State and local medical officials are concerned about the low percentage of New Mexicans who have received their Omicron booster shots and flu vaccines.
"Early on in the pandemic, we were leading the nation in vaccinations and we're not seeing that now," Jodi Mcginnis Porter, communications director for the New Mexico Department of Health told KOAT. "Unfortunately, only about 19% of New Mexico or New Mexicans who are eligible and over 65 years old have gotten their booster. About 10% of people in New Mexico who are eligible and over 18 years old have gotten their booster, and we'd really like to see those numbers increase.”
Since the release of the Omicron booster shot on Sept. 2, 2022, New Mexico Department of Health officials said a low number of New Mexicans have received the vaccine. Some at the NMDOH suspect “vaccine fatigue” is part of the problem.
"I think when you continually talk and encourage people to do something, they just put their blinders on and they don't want to hear it anymore," Porter said. "I suspect it's vaccine fatigue, but now is not the time to suffer from vaccine fatigue. Winter is coming. We're in fall. We're spending more time indoors, and it's really important because viral infections spread more when we are in closer proximity and when we're indoors."
The NMDOH is reminding those eligible for booster and flu shots of the importance to be fully immunized as the weather gets colder. "New Mexicans are not going out and getting their booster," Porter said. "We really want you to be safe and have a lovely holiday season with your families. You can't do that if you're not vaccinated, and you're exposed to COVID-19."
Dr. Vesta Sandoval, chief Medical Officer for Lovelace Health System said the flu season this year could be more prominent than in past years.
"Certainly, if you put flu and COVID together, it's a deadly combination,” Sandoval said. “It's very important to seek out either your primary care doctor, a source of the Department of Health website, or a pharmacy and get your additional COVID booster shot. Flu season, right now in New Mexico, is just beginning. We've had 12 cases of flu A and a case of flu B reported. We're still less than 1% at this point. All indications are that flu is going to really increase quite a bit this year. Moving into the winter season, we want to encourage everybody to take the precautions that they need to and be preventative. Get your shots."
Porter said more information can be found at nmhealth.org. “We encourage all New Mexicans and individuals and families, especially kids, parents of kids, please go get your Omicron booster and your flu vaccine for maximum protection this fall and winter season," Porter said.
