New Mexico COVID-19 news recap
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    See all of our COVID-19 coverage here.

  • Note: Andy Lyman will be on KUNM-FM’s Let’s Talk New Mexico to discuss cannabis legalization at 8 a.m. on Thursday. 
  • Most of the counties in the state moved to yellow or green restrictions because of positive COVID-19 trends in the last two weeks. The governor and state health official were optimistic in a Wednesday press conference. Read more here.
    • The state’s four most-populous counties (Bernalillo, Doña Ana, Sandoval and Santa Fe counties) are all among those that are now in yellow restrictions.
    • Visitation in nursing homes is also expanded in the yellow restrictions, KRQE-TV noted.
    • Watch the press conference here.
  • The state had administered 365,297 doses of COVID-19 vaccine as of Wednesday (15,195 more than reported on Tuesday). This included 264,217 first doses (+6,532) and 92,417 2nd doses (+8,663). As of Wednesday, the state had received 394,175 doses from the federal government, and administered 65,896 doses in the last seven days.
    • Modeling from Los Alamos National Labs and the state showed that vaccines have had a 12 to 16 percent impact on reducing cases, the Santa Fe Reporter noted.
  • The state Senate passed three COVID-19 financial relief bills on Wednesday, sending the bills to the House, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
    • Bernalillo County received a $5 million emergency rental assistance grant, KRQE-TV reported.
  • Navajo Nation health officials reported 38 new COVID-19 cases and 11 additional deaths on Wednesday.
  • Some restaurants in Albuquerque reopened indoor dining on Wednesday night, KRQE-TV reported.
    • While some breweries opened up indoor dining right away, some breweries are waiting, KOB-TV reported.
  • Restaurant owners are debating how and when to reopen indoor dining in Santa Fe now that the county is in “yellow” restrictions, the Santa Fe Reporter wrote.
  • The Santa Fe New Mexican also wrote about the restaurant response to the news.
  • Restaurants in Las Cruces are also planning on reopening to indoor dining, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported.
  • Quay County also reached yellow restrictions, the Quay County Sun reported.
  • So did Mora and San Miguel counties, the Las Vegas Optic reported.
  • Socorro County, meanwhile, moved back to red from yellow according to El Defensor Chieftan.
  • The state also lifted its travel quarantine restriction for out-of-state visitors from “high risk” states, but continues to strongly advise that travelers quarantine after coming to New Mexico, The Paper reported.
  • With more remote workers, there is a lot more vacant commercial office space in Albuquerque, KRQE-TV reported.
  • Sixth-graders and high school seniors will be able to return to school in-person learning in a hybrid model on Feb. 22 in Rio Rancho, the Rio Rancho Observer reported. Other middle and high school students will be able to return at an as-yet-to-be-determined date.
  • The Los Alamos Public Schools board passed a resolution calling on educators to be vaccinated as in-person learning returns, the Los Alamos Reporter wrote. So far, 41 percent of the district staff have received vaccinations.
  • The Los Alamos Daily Post had photos of a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Los Alamos High School campus.
  • Isleta Amphitheater has concerts scheduled for as soon as June 12, KOB-TV reported.