Starting today, every New Mexican over the age of 16 who wants to, may sign up to receive the vaccine against the novel coronavirus under a plan announced last week by the state Department of Health. Dr. Tracie Collins, DOH cabinet secretary, said the order stems from a directive issued by President Joe Biden in keeping with his drive to …

Lea County went from Green Level to Turquoise Level on Wednesday, allowing the county to open up more businesses and activities based on the governor’s COVID-19 restrictions, according to the N.M. Department of Health’s website map that color codes the counties. At the Turquoise Level, indoor dining can happen at 75% of max capacity as well as most businesses can …

NEW YORK (AP) — Students can safely sit just 3 feet apart in the classroom as long as they wear masks but should be kept the usual 6 feet away from one another at sporting events, assemblies, lunch or chorus practice, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday in relaxing its COVID-19 guidelines. The revised recommendations represent a …

SANTA FE– The New Mexico Department of Health on Friday announced that all New Mexicans in phases 1B and 1C of the state’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan are now eligible for vaccine. The new eligible groups include: Frontline essential workers Residents of congregate care facilities New Mexicans age 60 and older Other “essential workers.” The “other essential workers” include: • …

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is planning to send a combined 4 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Mexico and Canada in its first export of shots, the White House said Thursday. Press secretary Jen Psaki said the Biden administration is in the process of finalizing efforts to distribute 2.5 million doses to Mexico and 1.5 million to …

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Health on Wednesday announced Lea County moved from the Yellow Level to Green Level. The health department announced the updated statewide COVID-19 map for the two-week period beginning March 10, with seven New Mexico counties at the Turquoise Level and seven at the Green Level, at which there are fewer restrictions on …

NEW YORK (AP) — Fully vaccinated Americans can gather with other vaccinated people indoors without wearing a mask or social distancing, according to long-awaited guidance from federal health officials. The recommendations also say that vaccinated people can come together in the same way with people considered at low-risk for severe disease, such as in the case of vaccinated grandparents visiting …

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Health announced on Monday that all K-12 educators, early childhood (EC) professionals, and staff will be eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine beginning today, March 8. In keeping with a White House directive, the state will offer first shots to these groups over an approximately three-week period, as follows: • Week 1 (beginning …

Lea County added 54 reported COVID-19 cases on Saturday after a week of single digit or even no new cases of COVID-19, according to the N.M. Department of Health. The COVID-19 positive cases for the week in Lea County are: • Friday: 7 cases • Thursday: 0 cases • Wednesday: 5 cases • Tuesday: 5 cases • Monday: 7 cases • …

Teachers in the Hobbs Municipal School District may not have had children physically in the classroom for most of the year, or gone to conferences, meetings or educational get-togethers, but they will be getting a bonus for the year’s exceptional work environment. “This really has come about just because of the … we have changed the way teachers have taught, …