Indoor dining to return Saturday

SANTA FE – Restaurants and coffee shops will be allowed to offer indoor dining service at 25 percent of their capacity, effective Saturday, according to a news release from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

The state’s emergency public health order expires Friday and new orders will be implemented, the release said. The governor has scheduled a news conference for 3 p.m. Thursday to discuss changes.

In addition to relaxing indoor dining guidelines for food and drink establishments, the new order will allow houses of worship to operate at 40 percent of maximum occupancy, an increase from 25 percent, the news release said.

“The state’s modeling outlook has improved in recent weeks as daily COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations have dropped from earlier in the summer; in addition, New Mexico’s testing capacity and health care resources have remained steady,” the news release stated.

The forthcoming new emergency public health order will be effective through at least mid-September.

“I know New Mexicans are ecstatic about our recent progress against COVID-19,” Lujan Grisham said in the release. “But, given what we know about this virus, we must sound a note of caution: Our progress is only as good as our willingness to stay the course. This virus is still looking for opportunities to spread. We’ve got to adhere to COVID-safe practices in our day-to-day lives to minimize and eliminate those opportunities.”

The governor is also expected to talk about a potential return to in-person classes at public schools during Thursday’s news conference in addition to other issues.

The forthcoming health order will be effective through mid-September at least, according to the release.