Santa Fe City, County Emergency Managers Prepare to Distribute Tests to 87507

City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County emergency managers are preparing to receive approximately 21,000 rapid COVID-19 antigen tests, specifically targeted for the 87507 ZIP code.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and the health department announced on Monday they are in the process of securing 1 million free at-home tests to be initially distributed to the 79 New Mexico ZIP codes with the highest levels of social vulnerability.

SFR requested the ZIP codes from DOH and cross-referenced them with counties: The ZIP codes are spread across 23 counties, with only the Southside 87507 designated in Santa Fe County. Based on SFR’s calculations, Doña Ana County would appear to have the most ZIP codes designated to receive tests, followed by McKinley County.

The Social Vulnerability Index DOH employed for the distribution uses US Census data to determine relative social vulnerability for each census tract based on socioeconomic status; household composition and disability; minority status and language; and housing and transportation. SVI measures range from 1.0 for the highest vulnerability to 0 for the lowest vulnerability. DOH’s most recent report on vaccine equity references the most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention SVI rankings, from 2018, viewable on this interactive map, which indicates 87507 lies within a Census tract designated as a high level of vulnerability and has a ranking of 0.7592.

In addition, the 87507 ZIP code has chronically appeared in the state’s top 10 ZIP codes for new COVID cases.

Brian Williams, the city’s director of Emergency Management and Safety, tells SFR the city is still drafting a plan in anticipation of starting distribution next week, a “work in progress,” Williams said.

That draft plan will incorporate outreach by the city’s mobile integrated health unit to help put tests in the hands of houseless people in the 87507 ZIP code.

“We’re going to take advantage of their already well-established relationships with that population to help ensure we get that covered,” Williams said. Similarly, the Fire Department will be helping to distribute the tests to homebound people in the area. The city will also work with nonprofits already serving Southside residents.

“We’re working to strategize how to best take advantage of their particular expertise,” he said, noting the success the city has had thus far in partnering with Chainbreakers, for instance, offering vaccinations at the Southside Library. Managers plan to set up a site to distribute tests to residents in the 87507 ZIP code.

Santa Fe County also will play a role, albeit to a lesser degree as much of that ZIP code is within city limits, County Emergency Manager Director Martin Vigil tells SFR.

“We’ll probably look at the areas in the county that are most distant from the city,” Vigil said. “Right now, we don’t have the capacity to deliver them door-to-door, so we’re looking at options for points of distribution.”

While the first installment of tests has been slated for 87507, Williams said he anticipates more tests to distribute to other parts of the city in the future, as well as the federal website that went live yesterday offering four tests per household to all.

“We haven’t really distributed these before, so we don’t have a pulse on what the demand is,” Williams said. “Obviously what we’re hoping to do is identify people who are COVID positive and get them quarantined so they’re not spreading it around and hopefully address the fact they might need medical care.”

He points to the city’s ongoing vaccination clinic fro 10 am to 3 pm on the Midtown campus (with Moderna vaccines, available to all adults), as an example of a successful campaign he hopes to replicate with the test distribution.

And for good measure, he adds: “Vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate.”

The message was the same during the afternoon’s modified state health department COVID-19 briefing, hosted solely by Acting Health Secretary Dr. David Scrase, whose main emphasis was vaccines, tests and upgraded masks.

The update comes as DOH reports another record-breaking number of new COVID-19 cases: 5,735, bringing the statewide total so far to 425,920; DOH has designated 328,438 of those cases as recovered.

Bernalillo County had 1,658 cases, followed by Doña Ana County with 840 and Sandoval County with 367. Santa Fe County had 221 new cases.

The state’s most recent vaccination report shows that over the four-week period between Dec. 20 and Jan. 17, 57% of cases were among those not fully vaccinated, as were 80.7% of hospitalizations and 93.8% of deaths.

Currently, 89.9% of New Mexicans 18 years and older have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 76.5% have had two. Among that demographic, 39.5% have had a booster shot. In the 12-17-year-old age group, 68.3% of people have had at least one dose and 58.3% have completed their primary series. Among children ages 5-11, 32.8% have had at least one dose of the Pfizer vaccine and 21.6% are up to date. In Santa Fe County, 99% of people 18 and older have had at least one dose and 86.2% have completed their primary series.

