State renews public health orders as Omicron wanes

The New Mexico Department of Health renewed the statewide COVID-19 public health orders today, including the requirement that face coverings be worn by people in indoor public spaces except when eating or drinking.

The orders also renew the mask mandate for schools, reporting requirements related to COVID-19 infections in the workplace and vaccination requirements for nursing home, school and hospital workers, who must be “up-to-date” on their COVID-19 shots.

According to a press release, Department of Health data shows “Omicron case counts are trending lower but continue to hover around 3,000 per day statewide, requiring the extension of the mask mandate for the time being. The highly infectious nature of the Omicron variant requires continued vigilance until the number of New Mexico hospitalizations decrease.”

In Taos County, new daily infection rates continue to decline following the peak of the Omicron surge here midway through last month.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham directed the Department of Health to procure access for New Mexicans to more than four million free at-home COVID-19 tests, including those available through President Joe Biden’s test kit plan, according to the release. Multiple options to mail order or pick up free at-home COVID-19 tests can be accessed through findatestnm. org.

“Having tests on hand before exposure or illness can help protect our communities and keep our schools open, therefore everyone is encouraged to order or pick up their free at-home COVID-19 tests as soon as possible,” the release said.

Vaccination continues to be the best available tool to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

“As the vast majority of COVID19-related hospitalizations and deaths occur among the small number of unvaccinated New Mexicans, the Department of Health encourages everyone five years and older to stay up to date on their free vaccines and boosters,” the release said. “In fact, being unvaccinated has now been shown to increase the risk of death from COVID to over 90 times the risk if one is up to date with vaccination, which includes the primary series plus a booster.”

New Mexicans can sign up for free vaccine appointments at vaccinenm.org, vaccinenm.org/kids, or vaccine.gov.