling into Phase 1B will be vaccinated sequentially, with people 75 and older prioritized first. Underlying conditions qualifying people who are 16 years and older include cancer, chronic kidney disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, among many others listed in the plan. Childcare providers, K-12 educators and grocery store employees are among those listed as potential frontline employees unable to work remotely.

"This is welcome news and a critical step in getting back to the educational gold standard, which is in-person learning," Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said in a news statement.

According to the health department, workers in each category will be required to verify their employment and provide a "sworn attestation" the information they provide is true and accurate. People should also be prepared to verify medically qualifying conditions.

“DOH is pleased to release New Mexico’s vaccination plan—and to provide the clarity that New Mexicans seek about this critical effort,” Health Secretary-designate Dr. Tracie Collins said in a news release. Collins will provide an update on the state’s vaccination efforts at 3 pm Monday, Jan. 11 via the health department’s Facebook page.
The health department also released information on the next two phases of the vaccination rollout (1C, and 2). Group 1C will include people 60 years and older and other essential workers not included in 1B but also unable to work remotely (such as private transportation providers, consumer good retail workers and some media employees). The final group, Group 2, is everyone else.
According to the state’s allocation document, supplies will remain limited during the the first phases of vaccine distribution. “The federal government is distributing COVID-19 vaccine in weekly allotments to states over the next 3-6 months,” the report reads. “Those allotments are insufficient to vaccinate all New Mexicans. In Phase 2, every New Mexico resident who wishes to be vaccinated will have a chance to receive the vaccine.” The document also notes that only the Pfizer vaccine is authorized for people 16 or 17 years of age at this time.
People can register for the vaccine here; within each given phase, invitations to schedule vaccine appointments will be made at random.
The rollout of the next phase comes as New Mexico health officials today report 1,645 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the statewide total so far to 153,456. Of those, the health department has designated 75,883 as recovered.

Bernalillo County had 430 new cases, followed by Doña Ana County with 202 and San Juan County with 182. Santa Fe County had 81 new cases today, of which 41 were in the 87507 ZIP code, which ranked tenth in the state's top 10 ZIP codes for new cases.

The state also announced 30 additional deaths, bringing the total number of fatalities thus far to 2,710.

As of today, 703 people are hospitalized with COVID-19.*

New cases

  • 430 new cases in Bernalillo County
  • 1 new case in Catron County
  • 76 new cases in Chaves County
  • 22 new cases in Cibola County
  • 30 new cases in Colfax County
  • 53 new cases in Curry County
  • 5 new cases in De Baca County
  • 202 new cases in Doña Ana County
  • 57 new cases in Eddy County
  • 20 new cases in Grant County
  • 4 new cases in Guadalupe County
  • 5 new cases in Hidalgo County
  • 55 new cases in Lea County
  • 19 new cases in Lincoln County
  • 7 new cases in Los Alamos County
  • 19 new cases in Luna County
  • 99 new cases in McKinley County
  • 5 new cases in Mora County
  • 19 new cases in Otero County
  • 8 new cases in Quay County
  • 27 new cases in Rio Arriba County
  • 13 new cases in Roosevelt County
  • 95 new cases in Sandoval County
  • 182 new cases in San Juan County
  • 15 new cases in San Miguel County
  • 81 new cases in Santa Fe County
  • 7 new cases in Sierra County
  • 13 new cases in Socorro County
  • 12 new cases in Taos County
  • 4 new cases in Torrance County
  • 1 new case in Union County
  • 57 new cases in Valencia County
  • 1 new case among individuals held by federal agencies at the Otero County Prison Facility
  • 1 new case among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Lea County Correctional Facility

