Curry goes green; Roosevelt makes turquoise

SANTA FE — Of all of the signs the COVID-19 pandemic is starting to go away — counties turning green and turquoise, vaccinations beating new cases by a 72-to-1 margin — the clearest sign might be governmental agencies simply discussing it less.

A note at the end of Wednesday’s webinar from the New Mexico Human Services and Health departments noted that the weekly updates on the COVID-19 pandemic would become bi-weekly with the next one April 7 — the next “Red to Green” update for counties.

Curry County made the green designation for the first time Wednesday, while Roosevelt County made the vaunted turquoise designation under the “Red to Green” reopening plan. Since Nov. 30, the state has measured counties every two weeks on the gating criteria of eight daily cases per 100,000 residents and test positivity of 5% or lower.

Wednesday’s update map had:

• Zero counties that were red (neither criteria met) for the first time.

• Ten yellow counties that made one of the two metrics.

• Ten green counties that met both metrics — including Curry, with 4.7 daily cases per 100,000 and test positivity of 1.6%.

• Ten turquoise counties that have met green designation for at least two consecutive data periods. Roosevelt made that list with 5.4 daily cases per 100,000 and 2.34% test positivity.

In response to Curry County reaching green status, the city of Clovis and Plains Regional Medical Center announced Thursday they would suspend daily COVID-19 hospital updates.

Human Services Secretary David Scrase, anticipating a flood of questions about the topic, said the state is looking at reducing its dependence on test positivity, but exactly how that would be achieved was still being discussed.

Discussed throughout the webinar were factors that lead to drops in testing — fewer positive cases, more vaccinations and fewer requirements for school districts to do surveillance testing in the yellow and green designations (12.5%, versus 25% for red counties).

“We’ve been thinking about this test positivity rate over the last six weeks ... now that we have vaccinations on the scene,” Scrase said. “We certainly want to find those metrics that are the best measurement of disease activity. Our desire is not to penalize counties.”

Scrase did note the state’s seven smallest counties would be measured going forward as having populations of 6,250 — meaning those counties will have to record seven or fewer positive tests in a two-week period to make the daily case rate metric. Under previous metrics, De Baca County had to stay under three total cases for two weeks to meet the case metric and Harding County couldn’t have a single case.

Scrase did say that mask mandates will likely stay in place for the foreseeable future, and that New Mexico isn’t looking to copy neighboring states on their COVID protocols.

“We have a lot more lower-income people, a lot more social vulnerability,” Scrase said. “Our plan is driven by the data we have on New Mexicans and our duty to uphold the public trust.”

In other COVID-related developments:

• Friday’s state update confirmed 238 new cases of COVID-19 statewide, including four in Curry County and none in Roosevelt County.

None of the seven deaths reported Friday were local, but three local deaths were reported Tuesday. They included a Curry County man in his 80s, a Curry County man in his 90s and a Roosevelt County man in his 60s. All three were hospitalized, and the latter two had underlying conditions. The deaths were the 71st and 72 for Curry County and the 53rd in Roosevelt County.

• The city of Clovis did send out a COVID update on Friday, reporting the Roy Walker Recreation Center would reopen to the public on Monday.

The facility will be open from 9 a.m.-4:50 p.m. weekdays, with masks required. The weight room can contain no more than four people, with a 30-minute limit if others are waiting, and must be cleaned between uses. Gyms 1 and 2 are each limited to 20 people, and masks must be worn at all times other than eating, drinking or actively participating in a sport.

Information: 575-769-7868.

• Health Secretary Tracie Collins said the state would receive 116,280 doses this week, including 12,100 of the Johnson and Johnson “one-shot” doses. That’s 20,000 more doses than the prior week.

As of Wednesday, Collins said, 39.6% of New Mexicans 16 or older had received at least one shot and 24.2% were fully vaccinated.

Regarding people who couldn’t get appointments for vaccines due to limited supplies, Scrase appealed to a community mindset; “every time anybody in New Mexico gets a vaccine, that lowers your chances of getting COVID.”

• Michael Edwards, director of the DOH’s scientific laboratory division, said the state has identified 68 different COVID-19 mutations in New Mexicans so far, but that none of them were significantly more contagious or dangerous than others and that COVID-safe practices in general are the best way to keep mutations down.