COVID-19 is still with us. Cases are on the rise in 27 states, and unfortunately New Mexico is riding the crest of the wave.
According to the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH), 39 new coronavirus cases were reported in Lea County on Friday, November 12. Including these 39 cases, the county’s total number of reported infections since the start of the pandemic is 13,831.
Data shows that individuals most likely to be infected with coronavirus are those who are unvaccinated, although some risk persists for all. According to the governor of the neighboring state of Colorado Jared Polis, “It has never been more dangerous for the unvaccinated than it is right now.” The words of the governor should not be taken lightly.
Medical experts are also concerned about those who have been fully vaccinated for six months or more with the Pfizer or Moderna doses (two months with Johnson and Johnson) and who have not yet received a booster shot.
Governor Orders Boosters Available to All New Mexican Adults and Extends Indoor Mask Requirement
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Chief Medical Advisor to the President of the United States, stated on The New York Times podcast “The Daily” on Friday, November 12, “You’re seeing more and more people getting breakthrough infections, and more and more of those people who are getting breakthrough infections are winding up in the hospital. … It isn’t as if a booster is a bonus, but a booster might actually be an essential part of the primary regimen that people should have.”
In light of the essential nature of the booster, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an executive order (PDF) on the same day as Dr. Fauci’s statement that expands the eligibility for COVID-19 booster shots to all New Mexican adults.
The governor has also extended New Mexico’s indoor mask mandate until at least December 10. Masks must be worn in all public settings, “with only limited exceptions and regardless of vaccination status.”
Gov. Lujen Grisham has taken this action “to address rising case numbers and hospitalizations [in New Mexico], a trend being seen nationwide,” states a press release from the office of the governor.
“As we have throughout this unpredictable and unprecedented global pandemic, we always stand ready to quickly implement new tools and policies in our fight against this terrible disease,” states Gov. Lujan Grisham. “I strongly encourage every New Mexican to register for a booster today – we have appointments available and are ready to get shots in arms.”
The place for both adults and children to sign up for shots, whether the initial vaccine or the booster, is VaccineNM.org.
Gov. Lujan Grisham, via her Executive Order, has stepped beyond the directive of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC authorizes boosters only for adults, those 18 and older, who work in high risk settings, as well as those who are 65 or older, those who are living in a long-term care facility and those who are 50 – 64 years old with an underlying health condition.
According to New Mexico Acting Health Secretary David R. Scrase, M.D., making booster shots available to all New Mexico adults is positive for everyone. “Providing boosters for adults will significantly increase levels of immunity protection across our state – and that’s essential for all of us. COVID-19 is incredibly opportunistic – and it’s our job to ensure that the virus has fewer and fewer opportunities to spread,” he says. “If it’s time for you to get a booster, please do so right away.”
It’s your time to get a booster if you received the Johnson & Johnson jab more than two months ago OR if you completed either the Pfizer or Moderna two-shot series six months ago or more.
The Jab Is Available for Children Ages 5 – 11
New Mexico children ages 5 – 11 are now eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine. The announcement was made earlier this month by the NMDOH.
A dose of the vaccine for children between the ages of five and 11 is less than that used for children 12 and older. Twenty-one or more days after the administration of the first dose, a second shot is given. Both the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the CDC have given their stamps of approval to the two-shot series for young children.
Make Your Appointment Today
According to the Covenant Health website, the Covenant Medical Group is currently scheduling vaccine appointments. Nor-Lea Hospital District is also scheduling appointments. Vaccines are, additionally, “readily available free of charge at retail drugstores, grocery, pharmacies and other locations.” To find a location near you go to vaccinefinder.org.
