February 11, 2021

Recap of New Mexico COVID-19 news (2/11/21 edition)

This morning recap of COVID-19 news from New Mexico is available in a free email every weekday. Sign up here. 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 […]

Matthew Reichbach

This morning recap of COVID-19 news from New Mexico is available in a free email every weekday. Sign up here.

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.