NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) has announced healthcare providers and pharmacies will offer COVID-19 bivalent booster doses to a young crowd. Now, kids as young as six months old can get the shot.

The DOH said this change follows recommendations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“This is great news as more children have the opportunity to get the most up-to-date protection from COVID-19 variants,” said DOH Deputy Secretary Dr. Laura Parajon, “Vaccines are our best defense against severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID.  Now is the time to make sure the entire family is up-to-date so we can have the best protection for the winter holidays.” 

Recently, hospitals in New Mexico have been filling up with patients with respiratory viruses. Vaccinating the population is a way to fight against this latest trend, health officials stated.

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The DOH released a list of what parents or caregivers should know.

  1. “Children 6 months through 5 years of age who received the original Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are now eligible to receive a single booster of the updated Moderna COVID-19 vaccine two months after completing a primary series.”
  2. “Children 6 months through 4 years of age who have not yet received the third dose of their primary series will now receive the updated Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine as the third dose in their primary series.” 
  3. “Children 6 months through 4 years of age who have already completed their three-dose primary series with the original Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will not be eligible for a booster dose at this time. Children in this age group who already completed their primary series would still be expected to have protection against the most serious outcomes from the currently circulating omicron variant.”