COVID-19 home tests to be given out at event

The administrator of the Quay County Family Health Center told county commissioners Monday her clinic would give away about 300 home COVID-19 tests during a mass-vaccination event Thursday at the county fairgrounds.

C. Renee Hayoz, administrator of the Tucumcari clinic, said the rapid tests distributed by Presbyterian Medical Services would be of the nasal-swab variety.

The United States is experiencing a shortage of home COVID-19 tests because of a rapid surge of infections due to the Omicron variant.

The vaccination event will be from 8:30 to 11 a.m. and from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday in the fairgrounds’ exposition center and will provide shots for all phases, including boosters. Walk-in patients will be welcome. Those participating should bring their insurance card, photo identification and COVID-19 vaccine card.

Hayoz on Monday said about 150 people already have signed up for Thursday’s event.

Last month, the clinic’s boosters-only event at the fairgrounds attracted more than 230 patients.

Hayoz also said during her regular report to the county commission the clinic recorded 569 patient encounters in November and 674 in December — well above the clinic’s monthly budget of 404 encounters. She attributed those larger numbers to COVID-19 vaccinations.

Hayoz said the clinic also recently hired a certified medical assistant and a behavior health interventionist.

In other county commission business:

• Commissioners heard an update on the county’s 911 system from Jamie Luaders, director of the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center, which serves Quay and Harding counties and the village of Conchas in San Miguel County.

Luaders said the emergency call center answers calls in an average of four seconds, below the national-goal average of 10 seconds. She said the center answered almost 600 calls in December. The typical high is July, when last year more than 900 calls were answered, mostly due to fireworks complaints.

She said the center is switching its phone system, causing a “slight delay” in answering calls. She also said for the first time since 2016, the 911 call center is fully staffed and certified.

Luaders detailed the center’s recent upgrades in systems and equipment. She said the biggest challenge it’s facing this year are needed updates to radio systems for police and fire departments, plus funding to retain employees.

• Commissioners voted to retain Franklin McCasland as the board’s chairman and keep the same appointments to board subcommittees. In a routine matter, the board also voted to adhere to the Public Information Act regarding audits, minutes, budgets, financial reports and other public documents.

• Andrea Shafer, the county’s DWI Program director, said the number of driving-while-intoxicated infractions totaled only three from October through December, which she said was “really low.”

Shafer said she was exploring the idea of her office hosting lunchtime Alcoholics Anonymous meetings for those who cannot attend evening meetings.

Shafer also said a toy drive last month netted about $1,000, which was given to the local Children, Youth and Families Department.

• Commissioners, following the recommendation of county fire marshal Lucas Bugg, approved a series of Fire Protection Fund grant purchases of personal protection equipment or self-contained breathing apparatuses for the Forrest, Conservancy District 1, Fire District 2 and Quay.

Commissioners also approved the appointment of Dr. Ronald Chad Carver as medical director for the county’s emergency medical services for $500 a year.

• County road superintendent Larry Moore reported the county recently was granted an extension for building a new bridge on old Route 66 between San Jon and Endee to June 2023. The project has been delayed by historic and federal impact assessments.

• County manager Daniel Zamora said the county’s gross-receipts tax revenue had risen about 5% from a year ago.