The Department of Health met via zoom on Sept. 15 to give a COVID update that included how the updated COVID booster is impacting New Mexico.

CDC and FDA approved the use of the updated COVID booster earlier this month to combat the fast-spreading Omicron virus.

The recommendation for use of updated COVID-19 boosters is Pfizer-BioNTech, for people ages 12 years and older, and Moderna, for people ages 18 years and older.

According to State Epidemiologist Laura Parajion, around 7,000 doses have already been given in N.M. since the release of the booster.

“The demand is definitely high. But luckily we have plenty more in stock,” she said.

Just a month ago, N.M. was in the red for cases per day. The cases seem to be slowly dropping, yet, NM still averages 200 cases per day.

CDC and NM-DOH stress that the distribution of the updated vaccine could change the course of the pandemic for the better.

CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., who endorsed the updated booster said: “If you are eligible, there is no bad time to get your COVID-19 booster and I strongly encourage you to receive it.”