New fatalities

  • A male in his 50s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized
  • A male in his 70s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized
  • A second male in his 70s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
  • A third male in his 70s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized, had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Tender Heart Assisted Living facility in Albuquerque
  • A female in her 80s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
  • A male in his 80s from Bernalillo County who was a resident of the Atria Vista del Rio facility in Albuquerque
  • A female in her 90s from Bernalillo County who had underlying conditions and was a resident of the South Valley Care Center in Albuquerque
  • A male in his 90s from Bernalillo County who had underlying conditions and was a resident of the BeeHive Homes San Pedro facility in Albuquerque
  • A male in his 40s from Chaves County who had underlying conditions
  • A female in her 60s from Colfax County
  • A male in his 40s from Curry County who was hospitalized
  • A female in her 30s from Doña Ana County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
  • A female in her 60s from Doña Ana County who had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Good Samaritan Society facility in Las Cruces
  • A female in her 70s from Doña Ana County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
  • A male in his 90s from Doña Ana County who was hospitalized
  • A male in his 60s from Lea County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
  • A male in his 70s from Lea County who had underlying conditions
  • A female in her 80s from Lea County who was hospitalized and was a resident of the Lovington Healthcare facility in Lovington
  • A female in her 60s from Lincoln County who was hospitalized
  • A male in his 70s from Luna County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
  • A male in his 40s from Otero County
  • A male in his 60s from Otero County who had underlying conditions
  • A female in her 80s from Quay County
  • A female in her 30s from Rio Arriba County
  • A male in his 40s from Rio Arriba County who was hospitalized
  • A female in her 80s from Roosevelt County who had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Heartland Continuing Care Center in Portales
  • A male in his 60s from San Juan County who was hospitalized
  • A female in her 70s from San Juan County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
  • A male in his 70s from Socorro County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
  • A male in his 40s from Torrance County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions

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:

  • Albuquerque Grand Senior Living
  • Albuquerque Heights Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center
  • The Aldea House – Heaven Sent LLC in Albuquerque
  • The Aristocrat Assisted Living Community in Alamogordo
  • The Aristocrat Assisted Living Community in Las Cruces
  • Atria Vista Del Rio in Albuquerque
  • Avamere at Fiesta Park in Albuquerque
  • Avamere at Rio Rancho
  • Bear Canyon Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
  • BeeHive Homes Alamogordo
  • BeeHive Homes of Albuquerque West
  • BeeHive Homes Bosque Farms
  • BeeHive Homes Farmington
  • BeeHive Homes Hobbs
  • BeeHive Homes San Pedro in Albuquerque
  • BeeHive Homes Santa Fe
  • BeeHive Homes Taylor Ranch in Albuquerque
  • BeeHive Homes Volcano Cliffs in Albuquerque
  • Bloomfield Nursing and Rehabilitation in Bloomfield
  • The Bridge of Farmington in Farmington
  • Brookdale Valencia Albuquerque
  • Calibre Sagecrest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Las Cruces
  • Camino Retirement Homes in Albuquerque
  • Carefirst Assisted Living Willow Wood House in Albuquerque
  • Care Free Assisted Living in Albuquerque
  • Casa Arena Blanca Nursing Center in Alamogordo
  • Casa del Sol Center in Las Cruces
  • Casa Palo Duro in Albuquerque
  • Casa de Oro Center in Las Cruces
  • Casa Real in Santa Fe
  • Cedar Ridge Inn in Farmington
  • Clayton Nursing and Rehabilitation
  • 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
  • Elite Senior Care Kathryn House in Albuquerque
  • Fairwinds Assisted Living in Rio Rancho
  • Fort Bayard Medical Center in Santa Clara
  • Golden Hands Assisted Living in Albuquerque
  • Good Life Senior Living in Carlsbad
  • Good Samaritan Society – Manzano del Sol Village in Albuquerque
  • Good Samaritan Society Grants
  • Good Samaritan Society Las Cruces
  • Good Samaritan Society Socorro
  • Hannett House in Albuquerque
  • Heartland Continuing Care Center in Portales
  • Heaven Sent, LLC in Albuquerque
  • Hilldale House in Albuquerque
  • 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 Assisted Living in Albuquerque
  • The Legacy at Santa Fe
  • Little Sisters of the Poor in Gallup
  • Life Care Center in Farmington
  • Lovington Healthcare in Lovington
  • The Meadows Home at the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute in Las Vegas
  • Mescalero Care Center in Mescalero
  • Mimbres Memorial Nursing Home in Deming
  • Mission Arch Center in Roswell
  • The Montecito in 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
  • Odelia Healthcare (Camino Healthcare) in Albuquerque
  • Pacifica Senior Living in Santa Fe
  • Palmilla Senior Living in Albuquerque
  • Princeton Place in Albuquerque
  • Raton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Raton
  • Ravenna Assisted Living in Albuquerque
  • The Rehabilitation Center of Albuquerque
  • Retreat Healthcare in Rio Rancho
  • The Rio at Las Estancias in Albuquerque
  • Rio Rancho Center
  • Sandia Ridge Center in Albuquerque
  • Sandia View Spain Assisted Living in Albuquerque
  • Sierra Health Care Center in Truth or Consequences
  • Sierra Vista Retirement Community in Santa Fe
  • Silver City Care Center in Silver City
  • Skies Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
  • Spanish Trails Rehabilitation Suites in Albuquerque
  • St. Anthony Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Clovis
  • Sunny Day Assisted Living in Gallup
  • Sunset Villa Care Center in Roswell
  • Sunset Vista in Silver City
  • Tender Heart Assisted Living in Albuquerque
  • Uptown Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
  • Vecinos Santos Assisted Living in Santa Rosa
  • The Village at Northrise in Las Cruces
  • Village Retirement Community in Roswell
  • Vista Sandia Assisted Living in Albuquerque
  • The Watermark at Cherry Hills in Albuquerque
  • Welbrook Senior Living Las Cruces
  • Wellesley Care Home in Albuquerque
  • Westwind House Assisted Living in Albuquerque
  • Wheatfields Senior Living Community in Clovis
  • White Sands Healthcare in Hobbs

