Governor reinstates 'shelter in place'

SANTA FE — Citing repeated instances of record-breaking case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID-19, New Mexico has issued a two-week “shelter in place” order. It’s similar to the public health order issued in the early months of the pandemic, along with more restrictive guidelines and a county-based approach for reopening.

The order from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham goes into effect Monday. It states that all “non-essential” businesses are required to close and other entities will face capacity restrictions.

On Friday, New Mexico reported 1,753 new cases of the virus, with 18 deaths, and 471 hospitalizations. Officials said 67 patients were on ventilators. In total the state has seen 60,776 covid cases, resulting in 1,176 deaths.

Curry County has averaged 46 new cases per day in November. Roosevelt County has averaged 16 new cases per day this month. Curry, Roosevelt and Parmer counties have reported 44 virus-related deaths since the pandemic began in the spring.

This week’s change in health and safety orders, Lujan Grisham said, come as a way to “blunt” rising numbers. Data provided during the governor’s news conference on Friday showed the state’s recorded deaths were up 143% from the prior two weeks and hospitalizations were up 214% over the prior month.

“These are numbers that spell, quite frankly, disaster for saving lives,” Lujan-Grisham said, “and we have to get ahead of it.”

On Friday, Plains Regional Medical Center in Clovis reported it had 32 COVID-19 patients, with five in Intensive Care Unit beds. Roosevelt General reported two COVID-19 patients were being treated Friday at the hospital.

Lujan Grisham said the shutdown is focused on saving lives.

“We are at the breaking point, quite frankly,” Lujan Grisham said. “This last week we have been managing through breaking points, and we cannot continue to do that. Even if we could, the reality is far too many New Mexicans would lose their lives to this deadly virus, and we just can’t do that.”

The governor encouraged mask wearing, hand washing, making hand sanitizer part of a daily routine and avoiding gatherings.

The new restrictions, while similar to those taken in the spring, will be more stringent, including:

• Essential businesses considered retail must operate at 25% capacity or no more than 75 customers in the store, whichever is smaller. Stores must also limit purchases of medications, durable medical equipment, baby formula, diapers, sanitary care products, and hygiene products to three items per individual.

Essential businesses include grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, shelters and child-care facilities. The full list is available at cv.nmhealth.org. Non-essential businesses include gyms, barbershops, salons, gyms and recreation facilities.

• Houses of worship are restricted to 25% capacity or 75 persons, whichever is smaller.

• Restaurants will be once again restricted to carry-out, curbside or delivery options.

To help with the hardships caused by the pandemic, Lujan-Grisham said that in the next few days the state will have a plan for a special session to discuss assistance that the state can provide for residents.

“(W)e are working towards what I believe will be a special session as immediately as we can to work on making sure that families have food on the table, can pay their bills, are not going to be evicted, can pay their rent or mortgage, and that we (minimize the damage to) businesses,” she said.

After Nov. 30, a three-tiered system will be considered to allow easing of restrictions on a per-county basis. Those will be based on average daily cases and test positivity rate. The top tier would allow counties an “expanded economic footprint,” the second would loosen some restrictions and the third would keep the restrictions in place.

“We believe this ... creates not only the right incentives but really then bolsters the ability of community members and will partner more successfully local government and other economic leaders in those counties to assist in making sure that the state successfully blunts this virus,” Lujan-Grisham said. “New Mexico has crushed this virus before, twice, and we’re going to do it again. And we’re going to keep finding the strategies that garner long-term productive results that save lives, that prevent overwhelming our first responders and healthcare centers.”

When asked why the state was taking such measures when other states having similar COVID-19 issues were not, the governor said everybody was doing something. but she would still act if no other state did.

“The country is in a national emergency the likes of which we have never seen,” she said. “There is not a strategy out of the White House. Congress isn’t going to act fast enough. We have to do it. And I’m doing it, but New Mexicans are going to see it happen everywhere.”

Lujan Grisham, noting that the orders run through Thanksgiving, said families should consider avoiding those large gatherings to ensure future holiday gatherings and avoid funerals. The governor spoke of losing a friend recently, and that she had to give a eulogy over the telephone while the family had to choose who attended the funeral in person.

Human Services Secretary David Scrase said the state is at double its goal on testing, and that the number of patients requiring ventilators is not increasing at the same rate as hospitalization. Scrase indicated those in the 18-34 age group still have the highest daily case rates, but in a concerning shift the second highest group is 35-64.

“The (Centers for Disease Control) now makes it very clear that masks protect the person that’s wearing it almost as well as it protects the people around the person that’s wearing it,” Scrase said.

Editor Kevin Wilson contributed to this report.