- While it was overshadowed by announcements below, the state Department of Health announced on Wednesday there were 448 more cases of COVID-19 and fourteen additional deaths related to the disease. The number of those hospitalized for COVID-19 as of Wednesday was 251.
- The big news, though, was the state easing restrictions and creating a fourth tier for reopening—the turquoise level. Counties that reached green for two consecutive two-week periods would qualify for turquoise. That was just the tip of the changes, though. Read more details here.
- The state also announced the new calculation on which counties landed where on the system—with four in turquoise and four in red.
- Doña Ana County slipped back into the red tier, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported.
- Taos County moved to green, the Taos News reported.
- Quay County moved to green, the Quay County Sun reported.
- San Juan County, meanwhile, moved up to the yellow tier, the Farmington Daily Times reported.
- Chaves County moved to yellow, the Roswell Daily Record reported.
- Lea County moved to yellow, the Hobbs News-Sun reported.
- Roosevelt County moved to yellow, The Eastern New Mexico News reported.
- Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will hold a remote press conference, along with state health officials, at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. It will be webcast on the governor’s Facebook page.
- Theater, bar and club owners are optimistic, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
- One change is that there is now a level where bars and nightclubs will be able to reopen, which has bar owners hopeful, KRQE-TV reported. Entertainment venues also.
- College and professional sports teams will be able to host games, potentially with fans, the Albuquerque Journal reported.
- Youth club sports still are not eligible to play, KOB-TV reported.
- The state also allowed state parks to reopen, KRQE-TV reported.
- Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima delivered his annual address to the city and, of course, spoke about the COVID-19 pandemic. See the details from the Las Cruces Sun-News.
- The city of Rio Rancho will get its own mass vaccination event with about 2,000 people scheduled to get shots this Friday, the Rio Rancho Observer reported.
- Walmarts in Las Cruces are COVID-19 vaccine providers, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported.
- Spring Break at the University of New Mexico will still go on, but urged students to remain COVID-safe, the Daily Lobo reported.
