NMDOH provides breakdown of COVID-19 vaccinations: Who can get it and how to register – KRQE News 13

WATCH: Full interview with Matt Bieber, communications director for New Mexico Department of Health

by: Allison Keys

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) As time continues to pass, more and more people are getting the COVID-19 vaccine. However, some still have concerns when it comes to getting it.

Communications director for the New Mexico Department of Health Matt Bieber discusses how the vaccines are going and provides answers to questions some may have. Currently, NMDOH states following groups are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in New Mexico:

Bieber explains that these individuals represent about 700,000 to 800,000 New Mexicans. Were currently receiving enough vaccine in the state to introduce 25 or 30,000 new people into this system each week, said Bieber. So at this pace, its going to take us a couple of months at a minimum to get through the folks who are currently eligible which means that at this pace, frontline essential workers would be eligible later this spring.

He states that there are some variables. There is a possibility that there could be one to two new vaccines approved and introduced into the distribution system which would speed up the pace at which residents are vaccinated.

Regarding safety, Bieber explains that the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have been put through rigorous clinical trials with tens of thousands of participants. Those who received the vaccine have reported only minor effects such as fever, or pain at the injection site.

Registering to receive the vaccine is easy. Just visit cvvaccine.nmhealth.org and enter basic contact information and health conditions. If you are in one of the phases that are currently eligible for the vaccine, you may be contacted fairly quickly.

Its hard to give more precise estimates than that because were randomizing invitations within the eligible groups. The reason were doing that is to be as fair as possible, said Bieber.

NMDOH has recently started providing additional communication via email and text to New Mexicans that are currently registered letting them know that they are in the system and the department will be reaching out in the future when the vaccine is available to them.

The vaccine is free to everyone. You may see a copay but your insurance company must reimburse that just as with testing. All vaccinations in New Mexico are free and insurance companies arent allowed to charge you anything for them, said Bieber.

NMDOH also provides a COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard that displays cumulative doses administered in the state, total registrants, and a breakdown of vaccinations per county.

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NMDOH provides breakdown of COVID-19 vaccinations: Who can get it and how to register - KRQE News 13