Someone who’s not yet eligible on paper can get the COVID vaccine ahead of those who are in high-risk groups. Austin Wolff is scheduled to get his shot at Expo New Mexico on Thursday. But when Wolff signed up to receive the vaccine, he had no idea his turn would come so soon.“I figured it was going to be sometime in the summer,” said Wolff.That’s because New Mexico just began Phase 1B.“We’re starting with persons 75 years of age or older, and then persons 16 or older with at least one chronic condition, then persons who are frontline essential workers followed by vulnerable populations,” said New Mexico Department of Health Secretary Dr. Tracie Collins.Wolff is a 30-year-old realtor with no chronic medical conditions. So, you can imagine how shocked he was when he got an email over the weekend saying a vaccine is now available for him.“I just automatically assumed that we received a lot of vaccines or something that I wasn’t aware of,” said Wolff. “I thought that if I got that notification that may friend who’s 73 and that my friend who’s in their 60s both with underlying health conditions have already either received the vaccine without me knowing about it or had gotten that email at the same time.”But, that’s not the case. He said his older friends have yet to get that same email and are still waiting.KOAT asked Dr. Collins how this could happen.“We’re not moving someone up Per se,” said Dr. Collins. “What we’re doing is we’re looking at where we have doses, who’s eligible right now and getting them their dose of vaccine. And then, if we have vaccine that’s about to expire we begin to move quickly through our prioritization list, so we could up with someone who’s young and healthy.”Real estate services are considered essential in New Mexico and are included Phase 1C, but Wolff said he shouldn’t be able to get the vaccine right now.“The DOH should be able to prioritize people who are in worse health conditions to makes sure they’re taken care of before me,” said Wolff.Wolff said he plans to get the vaccine because the Department of Health said he could, but feels it’s important to let others know what’s happening.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —
Someone who’s not yet eligible on paper can get the COVID vaccine ahead of those who are in high-risk groups.
Austin Wolff is scheduled to get his shot at Expo New Mexico on Thursday. But when Wolff signed up to receive the vaccine, he had no idea his turn would come so soon.
“I figured it was going to be sometime in the summer,” said Wolff.
That’s because New Mexico just began Phase 1B.
“We’re starting with persons 75 years of age or older, and then persons 16 or older with at least one chronic condition, then persons who are frontline essential workers followed by vulnerable populations,” said New Mexico Department of Health Secretary Dr. Tracie Collins.
Wolff is a 30-year-old realtor with no chronic medical conditions. So, you can imagine how shocked he was when he got an email over the weekend saying a vaccine is now available for him.
“I just automatically assumed that we received a lot of vaccines or something that I wasn’t aware of,” said Wolff. “I thought that if I got that notification that may friend who’s 73 and that my friend who’s in their 60s both with underlying health conditions have already either received the vaccine without me knowing about it or had gotten that email at the same time.”
But, that’s not the case. He said his older friends have yet to get that same email and are still waiting.
KOAT asked Dr. Collins how this could happen.
“We’re not moving someone up Per se,” said Dr. Collins. “What we’re doing is we’re looking at where we have doses, who’s eligible right now and getting them their dose of vaccine. And then, if we have vaccine that’s about to expire we begin to move quickly through our prioritization list, so we could up with someone who’s young and healthy.”
Real estate services are considered essential in New Mexico and are included Phase 1C, but Wolff said he shouldn’t be able to get the vaccine right now.
“The DOH should be able to prioritize people who are in worse health conditions to makes sure they’re taken care of before me,” said Wolff.
Wolff said he plans to get the vaccine because the Department of Health said he could, but feels it’s important to let others know what’s happening.