Vaccine administration overall declined during the winter holidays, Scrase said (as indicated in the chart below). “We would really like to see those booster shots go back up,” he said.

Scrase offered an expanded view of the impact boosters are having on cases, hospitalizations and deaths, as shown in the chart below, with boosters making hospitalizations and fatalities close to negligible.

As for testing, Scrase forecast a transition in public health guidance, wherein people with symptoms would be encouraged to seek out PCR tests, and those without to use at-home antigen tests. The latter will be more convenient, he said, and an important adjustment in “learning to live with COVID.” PCR tests are important for symptomatic individuals due to the short time period in which those with active and potentially dangerous COVID-19 can use therapeutics.

Those therapeutics remain in short supply, as two prior monoclonal antibody treatments are not effective against the Omicron variant. As such, Scrase said, hospitals are triaging the supplies they do have, with patients scored for various risk factors (obesity, pregnancy, kidney disease) to assess their eligibility.

“Any time in medicine there’s a scares resource, we always triage,” he said. “We were surprised to find out two of our monoclonal antibodies were not effective for Omicron but we can expect those kind of surprises” in the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he expects manufacturing of both the remaining effective monoclonal antibody Sotrovimab to amp up, along with new oral treatments, but said shortages of therapeutics will continue for “at least the next four weeks.”

Regarding masks, Scrase advised New Mexicans to “treat yourself to a better quality mask.” The Biden administration announced today a plan to distribute 400 million non-surgical N95 masks starting next week through pharmacies and health centers, following recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance that K95 and N95 masks offer the highest level of protection against contracting COVID-19. Scrase said the state also will be distributing masks.

In terms of when New Mexico can expect the current Omicron surge to peak, Scrase said the most recent models forecast that happening between Jan. 27 and Feb. 2. It’s too soon, he noted, to say whether or not Omicron will deliver a decline in deaths (which have historically followed hospitalizations by about two weeks), but noted “one promising sign from our hospitals” has been a decline in the need for ventilators among patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

Today the state reported 28 additional deaths, 17 recent and 11 from more than 30 days ago, including a Santa Fe County man in his 60s who had been hospitalized and had underlying conditions. Santa Fe County has now had 217 deaths and there have been 6,205 statewide.

Nonetheless, he said, “all of our hospitals are in serious duress.”

As of today, 626 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, comparable to yesterday.*

Currently, 84.2% of New Mexicans 18 years and older have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 73.7% are fully vaccinated. Among that age group, 16.9% have had a booster shot. In the 12-17-year-old age group, 63.7% of people have had at least one dose and 55.2% are fully inoculated. Among children ages 5-11, 6.3% have had at least one dose of the Pfizer vaccine. In Santa Fe County, 95.4% of people 18 and older have had at least one dose and 83.6% are fully vaccinated.

New cases

• 1658 new cases in Bernalillo County
• 2 new cases in Catron County
• 285 new cases in Chaves County
• 108 new cases in Cibola County
• 17 new cases in Colfax County
• 129 new cases in Curry County
• 11 new cases in De Baca County
• 840 new cases in Doña Ana County
• 127 new cases in Eddy County
• 129 new cases in Grant County
• 13 new cases in Guadalupe County
• 1 new case in Harding County
• 22 new cases in Hidalgo County
• 216 new cases in Lea County
• 46 new cases in Lincoln County
• 32 new cases in Los Alamos County
• 40 new cases in Luna County
• 266 new cases in McKinley County
• 4 new cases in Mora County
• 185 new cases in Otero County
• 23 new cases in Quay County
• 143 new cases in Rio Arriba County
• 37 new cases in Roosevelt County
• 367 new cases in Sandoval County
• 280 new cases in San Juan County
• 50 new cases in San Miguel County
• 221 new cases in Santa Fe County
• 24 new cases in Sierra County
• 31 new cases in Socorro County
• 116 new cases in Taos County
• 22 new cases in Torrance County
• 5 new cases in Union County
• 256 new cases in Valencia County
• 4 new cases among individuals held by federal agencies at the Otero County Federal Prison Facility
• 10 new cases among individuals held by federal agencies at the Otero County Processing Center
• 4 new cases among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Lea County Correctional Facility
• 11 new cases among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Springer Correctional Center in Colfax County

