News

UNM Health pauses vaccinations at The Pit because of low supply

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Highlighting the nationwide shortage of COVID-19 vaccines, University of New Mexico Health System announced it would pause its mass vaccination location at The Pit in Albuquerque because of a lack of supplies. UNM said it would focus its supply on providing a second shot to those who already received their first dose. The state said it expected to receive more vaccinations in the coming weeks and be able to do more vaccinations than it has so far. Both vaccines currently approved for use in the United States, one by Moderna and one by Pfizer, require a second shot weeks after the first for its full effectiveness. “I really want to stress that The Pit will be a vaccination clinic in the future,” UNM Health Sciences Public Information Officer Alex Sanchez said in a press call on Friday.

News

UNM to use The Pit as COVID-19 vaccination site

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The University of New Mexico has not hosted a basketball home game at the iconic University Arena, known as The Pit, since early in 2020. But the arena will soon have crowds again for a very different reason, as University of New Mexico Health announced it would use the property as a site for mass-COVID-19 vaccinations as the state moves to expand vaccinations. The plan is currently to start vaccinations at the site on Jan. 19. UNM Hospitals Chief Executive Officer Kate Becker said UNM Health said “vaccination is the key to getting past this pandemic.” 

She estimated the facility would be able to administer 1,680 doses of the Pfizer vaccine per day, then ramp up to double that number, nearly 3,400, when those who are vaccinated need their second shot of the vaccine.

Quick Reads

UNM announces new fiscal oversight on athletics

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Amid scandals, University of New Mexico’s president announced a shakeup in fiscal oversight at the athletics department. Associate Vice President for Institutional Support Services Chris Vallejos will be tasked with evaluating and improving financial management of the department. He will work with Janice Ruggiero, the acting director of Intercollegiate Athletics, in the initiative.[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The state’s best environmental coverage. [/perfectpullquote]Interim UNM President Chaouki Abdallah made the announcements Monday. It appears there may be financial irregularities related to the purchase of suites at The Pit, the basketball arena now known as Dreamstyle Arena.

Paul Krebs

Sponsor of The Pit asked AD to donate to state senate candidate

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The owners of WisePies, the company that has the naming rights to the legendary University of New Mexico basketball arena known to most as The Pit, solicited political donations from the university’s athletic director. NM Fishbowl, a news website focusing on UNM, first reported on the news earlier this week. WisePies, a pizza chain located primarily in the Albuquerque area, owns the naming rights to The Pit. The arena is officially called WisePies Arena aka The Pit. According to the NM Fishbowl story, a spokesperson for WisePies asked UNM Athletic Director Paul Krebs if he and his wife would co-host a campaign fundraiser for Candace Gould, a Republican then running for state Senate.