Governor eases some restrictions
Dip in infection rate, daily caseload is encouraging, Lujan Grisham says
Citing positive trends in the battle against the novel coronavirus, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Thursday she would ease restrictions on youth sports practices, camping and some indoor recreation.
But the dip in the state’s overall infection rate and daily caseload in recent weeks wasn’t enough in the governor’s view to expand indoor dining and reopen bars, theaters and other venues where larger groups can gather.
“We continue to fight back against COVID-19 and in many ways win,” Lujan Grisham said in a news conference streamed live on Facebook. “It’s still out there. It’s still incredibly dangerous. Opening up because we meet one set of criteria in a day or a moment is the wrong thing to do.”
Youth sports teams can return to practice, but contact play remains off-limits, and no more than 10 athletes can compete in practice at one time.
Camping at state parks will reopen Oct. 1, with groups limited to 10 people.
Swimming pools, ice skating rinks and pumpkin patches also can operate with a maximum of 10 in a group. Before, pools were only allowed to offer lane swimming.
With the exception of swimming, all the activities require people to wear masks.
The transmission rate has dropped to 0.89 — below the state’s goal of 1.05. An infection rate less than 1 means the virus’ spread is slowing significantly.
About 2 percent of New Mexicans who are tested for the virus turn out to be infected, one of the lowest positivity rates in the country, Lujan Grisham said.
And the seven-day average of cases in New Mexico was 90 this week, well below the state’s target of 168.
The governor found the data encouraging but said New Mexico must keep showing improvement for at least five more weeks before she’ll consider further reopening.
The New Mexico Republican Party called the partial reopening a “piecemeal, illogical approach.”
“Just easing restrictions on youth sports, camping and pumpkin patches ... is not going to get New Mexico moving again,” party leaders said in a statement. “Data show we are doing better than our neighboring states, but the governor refuses to allow our economy to reopen, basing her decisions on her ‘science.’ Her lack of action means more students will continue to fall behind because they cannot attend class. Our tourism industry is dying and quarantines remain in place.”
Lujan Grisham said one reason for the added caution is that a larger percentage of New Mexicans are sicker and have more chronic conditions than in neighboring Colorado, where the governor is more aggressive in reopening.
New Mexico also has far fewer health care resources than Colorado, she said.
“It’s determining how much risk you’re willing to undertake,” Lujan Grisham said.
A sobering national statistic is that 45 percent of children who die of COVID-19 are Hispanic, she said, citing a federal report released Tuesday.
“There’s a lot to lose here,” Lujan Grisham said.
A recent study shows New Mexico’s economy is faring as well as states such as Arizona that reopened more quickly and had to shut back down, she said.
Meanwhile, state officials are working to address isolation and other problems related to the COVID-19 crisis, the governor said.
“There is no playbook for this pandemic,” she said, adding, “the challenges for every family in New Mexico are considerable.”
State Environment Secretary James Kenney said the agency has completed 2,503 rapid responses to workplace reports of infections among employees.
Rapid responses peaked in July and have since dropped, he said, adding there were only seven reported cases in the past week.
The health care industry has the most rapid responses, accounting for 18.5 percent of investigations. Retail and wholesale vendors came next at 13 percent, followed by restaurants at 11.8 percent.
The average time a business is closed when there is a rapid response is about one day, Kenney said.
“Most businesses are receptive” to having officials investigate when an employee tests positive, he said.
The governor said she knows many residents are itching to get back to normal but noted the pandemic is far from over and the virus will always be here.
It’s best to take a slow, measured approach, using science to gauge progress at every step, she said.
“New Mexico will be safer, healthier over the long run,” the governor said.
In other news, Pam Coleman, who oversees the state’s census efforts, joined the conference to encourage everyone to fill out their household census forms.
“My message to everyone listening ... if you’re waiting for the perfect time to get counted, today’s the day,” Coleman said. “If you’re waiting, please don’t wait any longer.”
The deadline to complete the census is Sept. 30.
Coleman said 88.6 percent of New Mexicans have already participated in the census. The state receives $7.8 billion in federal aid each year based on census data.
“We’re counting on you, New Mexico, to get counted,” Coleman said.