COVID vaccine

Very few nursing home residents are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccination, and for residents, it’s even lower. New Mexico’s numbers are not much better than the country overall.

It’s that time of the year again and cases of winter respiratory illnesses are elevated across the country. In New Mexico, these diseases like RSV, COVID, and especially the flu are hitting hard. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommendations on how best to protect yourself during the holiday season.

COVID cases are expected to surge this upcoming winter as people spend more time indoors for the typically cooler holiday season. To combat it, the Biden administration is offering a new round of free at-home tests starting on Monday.

It’s that time of year again to prepare for several winter respiratory diseases that will be circulating in the next few months. The New Mexico Department of Health held a briefing Tuesday, about several new developments for vaccines in order to avoid the possibility a tripledemic.

As we head into the cooler months we’re already seeing COVID cases and hospitalizations on the rise, and the FDA just this week approved an updated COVID vaccine.

New Mexico is seeing a “small uptick” in COVID cases, according to Deputy Health Secretary and Acting State Epidemiologist Laura Parajón. She recommended those under 65 get another vaccine booster when updated versions that target the XBB.1.5 subvariant are approved. Older New Mexicans, she said, may want to get theirs sooner.

The U.S. saw an uptick in COVID cases in July after several months of steady declines, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Deputy Health Secretary and Acting State Epidemiologist Dr. Laura Parajón spoke with KUNM about the status of the virus in New Mexico and how it's measured.

The state’s COVID-19 public health emergency order comes to an end today after over three years. However, the New Mexico Department of Health will be hosting a COVID vaccination event tomorrow and is urging people to get boosted.

New Mexico is one of just five states that has kept its COVID-19 public health emergency order in effect. It was set to expire Friday but the governor announced it will stay in place for the rest of the month — the last of 41 extensions since March, 2020.

Three New Mexico counties - Catron, Grant and Hidalgo - have shifted into high community levels of COVID19 after two weeks when the entire state showed low COVID Community Levels. That’s according to the latest federal data. Two new COVID variants are also raising concerns just as the CDC repeals universal masking guidance for hospitals and health clinics.