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• This weekend, the state of New Mexico reported 275 new cases and 15 additional deaths on Saturday and 245 new cases and 16 additional deaths related to COVID-19 on Sunday. As of Sunday, the number of those hospitalized for COVID-19 reached 192—the first day with fewer than 200 hospitalized since Oct. 19. This came as the state reported results from nearly 24,000 tests on Saturday and Sunday.
• As of data from Saturday (the last day for which the state has an update on its COVID-19 vaccine dashboard), the state had administered 579,577 doses out of 581,175 it has received from the federal government. This includes 375,536 first doses and 206,041 second doses. In the last seven days, the state had administered 72,699 doses.
  • New Mexico is one of the states where CVS and Walgreens locations are receiving doses of COVID-19 vaccines directly from the federal government, KRQE-TV reported.
• The Albuquerque Journal wrote about a mother and daughter who have placed a small black flag in their yard for every death related to COVID-19 in New Mexico.
• The Farmington Daily Times wrote about the efforts on the Navajo Nation to provide vaccines directly to homebound residents’ homes.
  • As of last Tuesday, according to the Navajo Times’ tracking of Navajo Nation Department of Health data, 69.6 percent of people living on the Navajo Nation had received their first shot and 23 percent had received both shots. 
• Navajo Nation health officials reported seven new COVID-19 cases and three additional deaths related to the disease on Saturday and 14 new cases and two additional deaths on Sunday.
• The Albuquerque Journal wrote about the frustration of those who are informed by the state Department of Health that a vaccine is available, but being told by the time they responded that all available slots were taken.
• Carlsbad High School returned to remote learning because 12 teachers and one substitute are quarantined for COVID-19, KOAT-TV reported.
• All teachers returned to in-person learning at Mesa Vista Consolidated Schools, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
• Leaders of the Gila Regional Medical Center said that things are “trending in the right direction” according to the Silver City Daily Press.
• A bill that would add COVID-19 to the state’s Workers’ Compensation Act is now headed to the House floor.
• Nearly 900 businesses in Santa Fe received grants through the CARES Act, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
• Domestic disputes increased during the pandemic, the Alamogordo Daily News reported.
• The mayor of Farmington wants the state to alter its gating criteria to aid businesses, by adding vaccination percentage into the equation, KRQE-TV reported.
  • In a press conference from January, Human Services Department Secretary David Scrase said that he didn’t think the state would work vaccination rates into gating criteria because its impacts would be reflected in the other gating criteria. “The vaccinations will actually drive down cases, improve test positivity rates, and then contact tracing, easier to do and more timely and ease the burden on our hospitals,” he said.
• The Albuquerque Police Department said their substations are back to normal hours after being lower due to the pandemic, KRQE-TV reported.
• High school athletes and families continued to protest at the Roundhouse to let athletics go forward even if school districts don’t feel it is safe to return to in-person learning through the hybrid model, KRQE-TV reported.
• The Downs Racetrack & Casino reopened this weekend, KOB-TV reported.
• The lack of home games for New Mexico United in 2020 made it more difficult to recruit new talent, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.