Statewide cases

According to a state news release, previously reported numbers included seven cases that have been identified as duplicates (four in Bernalillo County, one in Doña Ana County, one in San Juan County and one in Sierra County) and one case in Bernalillo County that was not lab confirmed—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: 43,807
  • Catron County: 62
  • Chaves County: 7,415
  • Cibola County: 2,395
  • Colfax County: 586
  • Curry County: 4,293
  • De Baca County: 109
  • Doña Ana County: 18,577
  • Eddy County: 5,015
  • Grant County: 1,050
  • Guadalupe County: 295
  • Harding County: 8
  • Hidalgo County: 270
  • Lea County: 7,144
  • Lincoln County: 1,128
  • Los Alamos County: 334
  • Luna County: 2,463
  • McKinley County: 10,374
  • Mora County: 131
  • Otero County: 2,327
  • Quay County: 356
  • Rio Arriba County: 2,587
  • Roosevelt County: 1,599
  • Sandoval County: 8,861
  • San Juan County: 11,289
  • San Miguel County: 931
  • Santa Fe County: 7,901
  • Sierra County: 600
  • Socorro County: 993
  • Taos County: 1,228
  • Torrance County: 519
  • Union County: 201
  • Valencia County: 5,206

Cases among people being held by federal agencies

  • Cibola County Correctional Center: 419
  • Otero County Prison Facility: 432
  • Otero County Processing Center: 194
  • 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: 281
  • Guadalupe County Correctional Facility: 250
  • Lea County Correctional Facility: 249
  • Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Union County: 163
  • Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center in Cibola County: 106
  • Otero County Prison Facility: 472
  • Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe County: 174
  • Roswell Correctional Center: 227
  • Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Doña Ana County: 215
  • Springer Correctional Center in Colfax County: 151
  • Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Cibola County: 22

*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.

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