Quay hits turquoise rating

Quay County vaulted into the turquoise zone - the highest achievable rank - in the state's COVID-19 risk assessments last week, which meant bars and large entertainment venues could reopen for the first time a year.

One that reopened was the Tristar Inn Xpress tavern, which on Wednesday afternoon welcomed its first customers indoors since March 18, 2020.

Mike Awais, owner and operator of the establishment and its adjoining motel, was asked Thursday what he felt when he heard the news Wednesday afternoon that he could reopen the tavern.

"Relief," he said, wearing a protective mask made from a Crown Royal whiskey bag. "It couldn't have come too soon."

Awais said everything was left in the tavern as it was when it closed nearly a year ago. One of the bartenders, Lisa Armijo, busied herself Thursday evening by wiping dust off the tavern's liquor bottles.

Awais said he made improvements to the bar during the downtime, including a new roof and kitchen upgrades. But he acknowledged he took a financial hit during the state-mandated shutdown. A good portion of his motel clientele stayed there because of its adjoining bar, and the incentive to patronize the motel largely was gone.

The turquoise rating also meant Tucumcari's Odeon Theatre, Quay County's only surviving movie house, conceivably could reopen. But co-owner Christy Dominguez said earlier in the month she didn't feel comfortable booking a film and throwing open the doors of the 1936 downtown venue until COVID-19 vaccination rates in the county are higher and staff go through COVID-safe training. She said she anticipated a possible reopening by summer.

To be in the turquoise zone, the county was required to meet both benchmarks for COVID-19 risk, or the green zone, for two consecutive two-week assessment periods. Quay County made it into the green zone during the Feb. 9 to Feb. 22 period.

In the most recent assessment from Feb. 23 to March 8, Quay County recorded 4.3 daily coronavirus cases per 100,000 people and a test-positivity rate of 1.56%. Both were under the criteria of 8 daily cases per 100,000 and a test-positivity of 5%.

Neighboring De Baca, Harding and Union counties also landed in the turquoise zone.

All counties in New Mexico landed in the yellow, green or turquoise zones last week except Guadalupe County, which backslid into the red after an outbreak there. It had a positivity rate of 5.16% and a per capita rate of 25.9 daily cases per 100,000 people.

The next assessment will be on March 24.

Here are the new restriction levels in the turquoise zone:

• Essential businesses (non-retail): No capacity restrictions, but operations must be limited to only those absolutely necessary to carry out essential functions;

• Essential retail spaces: 75% of maximum capacity (indoor and outdoor);

• Food and drink establishments (if NM Safe Certified): 75% of maximum capacity for indoor dining; 75% of maximum capacity for outdoor dining;

• Close-contact businesses: 75% of maximum capacity; no restrictions on outdoor spaces;

• Large entertainment venues: 33% of maximum capacity for any indoor/enclosed space on premises; 75% of any outdoor space on premises;

• Recreational facilities: 50% of maximum capacity of any indoor/enclosed space on the premises; 75% of any outdoor space on premises;

• Bars and clubs: 33% of maximum capacity of any indoor/enclosed space on premises; 75% of any outdoor space on premises, where applicable;

• All other businesses: 75% of maximum capacity indoors; no restrictions on outdoor spaces;

• Churches: May hold religious services, indoors or outdoors, or provide services through audiovisual means, but may not exceed 75% of the maximum capacity of any enclosed space on the premises;

• Places of lodging: No maximum occupancy restrictions for those that have completed NM Safe Certified training; 50% of maximum occupancy for all others; 15 guests maximum for vacation rentals;

• Mass gatherings limit: 150 persons, or 200 vehicles.

The turquoise rating also bumped up capacity at the county's high-school sports venues. The capacity for indoor venues rose from 25% to 33%, and outdoor venues increased from 50% to 75%.