[NFB-NM] FW: RELEASE: New Mexico to re-implement indoor mask mandate; vaccinations required in hospitals, congregate settings

Wed Aug 18 02:24:43 UTC 2021

Best wishes,

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

From: Trapp, Greg, CFB <Greg.Trapp at state.nm.us> 
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 2:08 PM
To: nfbnewmexicosecretary at gmail.com
Subject: FW: RELEASE: New Mexico to re-implement indoor mask mandate;
vaccinations required in hospitals, congregate settings

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

August 17, 2021

New Mexico to re-implement indoor mask mandate;
vaccinations required in hospitals, congregate settings
Masks, vaccines will ensure economic recovery can continue; 
help reduce serious risk to families, health care system

SANTA FE - Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday will announce that the
state of New Mexico will temporarily re-implement a statewide requirement
that facemasks be worn in all public indoor spaces, with only limited
exceptions, and regardless of vaccination status, to stem the state's rising
tide of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.

Given the slowing of vaccination rates since a peak several months ago, the
governor also announced the state will issue a requirement for all workers
in certain medical close-contact congregate settings - including hospitals,
nursing homes, juvenile justice facilities, rehabilitation facilities, state
correctional facilities and more - to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

The state also issued a requirement that all workers at private, public and
charter schools in New Mexico either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or
otherwise submit to COVID-19 testing on a weekly basis. This policy aligns
with the state's requirement for all state government personnel.

The spread of COVID-19 in New Mexico has increased dramatically in recent
weeks, driven by the highly infectious "Delta" variant and primarily
unvaccinated populations. State modeling projects that New Mexico will reach
1,000 new daily cases of COVID-19 by the end of August, and as many as 1,000
new daily cases in southeastern New Mexico alone in the weeks after that. 

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 in New Mexico have sharply risen to a 6-month
high as of Monday, Aug. 16. Hospital leaders
<https://www.abqjournal.com/2418409/physicians-push-vaccines-as-abq-hospital
s-fill.html> , acknowledging some state facilities already reaching or
exceeding 100 percent capacity, have recently amplified their calls
<https://www.sfreporter.com/news/2021/08/10/hospital-leaders-urge-vaccinatio
n-as-covid-19-numbers-rise/>  for unvaccinated New Mexicans to vaccinate
<http://vaccinenm.org>  and help forestall a projected shortage of hospital
resources amid the projected fall surge. New Mexico has one of the lowest
numbers of per-capita hospital beds in the U.S., and rising virus
hospitalizations create a ripple effect, hospital leaders say, for other
individuals who need care for other purposes within the health care system
<https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/coronavirus/hospital-leaders-make-pl
ea-for-residents-to-get-vaccinated-as-covid-19-numbers-soar/article_1714c9c0
-f9ef-11eb-8ace-e3e4154322f0.html> .

Masks and vaccines, the governor said, are the two tools the state will use
to protect scarce hospital resources and the state's ongoing economic
recovery: "We all have a role to play," said Gov. Lujan Grisham. "No one
wants to go backward. No one wants to see our recovery endangered by another
- and preventable - surge of serious illness. No one wants a full hospital
turning away New Mexicans who need care. So mask up indoors to stop the
spread. And vaccinate if you haven't vaccinated. These two simple steps will
protect our health care resources and ensure our economy can continue to
rebound."

FACEMASKS INDOORS

Under a public health order issued by Acting Health Secretary David R.
Scrase, M.D., the re-implemented mask requirement applies to all individuals
aged 2 and older in all indoor public settings - except when eating or
drinking. 

Masks will be required to everyone in school buildings regardless of
vaccination status, which aligns with the most recent guidance from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Public Education Department
has been in the process of updating its toolkit for schools and district
personnel.

The indoor mask requirement will be effective Friday, Aug. 20. It will
remain in effect until at least September 15. The governor, acting upon the
counsel and analysis of the state Medical Advisory Team and state health
officials, may decide to extend or lift the requirement as necessary.

Businesses, houses of worship and other entities may enact stricter
requirements at their discretion.

That public health order is attached to this news release.

Previously, the state had only recommended that individuals who have been
vaccinated resume wearing facemasks in indoor spaces. Unvaccinated
individuals have been and remain required to wear facemasks in indoor public
settings.

"We all want the pandemic to be over," said Dr. Scrase. "But the virus has
its own timeline. And the virus has mutated. At this stage, the Delta
variant makes up virtually 100 percent of new COVID-19 cases in New Mexico.
This variant spreads up to four times more rapidly than the virus we were
dealing with last year. The good news is that vaccines work in preventing
serious illness and death from a COVID-19 infection. The bad news is that
the virus is still spreading and seriously harming unvaccinated people, and
this means unsustainable strain in our hospital system. A mask helps stop
the spread. Please do your part and help New Mexico stay on the right track:
Mask up and get your shots."

While several local governments of note across the U.S. have taken this step
in recent weeks, New Mexico is the second state to temporarily reinstitute a
blanket mask requirement, after Louisiana. Nevada has implemented a mask
mandate for counties with high or substantial COVID-19 transmission.

VACCINES REQUIRED IN HIGH-RISK SETTINGS

Under a separate public health order issued by Secretary Scrase, all workers
in New Mexico hospitals and congregate care facilities are required to be
fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with only limited exceptions. 