New fatalities

• A male in his 50s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A male in his 80s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A male in his 60s from Chaves County. The individual was hospitalized.
• A male in his 40s from Colfax County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A male in his 30s from Curry County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A female in her 70s from Doña Ana County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions. The individual was a resident of the Good Samaritan Society facility in Las Cruces.
• A male in his 80s from Doña Ana County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A second male in his 80s from Doña Ana County. The individual was a resident of the Blue Horizon Assisted Living Facility.
• A male in his 70s from Lincoln County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A male in his 60s from Otero County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A male in his 80s from Otero County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A male in his 30s from Rio Arriba County. The individual was hospitalized.
• A male in his 50s from Rio Arriba County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A female in her 80s from Roosevelt County. The individual was hospitalized.
• A female in her 30s from San Juan County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A female in her 70s from San Miguel County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A male in his 50s from Sierra County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.

Newly reported fatalities from more than 30 days ago

• A female in her 40s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A male in his 60s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A male in his 70s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A male in his 80s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A female in her 80s from Chaves County. The individual was hospitalized.
• A second female in her 80s from Chaves County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A male in his 80s from Cibola County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A male in his 40s from Doña Ana County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A male in his 60s from Lincoln County. The individual had underlying conditions.
• A male in his 60s from Santa Fe County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A male in his 60s from Valencia County. The individual 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:

• A Love for Life (Alcazar St), Albuquerque
• Advanced Health Care of Albuquerque
• Albuquerque Grand Senior Living, Albuquerque
• Albuquerque Heights Healthcare and Rehab
• Amaran Assisted Living, Albuquerque
• American Heritage Home, Albuquerque
• Angel Wings Assisted Living Home Care, Albuquerque
• Arbors of Del Rey, Las Cruces
• Artesia Healthcare and rehab (San Pedro Nursing), Artesia
• Aspen Ridge Assisted Living, Los Alamos
• Atria Vista Del Rio (Morada), Albuquerque
• Avamere at Fiesta Park, Albuquerque
• Aztec Healthcare, Aztec
• Bear Canyon Rehab, Albuquerque
• Bee Hive Homes Of Edgewood, Edgewood
• Beehive Homes of San Pedro, Albuquerque
• Beehive Homes, Clovis
• Beehive Homes, Deming
• Beehive Homes, Farmington
• Beehive Homes, Roswell
• Belen Meadows
• Blue Horizon Assisted Living, Las Cruces
• Brookdale Santa Fe
• Brookdale Valencia, Albuquerque
• Calibre Sagecrest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Las Cruces
• Camino Retirement Homes, Albuquerque
• Camino Healthcare (now called Odelia Healthcare), ABQ
• Casa Arena Blanca Nursing Center, Alamogordo
• Casa Bella Residential Care, Las Cruces
• Casa De Carino, Albuquerque
• Casa de Oro Center, Las Cruces
• Casa de Palomas, Albuquerque
• Casa de Paz, Rio Rancho
• Casa Del Sol Center, Las Cruces
• Casa Maria, Roswell
• Casa Real Genesis, Santa Fe
• Casa Sandia, Albuquerque
• Cedar Ridge Inn, Farmington
• Clayton Nursing and Rehab (Genesis)
• Clovis Healthcare and Rehab, Clovis
• Colfax Long Term Care Center, Springer
• Desert Peaks Assisted Living, Las Cruces
• Desert Springs Nursing and Rehabilitation, Hobbs
• El Castillo Retirement, Santa Fe
• Elmcroft of Quintessence, Albuquerque
• Fairwinds Assisted Living, Rio Rancho
• Fort Bayard Medical Center
• Genesis Rio Rancho Center
• Genesis San Juan Center, Farmington
• Genesis Silver City Care Center, Silver City
• Good Life Senior living & Memory Care, Los Lunas
• Good Life Senior Living And Memory Care, Artesia
• Good Life Senior Living, Carlsbad
• Good Samaritan Betty Dare, Alamogordo
• Good Samaritan Manzano Del Sol Nursing
• Good Samaritan, Las Cruces
• Good Samaritan, Socorro
• Kingston Residence of Santa Fe
• La Posada Assisted Living, Las Cruces
• Ladera Center Genesis, Albuquerque
• Laguna Rainbow Care, Casa Blanca
• Lakeview Christian Home, Carlsbad
• Landmark Desert Gardens Assisted Living, Hobbs
• Las Palomas Genesis, Albuquerque
• Life Care Farmington
• LifeSpire Assisted Living , Albuquerque (High Assets Way)
• LifeSpire Assisted Living, Rio Rancho
• Little Roses Home of the SW, Albuquerque
• Little Sisters of the Poor, Gallup
• McKinley Care Center, Gallup
• Meadows Home, NM Behavioral Health Institute, Las Vegas
• Mimbres Nursing Home, Deming
• Miners Colfax Medical Center, Raton
• Mission Arch Center (Roswell)
• Morningstar Of Albuquerque, Albuquerque
• Morningstar Memory Care at Northridge, Albuquerque
• Namaste House Assisted Living, Farmington
• NM State Veterans Home, TorC
• Pacifica Senior Living, Santa Fe
• Palmilla Senior Living, Albuquerque
• Princeton Place, Albuquerque
• Ravenna assisted living, Albuquerque
• Retirement Ranches-Clovis
• Retreat Healthcare, Rio Rancho
• Sandia Ridge Genesis, Albuquerque
• Santa Clara Assisted Living, Santa Clara
• Santa Fe Care Center, Santa Fe
• Senior Living Systems, Los Lunas
• Shady Pines Assisted Living, Albuquerque
• Sierra Healthcare Center, TorC
• Singing Arrow Manor, Albuquerque
• Skies Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center Genesis, Albuquerque
• Sombrillo Nursing & Rehabilitation, Los Alamos
• South Valley Care Center, Albuquerque
• Spanish Trails Rehabilitation Suites, Albuquerque
• St. Anthony’s Healthcare, Clovis
• Sunny Day Assisted Living, Gallup
• Sunset Villa Nursing home, Roswell
• Taos Living Center, Taos
• The Bridge of Farmington, Farmington
• The Montebello on Academy, Albuquerque
• The Montecito, Santa Fe
• The Rehab Center of Albuquerque
• The Rio Las Estancias, Albuquerque
• The Suites Rio Vista, Rio Rancho
• The Watermark at Cherry Hills, Albuquerque
• The Woodmark at Uptown, Albuquerque
• UpTown Genesis, Albuquerque
• Vida Encantada Nursing & Rehab, Las Vegas
• Village at Northrise - Morning Side, Las Cruces
• Village at Northrise - Desert Willow II Memory care, Las Cruces
• Village at Northrise - Desert Willow I Nursing, Las Cruces
• Welbrook Senior Living, Las Cruces (Now called Las Cruces Post Acute and Rehabilitation Center of Cascadia)
• Westwind House Assisted Living, Albuquerque
• Wheatfields Senior Living, Clovis
• White Sands Healthcare, Hobbs

