In push to reach 60% vaccination goal, New Mexico seeing ‘remarkable turnout’

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- New Mexicans could learn Friday whether the state met its goal of 60% fully vaccinated.

The governor hoped to reach the goal by the end of June 17. That would allow two weeks for the vaccines to take full effect before fully reopening the state on July 1.

Health care professionals needed to give out 16,039 shots Thursday to meet the 60% goal. The state hadn’t given out more than 12,000 vaccines in one day within the last week.

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) is holding out hope that the goal will be met.

"We’ve seen just remarkable turnout, remarkable numbers of folks scheduling appointments, walking in to the walk-up appointments, unscheduled," said Matt Bieber, spokesperson for NMDOH. "We’ll take them all. It’s been really nice."

If the state didn’t officially reach the 60% goal by the end of June 17, the governor may still allow the state to fully reopen on July 1.

"We know there are outstanding vaccines from federal providers, for instance, that would put us in the ‘margin of error,’ so to speak," said Nora Meyers Sackett, press secretary for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

Meyers Sackett added that the state feels good about being able to "set the date (for) July 1 or just very shortly after that, at the worst case."