Reset worked; more action needed
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This graph shows the effect of New Mexico’s two-week shutdown. The blue bars represent new daily COVID-19 positives, and the orange line is the virus’ curve in the state. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said, “If we continue to act like we did during the rest, staying home and not giving the virus opportunities to spread, we will continue to see results.” Diego Lopez -CC
CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – The New Mexico reset worked to slow the spread of COVID-19, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.
Cibola County was climbing steadily with cases until the reset, this week the county’s positives only increased 6.4 percent, but the county’s deaths increased 11.3 percent from 44 to 49 deaths in a week.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said, “If we continue to act like we did during the reset, staying home and not giving the virus opportunities to spread, we will continue to see results.”
New Mexico Health and Human Services Department Secretary Dr. David Scrase explained the new system.
Red to green
Typically, in New Mexico when the question “red or green?” is asked, its about chile, but COVID-19 is changing that for counties. The new system from the state is from red to green, with each different color level meaning different restrictions on public gatherings and stores.
Red level, which Cibola County is in currently, means that there is a “very high risk” in the county. In red level counties restrictions are the most severe and include no dine-in service, gatherings limited to no larger than five people and stores with a capacity of 75 people.
In yellow level the COVID-19 risk is “high.” There is only one yellow county, San Miguel, last week the only yellow county was Los Alamos. In this level gatherings can have no more than 10 people; stores can have 125 customers; and restaurants can offer in-person dining at 25 percent.
With green level, which no county in New Mexico is in, the COVID-19 risk is “medium.” Gatherings can be no larger than 20 people, restaurants can offer dine-in services at 50 percent and there are no restrictions on retail store capacity, but stores must only operate with the amount of staff necessary.