As the COVID vaccine continues to roll out under the direction of the New Mexico Department of Health to Healthcare Workers, Nursing Home Residents, and then to High Risk Individuals and the General Public, Southwest Care Center will keep patients informed when we have it available for distribution and timing of appointments to receive the vaccination.

Right now, there is not a COVID vaccine waitlist at Southwest Care Center. We will follow DOH guidance for the vaccine distribution and timing.

Patients can register for the COVID vaccine at the following website:  https://cvvaccine.nmhealth.org/  and they will be notified when they are eligible to receive the vaccine.

The current DOH plan for New Mexico Vaccine Distribution is found here: https://cv.nmhealth.org/covid-vaccine/.

Phase 1:  Health Care workers and Long-Term Care Facilities, First Responders, those conducting Covid-19 testing.

Late Phase 1 to Phase 2: Inmates, those with disabilities in group homes, residential treatment centers, older patients and those individuals with underlying conditions.

Phase 3:  Potentially by March or April 2021:  All New Mexicans who want a COVID-19 vaccine.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to alarming declines in well-child visits and routine immunization rates. This raises the risk for outbreaks and further strain on our nation’s health care system. Last month, in support of National Immunization Awareness Month, H.R.S.A. (Health Resources & Services Administration) urged health centers and health care providers to “catch-up to get ahead” on childhood immunizations.

Even early in the pandemic Southwest Care Center had created a separate site for sick patients. This helped to make our pediatric patients and their parents feel safer about returning to our clinic for routine check-ups.  In addition, staff members have been diligently reaching out to patients in need of vaccines and check-ups. Our pediatrics staff’s  hard work has certainly helped to get our young folks in for needed care.

As a result, the HRSA Bureau of Primary Health Care has recognized our efforts, along with other health centers in the country, in their September 14, 2020, HRSA Health Center Program Bulletin.

The New Mexico Department of Health now provides at-home HIV testing particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic if you might be reluctant to come to a clinic.  Visit www.betestednm.org.

Southwest Care Center still provides regularly scheduled HIV and hepatitis C testing at our clinics. For a schedule and more information visit HIV and hepatitis C testing.