Doña Ana County was awarded a $1,019,855 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA. The federal funds will dramatically increase the capacity to distribute vaccines throughout the area.
“I want to express my appreciation to FEMA for the expeditious processing of our application and award of the grant funds,” said Doña Ana County Commission Chair Manuel Sanchez. “I also want to thank the local Office of Emergency Management and the Unified Area Command for their ongoing, dedicated efforts to distribute much needed vaccines to our constituents, no matter where in Doña Ana County they reside. All of us on the Board have heard pleas from the public wanting the vaccine. This FEMA grant will definitely assist in getting more vaccines in the arms of our constituents, along with increased vaccine distribution from the State of New Mexico.”
County staff worked closely with FEMA for a month in preparing the grant application. The funding request was submitted on Mar. 9 and awarded on Mar. 16.
Because of Doña Ana County/City of Las Cruces Office of Emergency Management’s coordinated efforts, the grant funds will be used to distribute and administer Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The vaccinations will be distributed in accordance with the New Mexico Department of Health, NMDOH, phases. All individuals will need to be registered in the NMDOH portal to be able to receive invitations to the Point of Distribution, POD.
Funds will also be used to help secure needed operational equipment and supplies, such as vaccine transport coolers and personnel protective equipment, to support planned distribution efforts in areas around the entire county and help increase the number of people being vaccinated daily. A large percentage of the grant award will cover medical and support staff.
“We are really excited about the capability that this grant will provide to the Unified Area Command and how quickly it will help us expand our vaccination efforts,” said Stephen Lopez, Interim Supervisor, Office of Emergency Management.
Unified Area Command is a group that represents all local governments, educational institutions, hospitals and the state department of health. The group works collaboratively to address COVID-19 concerns, such as the distribution of vaccine.
The federal funds will decrease challenges that some homebound elderly residents encounter in accessing the vaccine. Through the funds awarded the ability to offer “at home” vaccines to the elderly population, 75 and older, with no access to transportation, will vastly improve.
Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners continue to closely monitor this situation and advocate for more vaccines and additional resources for the border community. In response to the need for more vaccines, Sanchez sent a letter to New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grishman last week. In the letter to the Governor, Sanchez requested additional resources such as increasing the share of vaccines available for distribution, National Guard resources to reach homebound and rural areas and expediting certification of local entities, such as the Las Cruces Fire Department, to administer the vaccine.
To register for a COVID-19 vaccine, please visit cvvaccine.nmhealth.org or call the COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline at 1-855-600-3453.
Information from Doña Ana County