[NFB-NM] FW: New emergency public health order in effect

Fri Oct 16 22:49:55 UTC 2020

Best wishes,

Tonia Trapp, secretary
National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico

From: Trapp, Greg, CFB <Greg.Trapp at state.nm.us> 
Sent: Friday, October 16, 2020 12:50 PM
To: 'nfbnewmexicosecretary at gmail.com' <nfbnewmexicosecretary at gmail.com>
Subject: New emergency public health order in effect

We are seeing greatly increased SARS-CoV-2 transmission numbers here in New
Mexico. It is imperative that we all do what we can to reduce the
transmission of the virus. Governor Lujan Grisham has issued a new emergency
public health order in response to the increased numbers. The order is
attached, and the release accompanying the order is as follows:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nora Meyers Sackett
Press Secretary, Office of the Governor
nora.sackett at state.nm.us <mailto:nora.sackett at state.nm.us> 
(505) 690-7313

October 16, 2020

New emergency public health order in effect

SANTA FE - The state of New Mexico's amended emergency public health order
came into effect Friday after successive days of record-breaking daily
COVID-19 infection rates.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and state health officials earlier in the week
announced the tightened restrictions in order to stem the alarming rising
tide of the virus statewide
<https://cvmodeling.nmhealth.org/public-health-gating-criteria-for-reopening
-nm/> .

The amended public health order and executive order pertaining to mandatory
quarantine upon travel out of state are attached to this news release.

The governor reiterated her stark warning that the state's dramatically and
rapidly worsening public health conditions will, if unabated, compel
significant additional restrictions on day-to-day activities for all New
Mexicans in order to preserve lives and protect the state's fragile health
care capacity.

"This is the most severe emergency New Mexico has ever faced," said Gov.
Lujan Grisham. "If New Mexico's COVID-19 spread continues to spiral out of
control, our state hospital and health care infrastructure will not be able
to support the unprecedented health care needs of sick and dying New
Mexicans. I cannot be more clear: The moment to turn the tide has to be
right now, immediately, or else we face accelerating significant illnesses
and needless deaths for hundreds of New Mexicans. The state will be forced
to hunker back down. The health and economic consequences caused by the
continued out-of-control spread of the virus will be devastating.

"Please stay home. If you must go out, wear a mask. If you must go out, do
not congregate in a group. Avoid indoor activities where the virus spreads
more easily. Please, do not wait for COVID-19 to take a loved one of yours
to take this virus seriously. We all have a role to play in protecting our
state, in saving New Mexican lives. We will overcome this together. But,
again, now is the moment."

The state's amended emergency public health order will be in effect until
Nov. 13, 2020.

If public health conditions continue to rapidly worsen, the governor and
state health officials will tighten restrictions and issue amended public
health guidelines and restrictions before Nov. 13.

The following amendments to the public health order are now in effect:

TEMPORARY CLOSING TIME

Any food or drink establishment in New Mexico serving alcohol must close at
10:00 p.m. each night. The governor's Economic Recovery Council, which has
advised her administration on re-opening strategies to strengthen and
sustain the state's workforce and economy through this crisis, made the
recommendation for this mandatory closing time. 

Other states have enacted similar closing times for places of business
selling alcohol in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 in those
establishments <https://www.env.nm.gov/nmed-resources-for-covid-19/> . The
state, which issues liquor and restaurant licenses to food and drink
establishments, will rigorously enforce this requirement.

HOTEL OCCUPANCY 

Maximum occupancy restrictions have been reduced to 60 percent for places of
lodging that have completed the N.M. Safe Certified training program
<https://nmsafecertified.org/>  and to 25 percent for places of lodging that
have not completed the training program - a reduction of maximum occupancy
from 75 percent and 50 percent, respectively.

QUARANTINE

The governor's executive order has been amended to require a period of
mandatory self-quarantine for individuals arriving into New Mexico from out
of state. Individuals arriving from "higher-risk states," or those with a
test positivity rate exceeding 5 percent and a test positivity rate higher
than 80 per 100,000 residents, are no longer exempt from the period of
mandatory self-quarantine if they test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours
of their arrival into New Mexico. All individuals arriving from those
higher-risk states - a list of which is updated each Wednesday at
cv.nmhealth.org/travel-recommendations
<https://cv.nmhealth.org/travel-recommendations/>  - must self-quarantine
for a period of no less than 14 days or for the duration of their stay in
New Mexico, whichever is shorter.

MASS GATHERINGS

Mass gatherings of more than 5 individuals are once again prohibited.
Previously the state had allowed gatherings of more than 10 individuals. A
"mass gathering" is defined as any public or private gathering, organized
event, ceremony, parade, organized amateur contact sport, or other grouping
that brings together individuals in an indoor or outdoor space. 

###

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