Statewide back-to-school vaccination clinics offer free shots through Aug. 29

Hidalgo County parents facing school enrollment deadlines now have a free way to get children caught up on required shots without waiting until the last minute. New Mexico’s back-to-school vaccination clinics opened June 13 and run through Aug. 29, with more than 63 participating public health offices, community health centers and private practices statewide.

For families in Lordsburg, Animas and Rodeo, the timing matters as much as the cost. The clinics are open to children from birth through age 18, no insurance is required, and no child will be turned away because of lack of coverage. State health officials also said many locations will offer evening and weekend hours, which can be crucial for parents working irregular shifts or living far from the nearest provider.

The New Mexico Department of Health said parents should bring a child’s vaccination record and an insurance card if they have one. Families are also being told to call ahead to confirm whether an appointment is needed. If records are missing, the department directs families to VaxViewNM or its helpline at 1-833-796-8773 for help locating vaccine history and finding the nearest clinic. The immunization hotline listed on the state’s shot clinic page is 1-800-232-4636.

Andrea Romero, the state’s immunization program section manager, said back-to-school vaccinations help protect children and communities from serious disease and protect loved ones’ health. In rural parts of Hidalgo County, that message carries a practical edge: one missed appointment can mean a delay in school paperwork, a longer drive for a follow-up visit or a child arriving in class without the required documentation.

New Mexico school and daycare immunization requirements are already published for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years, and state law allows only medical and religious exemptions. That makes the summer clinic window a key part of the compliance process, not an optional extra. The department said its goal is to make sure all New Mexicans are properly immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases.

The push comes after a difficult run for the state. New Mexico’s 2025 measles outbreak reached 100 cases between mid-February and mid-September, and the state’s first confirmed 2026 measles case was reported in an adult of unknown immunization history at the Hidalgo County Detention Center. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said kindergarten exemption rates rose to 3.6% in the 2024-2025 school year, and about 286,000 kindergartners attended without documentation of completing the MMR series.

For Hidalgo County families trying to get children enrolled before classes start, the clinics offer a straightforward path: free shots, broad eligibility and a summer-long window to avoid a paperwork scramble in August.