Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Citing new federal guidelines, the New Mexico Department of Health is recommending a COVID-19 booster shot for residents age 65 and older and those with compromised immune systems.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday urged the additional booster for those individuals.
Earlier last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration also authorized an additional dose for those age 65 and older to receive the vaccine at least four months after their previous updated shot.
Those with immune deficiencies would also be eligible, and the vaccines are available free of charge.
“We urge New Mexicans to stay current with their COVID-19 vaccinations and especially encourage those who are over 65 years and those with weakened immune systems to get the additional booster shot available for them,” Health Secretary Patrick Allen said. “We are all ready to move on from the pandemic, and the best way to do that is to get vaccinated to help protect both the vaccinated person and those around them by limiting the spread of the virus.”
In New Mexico, about 20% of those eligible for the Omicron booster have received the updated shot.
“The importance of the booster is that over time, your protection from COVID-19 vaccines decrease,” Deputy Secretary Dr. Laura Parajon said. “We’d really like to see our Omicron booster vaccination rates for everyone eligible statewide rise in New Mexico to keep our residents healthy and to reduce their risk from hospitalizations and death from COVID-19.”
If residents are at least 65 and had received their first bivalent booster at least four months ago, they are eligible for a second one.
If residents are immunocompromised and received a bivalent booster at least two months ago, they also are eligible to receive a second one.
People with weak immune systems can receive additional doses at intervals decided by their doctors. These include people who have received organ or stem cell transplants, people with advanced or untreated HIV infection, people undergoing treatment for cancer and people who are taking certain medications that weaken the immune system.
Eligibility for extra doses for immunocompromised children age 6 months to 4 years will depend on which vaccine they already received.
Individuals can sign up for their vaccine appointment by calling 1-855-600-3453 (option 3, option 9 for Spanish), online at vaccineNM.org, vaccineNM.org/kids, vaccine.gov, or through their personal medical provider or pharmacist.
New Mexico residents also can still be mailed free at-home COVID tests through the Department of Health’s partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation’s Project Act program while supplies last at accesscovidtests.org/.
At-home tests also are available through for no cost until May 11 or while supplies last at http://www.covid.gov/tests.