Health
State asks for public’s help finding large venues for booster shots
As New Mexico health officials roll out booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine, they’re facing a critical shortage of large facilities where they can quickly administer many shots in one place. Much of the state was still shut down when vaccines were first being administered, but since then, large buildings have reopened with regular business […]
Biden to unveil plan to blunt potential COVID surge this winter
WASHINGTON — Reimbursements for at-home rapid COVID-19 tests. Tougher testing requirements for international travelers. More emergency response teams to aid states combating infection spikes. And another big push to get Americans vaccinated. Those are the latest steps to fight COVID-19 that President Joe Biden will be announcing today, according to senior administration officials who briefed reporters […]
Protesters rally at Supreme Court as justices hear landmark abortion case
WASHINGTON — Lucia Ruta remembers a time when abortions were illegal. A native of Washington, D.C., she says she received an abortion in a back alley when she was 16, in the 1960s. “The doctor told me that if I made as so much a whimper, he was going to stop and kick me out,” […]
U.S. Supreme Court considers new limits on abortions in Mississippi case
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is weighing potentially sweeping changes to the right to an abortion, after two hours of arguments Wednesday morning on a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The court’s conservatives, who hold a 6-3 majority, appeared through their questions to be sympathetic to Mississippi’s arguments that its […]
Abortion is not restricted in NM. But is it protected?
It’s not time to panic. But stay vigilant. That’s the advice for abortion rights supporters from Jessica Serrano, an attorney with the Southwest Women’s Law Center, for anyone in New Mexico following the Supreme Court hearing Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Oral arguments were presented yesterday on the case, the outcome of which could […]
Getting vaxxed could add 14 years to your life, NM stats show
New Mexico residents could add 14 years to their life if they get the COVID-19 vaccine and still end up hospitalized for the disease, the state’s top health official said Wednesday, Dec. 1. Unvaccinated people die 14 years younger and at much higher rates than the vaccinated, according to data compiled by the N.M. Department […]
Dispatches from the Q-fevered anti- “abortion capital”
Most people regard the dangerous QAnon conspiracy theory with either dismay or dismissal. Yet the depth and breadth of its reach has taken on bleak salience during this moment in history. What began as ambiguous, nameless postings signed “Q” on unmoderated message board websites that host anything from anime fandom and fitness advice to child […]
Vaccine mandate for health care workers halted nationwide by Louisiana judge
WASHINGTON—A federal judge in Louisiana on Tuesday issued a ruling blocking nationwide the Biden administration mandate requiring millions of health care workers be vaccinated against COVID-19. A suit challenging the mandate was led on behalf of multiple states by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, a Republican, and U.S. Judge Terry Doughty granted the states’ request […]
Federal vaccine mandate for health care workers in 10 states blocked by judge
WASHINGTON — Enforcement of the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for millions of health care workers was blocked in 10 states on Monday, after a ruling by a federal judge in Missouri. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp affects the states involved in the lawsuit, which include Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, and New Hampshire. The […]
New COVID omicron variant ‘not a cause for panic,’ Biden says
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden sought to reassure Americans on Monday about the latest COVID-19 variant, describing it as “a cause for concern, not a cause for panic.” Biden did not announce any new travel restrictions or other federal actions during his brief remarks from the White House. Instead, he urged Americans to get a booster […]
Volunteers deliver firewood before the snow hits
GALLUP – Navajo elders who are in need of wood to heat their homes stay warm as it gets colder turn to the mutual aid effort Chizh for Cheii. Loren Anthony founded the group 10 years ago, and the work continues to be a vital resource. Chizh for Cheii has become a staple on Navajo. […]
White House imposes travel restrictions for Africa amid new COVID-19 variant
WASHINGTON — The White House is set to announce travel restrictions to eight countries in Southern Africa on Monday due to the discovery of a new coronavirus variant, according to senior administration officials. The World Health Organization classified the COVID-19 variant as a “variant of concern” due to its high mutation and transmission rate, and […]