With more than half of its adult residents already vaccinated – making it the first state in the country to attain such a distinction – New Mexico is rapidly preparing to enter the next phase of COVID-19 vaccinations in its quest to attain herd immunity and make all of its residents safe against the pandemic.
Starting on Monday, April 5, all New Mexico residents who are 16 and older will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This represents “Phase 2” of New Mexico’s plan and is the last phase of the vaccine rollout. It makes New Mexico well in line with President Joe Biden’s goal of having vaccines available for all adults in the country by May 1st.
New Mexico’s accelerated access to the vaccine has been made possible in part by the public’s quick adoption of the vaccine, with 60 percent of the eligible population in the earlier phases getting their dose by mid-March.
As of April 4th, New Mexico leads the nation in total vaccines administered for its population, with 26 percent of the state now totally vaccinated. According to the Center for Disease Control, around 70 percent of the total population will need to be vaccinated for herd immunity to take effect.
In Lea County specifically, 15,986 doses had been administered as of March 29, along with 11,603 booster shots (in the form of the second dose). Vaccinations are locally administered by the Nor-Lea Hospital District at the fairgrounds in Lovington, the football field in Jal, and at Urenco in Eunice. Covenant Health Hobbs Hospital is handling the second doses only at Booker T. Washington elementary school in Hobbs, and at the hospital itself.
Those interested in registering for the vaccine can do so through the Nor-Lea Hospital District link here, regardless of what group they fall into.
COVID-19 cases are still on the rise in New Mexico, with a total of 192,152 cases thus far and 218 new cases reported on April 2, according to the New Mexico Department of Health. As such, wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, and hand washing are all precautions that are still necessary to slow the spread and prevent mutations that will render vaccines ineffective.
For free walk-in testing for COVID-19, those with insurance can go to the Hobbs Public Health Office and Lovington Medical Clinic from Monday through Friday.
Photo from @MusicClassTiner on Twitter
