Volunteer Susan Hinchcliffe vaccinates Finn Ortiz. (Maureen Cooke/For the Observer)

  • The clinics are available to those not living in Corrales.
  • The vaccine clinics are by reservation only, no walk-ins.
  • Those interested can register through the goodtimes website: <https://goodtimes.vaccinenm.org/boosters/>.
  • If you run into any difficulty registering, please call Commander Lattin at the Corrales Fire Station: (505) 898-7501.

 

The Corrales Fire Department Monday organized one of the first vaccination clinics in the state for children under the age of 5.

The clinic followed by two days a CDC recommendation that all children ages 6 months through 5 years old should receive Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations. On June 17, the US Food and Drug Administration granted an emergency use authorization for the vaccines to be given to children as young as 6  months.

The clinic, under the direction of Fire Commander Tanya Lattin, was open from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m .at the Corrales Rec Center. Like all Corrales COVID vaccination clinics, it was drive-through, an ideal arrangement for small children since they could remain in their car seats, holding stuffed animals or even pets for comfort.

Corrales employee Bryah Lattin, volunteer Susan Hinchcliffe, and Fire Chief Anthony Martinez helped with vaccinating the kids or with record keeping.

Monday’s clinic administered 21 Pfizer vaccines to children under 5, and three to children 5 to 11.

The fire department continued to run vaccination clinics for children under five on Tuesday at the Corrales Fire Station, 4920 Corrales Road.

The clinics are available to those not living in Corrales.

Rio Rancho residents Nicholas and Liz Ortiz brought their 3-year-old son, Finn, to get vaccinated. They brought Finn’s 7-year-old brother, Zane, for moral support.

With such young kids getting shots, Lattin and the others made sure to stock up on stickers and colorful adhesive bandages.

Although Monday’s clinic featured the Pfizer vaccine only, the Moderna vaccine was  available on Tuesday.

Lattin outlined the differences between the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. First, the Pfizer vaccine is administered in a series of three doses: the second dose is administered three weeks after the first, and the third dose is administered at a minimum of two months after the second.

According to Lattin, the vaccine offers maximum protection against the COVID virus one week past the third dose.

The Moderna vaccine, in contrast, is administered in two doses, the second dose following the first four weeks later.

Lattin said although the Moderna vaccine is only two doses, there is speculation that in the future, a third dose will be available, which will increase its protection — particularly important for immunocompromised children.

When asked about current infection rates of COVID, Lattin said that they are hard to pin down, as people are taking at-home tests, so data coming from the labs shows fewer cases than there actually are.

“For every case the labs report, there could be five to seven more that aren’t reported,” Lattin said. “And some estimate there could be possibly five to 20 more cases.”

The most recent omicron variants—BA4 and BA5—are more contagious than previous variants, she said. She added there was a misconception that they are less deadly.

The difference, she said, is that those who are contracting COVID now have generally been vaccinated, and they are better able to fight off the virus.

In addition, medications such as the antiviral Paxlovid, can help stave off severe symptoms of COVID.

“The CDC is still recommending people wear masks. It’s a recommendation, not a mandate,” Lattin said.