The New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) announced changes for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations in Eddy County for the rest of September.
In a news release Friday, DOH public health offices in New Mexico would no longer offer COVID-19 testing.
Instead, testing in Carlsbad would be available on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the front parking lot of Walter Gerrells Performing Arts Center at 4012 National Parks Highway.
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Testing in Artesia can be accessed Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of Bulldog Bowl.
Some pharmacies, medical providers and employers offered COVID-19 testing, read the release.
Carlsbad residents can still receive a COVID-19 vaccination on Monday and Friday mornings from 8:30 until 11:30 a.m. at the Walter Gerrells Performing Arts Center Exhibition Center.
Drive thru vaccinations are offered in Artesia at the Eddy County Public Health Office at 1001 West Memorial Drive Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., per the DOH release.
Online vaccination registrations are available at https://cvvaccine.nmhealth.org/my-registration.html.
As of Friday, Eddy County lagged behind the rest of New Mexico in COVID-19 vaccinations as 79 percent had at least one dose and 69 percent had both vaccinations, DOH data read.
Fifty-five percent of Eddy County residents had at least one COVID-19 dose and 46 percent had both vaccinations, according to DOH.
More:NMDOH expresses hope and angst over Eddy County COVID-19 figures
DOH reported two deaths in Eddy County Friday as the overall death total rose to 170.
Two women, one in her 40s and the other in her 90s, died while hospitalized, DOH said in a separate news release.
Southeast New Mexico had 10 COVID-19 deaths overall Friday. Chaves and Eddy Counties had two and Lea County had six, DOH figures indicated.
Twenty deaths were reported across New Mexico Friday by DOH.
Eddy County had 67 new cases with 43 reported in Carlsbad.
DOH noted Carlsbad was second in New Mexico’s top-10 zip codes with the most new cases Friday.
Hobbs was first with 57 and Roswell was third with 35, read the DOH news release.
More:Eddy County COVID-19 deaths rise to 167 during Labor Day Weekend
Artesia General Hospital’s website said Eddy County had 9,603 total COVID-19 cases as of Friday.
Carlsbad had 5,978 and Artesia had 2,886, per the website.
As of Friday, 19 Eddy County residents were hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms and four were in Artesia, the website stated.
As of Friday, there were 370 individuals hospitalized in New Mexico for COVID-19, DOH said.
“This number may include individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 out of state but are currently hospitalized in New Mexico. This number does not include New Mexicans who tested positive for COVID-19 and may have been transferred to a hospital out of state,” read the news release.
Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on Twitter.
