Copyright © 2021 Albuquerque Journal
The scramble for COVID-19 vaccines does not appear to be decreasing in New Mexico, with more than 107,000 doses over the past seven days. But here and nationally, public health officials are judging how to get shots in the arms of those who are not so keen.
Sen Ben Ray Luján
U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján, DN.M., said Thursday that reassuring the public of “clear and transparent” information on the safety and efficacy of vaccines is the key to more uptake by the country.
‘Unfortunately, we struggle to provide confidential evidence-based information, which creates a gap. Misinformation and disinformation rush to fill this gap, ”said Luján, who chaired a two-hour hearing of his Senate Communications, Media and Broadband Subcommittee.
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Luján quoted one survey as finding that more than 3 million Americans were unsure whether to receive the vaccine because they were afraid of how much it would cost. They are worried about the cost of a free vaccine. ‘
“Reaching every American who can safely get a vaccine is critical to defeating this virus,” Luján said during the trial, which was broadcast remotely from Washington, DC.
The health secretary of New Mexico, dr. Tracie Collins, testified that the state is trying various avenues, including virtual city halls, to reach people who have not yet been vaccinated, and are still not registered with the state’s online portal that shows opportunities for vaccination.
New Mexico’s Secretary of Health, Dr. Tracie Collins
Nearly 914,000 New Mexicans received at least one dose, leaving an estimated 766,000 residents identified as 16 or older who have not yet been vaccinated.
The DOH estimates the total number of New Mexicans eligible to receive a vaccine at 1.68 million.
Of those, more than half registered with the state to receive a vaccination, but about 48%, or more than 800,000 residents, were not registered.
Collins said in the subcommittee’s questions that the DOH of New Mexico has expanded its communications department and has a joint information center with an outreach team, which monitors rumors, misinformation and other challenges regarding vaccine communications. A team then designs ‘communication materials’ to address the issues, she added.
‘But many of our best communication efforts do not involve government employees. “Instead, it involves the voices of New Mexicans from across the state,” Collins said. She referred to the DOH “Trusted Voices” campaign, which is a series of YouTube videos in which New Mexicans discuss the vaccine.
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., Said that as the availability of the vaccine increased, “people are now resistant to getting it in their arms.” He said this is especially true in rural areas.
“Are you able to track the vaccination rate in your country?” Ask Tester for Collins.
“We are definitely using our dashboards to track … how many people are registering,” she replied, “and we are working closely with community leaders to understand what lies behind someone who refuses the vaccine or is not interested.”
Tester asked what kind of adjustments Non-Mexico is making “to try to infiltrate people who say, ‘We do not want to do this.’ ”
“We want to understand why,” Collins replied. ‘We have spread investigations among certain communities … and we work with interfaith agencies. We need to find that role model to communicate with the different sectors. ”
In New Mexico, Lea County is one of the provinces that has achieved a low positivity rate and a low number of new cases. The province in southeastern New Mexico is among 20 states across the country with a “turquoise” designation that requires the least restrictions on business activity during the pandemic.
But on the state panel, it appears that more Lea County residents have been vaccinated than they have registered with the state for a vaccine. Less than 13% of residents registered, compared to 35% who received at least one dose. About 28% are fully vaccinated.
It is not clear how many Lea County residents traveled to nearby Texas to get a vaccine.
Tester told his fellow senators that taking the vaccine takes a huge burden off your shoulders. ‘
“But if you still have to follow the same lifestyle after taking the vaccine as before, it has a negative effect on some people,” he said.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Told the subcommittee she was concerned that rumors and misinformation fueled by social media and the internet were preventing people from reporting for shots.
She recalled that a voter told her that his mother-in-law had canceled her appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine because she would read on the internet that a tracker would be planted in her arm when she got the shot.
Earlier this week, Klobuchar cited the congressional testimony of a physician who stated that 73% of the information on Facebook and 17% of such posts on Twitter come from the same twelve sources.
“I just imagine these 12 people out there are pumping out lies,” she added.
Luján said misinformation could easily undermine public confidence.
“By now we know vaccines are working, more than 120 million Americans have been vaccinated and the end is in sight.” But he explains statements by major media that undermine ‘our attempt to become normal again’.
Lujan, for example, had an argument with Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson, saying that he said in his program this week: “Maybe the vaccine does not work and they simply do not tell you.”
Carlson asked why national health experts want vaccinated people to continue to take safety measures, such as social distance and mask wear in certain circumstances.
“Do we bring a statement like this closer to defeating the virus and returning to our lives?” Luján said. Enough with this nonsense. And anyone else out there is spreading this misinformation. Stop it! You hurt people and you cost people their lives. ”
Meanwhile, the latest daily COVID-19 count in New Mexico remained above 200 on Thursday, with the DOH reporting 230 new cases, nearly a third of them from Bernalillo County. One additional COVID-19 death was reported, bringing the state to 3,997.