This requirement follows similar mandates for health care workers issued
recently by the states of California and Washington.

"Hospital workers," as defined in the public health order, are all paid and
unpaid individuals who work in any public, profit or nonprofit hospital in a
setting where care is provided to patients or where patients have access.
This includes workers who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure
to patients and includes -- but is not limited to -- nurses, physicians,
nursing assistants, technicians, therapists, phlebotomists, pharmacists,
students and trainees, contractual staff and those including clerical and
security personnel who may not be directly involved in patient care but who
could be exposed to infectious agents that can be transmitted in the
hospital.

"Congregate care facility workers," as defined in the public health order,
are all paid and unpaid individuals working in nursing homes, assisted
living facilities, adult day cares, hospice facilities, rehabilitation
facilities, state correctional facilities, juvenile justice facilities and
residential treatment centers or community homes. 

Unvaccinated individuals who do not qualify for an exemption must receive
their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine within 10 days of Tuesday, Aug. 17,
and their second dose, as needed, within 40 days of receiving the first
shot. Those individuals must provide documentation to their supervisor or
the operator of the facility in which they contract or work.

The limited exemptions for hospital and congregate care facility workers
include having a qualifying medical condition recognized by the FDA or CDC
as a contra-indication to a COVID-19 vaccine; having a disability requiring
separate accommodation; or having a sincerely held religious belief
requiring separate accommodation. To be eligible for an exemption, an
individual must provide their employer with either a statement from a
physician or nurse practitioner validating the need for a medical or
disability exemption or a documented request regarding the manner in which
the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine conflicts with the religious
observance or practice or belief of the individual.

Anyone granted an exemption by the operator of a hospital or congregate care
facility must then, under the requirements of the public health order,
provide documentation of COVID-19 testing on a weekly basis.

"The safety and health of New Mexico's seniors is paramount," said Aging and
Long-Term Services Secretary Katrina Hotrum-Lopez. "Many of them have
thankfully made the decision to proactively protect themselves and get the
vaccine, which is translating into fewer hospital admissions, but COVID is
still getting into our state's long-term care facilities through staff
transmission and taking its toll on those who are unvaccinated. We're seeing
hotspots and cases increase across the state, which is why we're thankful
for the leadership of the governor and Secretary Scrase and the measures
they're taking to actively protect our most vulnerable."

The vaccination requirement also applies to employees of the Office of the
Governor.

That public health order is also attached to this news release.

VACCINATE-OR-TEST FOR SCHOOL WORKERS

Under that public health order detailing the vaccination requirements for
workers in hospitals and congregate settings, the state also outlined a new
vaccinate-or-test policy for workers in New Mexico schools.

All school workers in public, private or charter schools who are not fully
vaccinated against COVID-19 or who are unwilling to provide proof of
vaccination to their respective supervisors must, effective Monday, Aug. 23,
provide proof of a COVID-19 test on a weekly basis. 

Gov. Lujan Grisham implemented an identical policy for state government
employees through the State Personnel Office earlier this month. 

"Our priority is keeping students and staff safe and learning in school
buildings," said Public Education Secretary-Designate Kurt Steinhaus. "We
know from experience that in-person learning is the gold standard. Masks are
part of that safety strategy, but vaccinations are the best tool, hands
down. Because of increasing infections in schools due to the Delta variant,
we need to work together to step up our game and focus on COVID safety
measures that can keep our schools open for learning."

VACCINES ARE EFFECTIVE, SAFE AND AVAILABLE

New Mexicans can learn more about the COVID-19 vaccines and schedule an
appointment at VaccineNM.org. Through the month of August, any New Mexican
receiving a first or second shot of Pfizer or Moderna, or a first-and-only
shot of Johnson & Johnson, will receive $100 from the state. To qualify for
the incentive, New Mexicans must register at VaccineNM.org.

"We have several effective tools that work to prevent serious illness and
death at this stage of this pandemic," said Gov. Lujan Grisham. "The two
most relevant at this moment are vaccines and facemasks. New Mexico
continues to conduct statewide outreach to unvaccinated populations and is
still among the nation's leaders in completing vaccinations. This effort
remains paramount. Get your shots. But with a more infectious and more
dangerous strain of COVID-19 on the rise here and regionally and nationally,
facemasks are once again necessary to ensure the efficacy of the vaccine is
not diminished by a mutating virus, and to ensure our hospitals are not
overwhelmed by a projected surge of new infections, as has happened and is
happening in neighboring states like Texas."

"I know many New Mexicans who are conscientious about public health and
committed to protecting their families and communities have already resumed
wearing their facemasks. I sincerely thank you for taking this step and for
putting the health and safety of our state first. My belief is that when all
of us take this step, out of an abundance of caution, we will ensure that
New Mexico is not forced to again restrict any commercial activities in our
state. New Mexico's economic recovery is too important. We cannot risk
another unsustainable wave of hospitalizations threatening to overwhelm our
health care system.

"I will also note that getting vaccinated is important to protect those of
us who cannot yet make that choice - the children under 12 among us, for
instance. Our children's health and safety is something we absolutely cannot
take for granted."

###

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