Statewide cases

County totals are subject to change upon further investigation and determination of residency of individuals positive for COVID-19.

• Bernalillo County: 121,703
• Catron County: 339
• Chaves County: 18,401
• Cibola County: 5,448
• Colfax County: 2,041
• Curry County: 10,635
• De Baca County: 486
• Doña Ana County: 50,696
• Eddy County: 14,348
• Grant County: 5,396
• Guadalupe County: 849
• Harding County: 64
• Hidalgo County: 894
• Lea County: 17,480
• Lincoln County: 4,359
• Los Alamos County: 1,813
• Luna County: 5,509
• McKinley County: 21,027
• Mora County: 575
• Otero County: 10,834
• Quay County: 1,784
• Rio Arriba County: 7,938
• Roosevelt County: 4,174
• Sandoval County: 26,693
• San Juan County: 33,171
• San Miguel County: 4,461
• Santa Fe County: 22,574
• Sierra County: 1,689
• Socorro County: 3,018
• Taos County: 4,170
• Torrance County: 2,258
• Union County: 641
• Valencia County: 14,816

Cases among people being held by federal agencies

• Cibola County Correctional Center: 465
• Otero County Federal Prison Facility: 594
• Otero County Processing Center: 775
• Torrance County Detention Facility: 385

Cases among people being held by the New Mexico Department of Corrections

• Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Valencia County: 400
• Guadalupe County Correctional Facility: 258
• Lea County Correctional Facility: 784
• Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Union County: 214
• Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center in Cibola County: 131
• Otero County Prison Facility: 544
• Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe County: 254
• Roswell Correctional Center: 230
• Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Doña Ana County: 248
• Springer Correctional Center in Colfax County: 268
• Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Cibola County: 86

*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.