Baja California’s state government has extended the 2026 National Vaccination Week into a month-long campaign running through all of May. The effort prioritizes children, pregnant women, elderly residents, and people living in remote or hard-to-reach communities across the state.
Free vaccines are available at IMSS Bienestar clinics (the federal social security health system), state hospitals, and mobile health caravans operating in every municipality. That includes Tijuana, Mexicali, Ensenada, Tecate, Rosarito, and San Quintín.
Vaccines Available for All Ages
The campaign covers a broad range of immunizations. Newborns can receive BCG (tuberculosis) and hepatitis B vaccines. Children are eligible for standard childhood shots, and fifth-graders can receive the HPV vaccine.
Adults aged 60 and older, along with those with chronic conditions, can get COVID-19 and influenza boosters. A newly included RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) vaccine is now available for pregnant women, targeting a virus that poses serious risks to infants.
Mobile Clinics Reach Rural Areas
Health authorities are deploying mobile caravans to reach populations in isolated areas who may not have easy access to hospitals or fixed clinics. These traveling units aim to close vaccination gaps in agricultural communities and indigenous settlements along the Baja California peninsula’s northern corridor.
The extension from a single week to a full month gives families more flexibility to schedule visits. No appointment is required at most sites, and there is no cost for any of the vaccines offered through the campaign.
Who Can Get Vaccinated
The program is open to all residents, not just Mexican citizens. Anyone living in or passing through Baja California can visit a municipal health center or mobile clinic to receive available vaccines at no charge. Parents with young children and caregivers of elderly family members are especially encouraged to take advantage of the extended timeline.
Mexico’s National Vaccination Week typically takes place during the last week of April or early May each year. Baja California’s decision to extend coverage through the end of May 2026 follows a pattern seen in other states that have broadened campaigns to improve reach.
This story was first reported by La Jornada BC.