Free COVID vaccine clinic during Gathering of Nations weekend; Nearly 22% of New Mexicans are up to date with booster shots

There will be a free COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Gathering of Nations Powwow.

The clinic will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. this Friday and Saturday, in the back corner of the Manuel Lujan Jr. Building at Expo NM, located at 300 San Pedro Drive NE in Albuquerque.

The clinic is being organized by the We Can Do This COVID-19 Public Education Campaign, a national initiative by the federal Department of Health and Human Services.

You can find detailed guidance here about whether you or your loved ones are eligible for either your first vaccine or a booster shot.

Only 21.9% of New Mexicans who are eligible for the Omicron booster have received the updated shot as of April 19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Between April 13 and April 19, 21 of New Mexico’s 33 counties had high or substantial rates of COVID transmission, according to the CDC.

The COVID vaccines work. But they are not a silver bullet, and public health measures like masking can also keep vaccines effective for longer.