Department of Health will ensure equitable allocation, distribution, and access

SANTA FE - The New Mexico Department of Health today announced the details of its vaccine equity plan - a statewide effort to ensure that vaccine goes to the most exposed and vulnerable New Mexicans.

“New Mexico is using its doses more efficiently than any state in the country - and we’re ensuring that while supplies are limited, those doses go to the places where they can save the most lives and stop the spread of this virus most effectively,” said DOH Secretary Dr. Tracie Collins.

The plan includes: 

I. EQUITABLE ALLOCATION, DISTRIBUTION and ACCESS

To ensure allocation equity, DOH has:

• Added an equity-based component to our allocation system based on CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index (SVIs) and COVID+ rates
• Prioritized onboarding of new providers which meet the needs of underserved communities

To ensure distribution equity, DOH is:

• Distributing more consistent allocations to individual providers to allow for improved planning

To ensure equal access, DOH is:

• Developing alternate registration modalities for vaccine administration - Walk-in or locally scheduled clinics - Mobile vaccination teams

II. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND COMMUNICATIONS FOR EQUITY

• Vaccine Equity Advisory Committee - Support Local Health Councils to develop vaccine equity advisory subcommittees to feed into Vaccine Equity Advisory Committee
• Communications: Develop external and internal plan focusing on vaccine equity

III. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO BUILD VACCINE CONFIDENCE

Work with Local Community Health Councils and DOH Health Promotion Specialists to:

• Identify barriers and facilitators for COVID-19 vaccine uptake
• Adapt key messages from local data to develop local communications plans and strategies
• Train networks of Community Health Workers (CHW) and Community Health Representatives (CHR) to communicate messaging in local communities
• Deploy CHWs and CHRs in areas with high SVI index including door-to-door home visits and development of local community sites for vaccination

IV. MONITOR AND EVALUATE FOR EQUITY

• Collect and track data on vaccine phases, counties, age, and race and ethnicity for those receiving vaccines through NMSIIS
• Display data on public vaccine dashboard
• Monitor vaccine coverage with reference to SVI and COVID outbreaks
• Share data with local communities to support data-driven actions