State officials give update on vaccine, numbers

SANTA FE — State officials provided an update on COVID-19 vaccinations and promising numbers on reduced spread of the virus, but encouraged continued adherence to public health orders and common-sense COVID-safe protocols.

During a virtual update Thursday afternoon by the governor’s office, the state reported 1,791 new cases of COVID-19, including 24 in Curry County and eight in Roosevelt County.

The state also reported 23 new deaths, including a male in his 70s from Curry County and a male in his 80s from Roosevelt County. Both men were hospitalized.

Friday saw 1,849 new cases, including 53 in Curry County and 28 in Roosevelt County.

There were no local deaths among the 45 reported Friday. The total state deaths through Friday are 1,891, including 32 in Curry County and 17 in Roosevelt County.

Between Nov. 24 and Sunday, the state saw its spread rate drop from 1.3 to .79 and test positivity from 24% to 13%. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said more work is needed to lower test positivity rates, and repeatedly encouraged New Mexicans to get tested and think about ways to avoid mixing households during the holidays.

“We are aiming for about a statewide 5%, so we have a long way to go,” Lujan Grisham said. “But this is exactly what we were hoping and aiming for. The issue is, two weeks doesn’t change the entire trajectory.

“The more we drive down positivity rates, the more counties go into yellow and green. We need more New Mexicans who are willing to get tested.”

Human Services Secretary David Scrase noted later that the state ranked 24th for daily case average per 100,000 residents, down from sixth 10 days prior.

Lujan Grisham the state, pending FDA approval that came Friday, anticipated an initial shipment of 17,550 COVID-19 vaccine doses this week.

The first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine will go to hospitals to protect frontline health care workers, while the Moderna vaccine would be directed to patients and staff at long-term care facilities, the governor said. There wouldn’t be enough doses for universal vaccination of these groups, Lujan Grisham said, so vaccine recipients will be chosen based on their overall risk.

Lujan Grisham projected that in late February and early March, the state could begin to start vaccination for essential workers. The state will develop plans over the coming months based on vaccine availability.

“Even with the vaccines,” Lujan Grisham said, “we’re going to have to do testing for a year or more. It’s going to take a year for us to have the kind of vaccine penetration we need to have (reduced) prevalence.”

In other COVID-related items:

• The Public Education Department announced Friday in-person learning will not be permitted during the weeks of Jan. 4 and Jan. 11, with concerns over a post-holiday virus surge.

Schools operating in hybrid models may return to their regular schedules the week of Jan. 18, along with districts in remote learning with small K-3 and special education groups in 5:1 ratios.

• Plains Regional Medical Center said it had 26 COVID-19 patients Saturday, with six in intensive care.

• The state is making $194 million in supplemental unemployment payments, with $1,200 assistance checks to be distributed this month. No additional actions are required from New Mexicans on unemployment insurance.

Also, applications are open for $100 million in New Mexico small business grants at nmfinance.com and $15 million in housing assistance at housingnm.org.

• Scrase spoke briefly on the state beginning wastewater surveillance at correctional facilities and Children, Youth and Families Department facilities.

Various entities have successfully used wastewater testing to find the presence positive cases, as the virus can be detected early in waste. Scrase said wastewater testing “tells you if there are zero cases or more than zero cases,” which means that you can either quickly know that a facility of hundreds has no infections or you can do testing and quarantining knowing you’ll find infections.

• Scrase encouraged people to fill out orders for scope of treatment, which establish a patient’s wishes in scenarios that include being on life support. He recommends people do that anyway, but during a pandemic it is more critical.

“You don’t want to put your family in that position where you haven’t had that conversation,” Scrase said.

• The state’s rapid response watchlist on Friday included five local entities.

A rapid response is generated when an entity notifies the state of a positive employee test. It is followed by various measures, including rapid testing of all employees and disinfecting of necessary areas.

An entity that compiles four rapid responses within a 14-day period is under consideration for closure. No local entities have been closed under such measures, though various establishments have reached the threshold.

Local entities include BNSF Railways and Portales High School with three rapid responses, and Albertsons Market, Southwest Cheese and Clovis High School Freshman Academy with two each.