State details county reopening system

New Mexico’s governor and the Department of Health on Friday announced a partial relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions this week and details about a reopening system for counties, but it appeared doubtful Quay County would land in the coveted green zone when the system goes into effect Wednesday.

The rating system becomes effective Dec. 2 when Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s two-week “reset” of a shutdown of in-person business at non-essential workplaces ends. Counties would be allowed to further reopen their economies based on a per capita number of COVID-19 cases and test-positivity rates.

“The county-by-county framework enables counties, and the businesses and nonprofits within their borders, to operate with fewer restrictions when they slow the spread of the virus and drive down test positivity rates,” the governor stated in a news release Friday. “It’s been a difficult year and an especially difficult past month. We must remain as vigilant as ever to contain and beat the virus; we also must look for ways to lessen the burden on our communities wherever possible, while never swerving from our top priority – protecting New Mexicans and saving lives.”

Green, yellow and red levels depend on whether a county has reached a gating criteria of fewer than eight daily cases per 100,000 residents and/or a test positivity rate at or below 5%. Counties in the red zone have a “very high” risk of COVID-19. Those designated in the yellow zone have high risk. Those deemed in the green zone have a medium risk.

According to an online COVID-19 map maintained by the Department of Health, Quay County’s per-capita cases was 64.7 per 100,000 people with a test-positivity rate of 16.1% from Nov. 10 to Nov. 23 — far above both benchmarks.

The county also recorded 19 cases and a test-positivity rate of 15.4% from Nov. 24 to Nov. 29, according to Quay County Sun calculations. Quay County cannot record more than nine cases during a two-week period and stay below the rate of eight daily cases per 100,000 people.

Based on previous ratings, 32 of the state’s 33 counties are in red zone, including Quay. Los Alamos County was in the yellow zone.

Red zone

These are the new restrictions that take effect in red-zone counties Wednesday:

• Essential retail spaces: 25% capacity or 75 customers, whichever is smaller;

• Food and drink establishment: No indoor dining permitted, with 25% capacity for outdoor dining; any establishment that serves alcohol must close by 9 p.m.;

• Close-contact businesses: 10 customers or 25% capacity, whichever is smaller;

• Outdoor recreational facilities: 25% capacity, or lower if stipulated under New Mexico COVID-Safe Practices;

• Close-contact recreational facilities will remain closed;

• All other businesses: 25% capacity or 75 customers, whichever is smaller;

• Houses of worship: 25% capacity;

• Places of lodging: 40% occupancy with completion of NM Safe Certified training or 25% of occupancy otherwise. Vacation rentals are limited to five guests;

• Mass gatherings defined as five persons or 10 vehicles.

Yellow counties

Counties in the yellow zone meet one of the two gating criteria. Those counties would be under these restrictions:

• Essential retail spaces: 25% capacity or 125 customers, whichever is smaller;

• Food and drink establishment: Indoor dining at 25% capacity or 75% capacity for outdoor dining; any establishment that serves alcohol must close by 10 p.m.;

• Close-contact businesses: 20 customers or 25% capacity, whichever is smaller;

• Outdoor recreational facilities: 25% capacity, or lower if stipulated under New Mexico COVID-Safe Practices;

• Close-contact recreational facilities would remain closed;

• All other businesses: 25% capacity or 125 customers, whichever is smaller;

• Houses of worship: 25% capacity;

• Places of lodging: 60% of occupancy with completion of NM Safe Certified training or 25% of occupancy otherwise. Vacation rentals are limited to five guests;

• Mass gatherings defined as 10 persons or 25 vehicles.

Green counties

Counties in the green zone have met both gating marks. Those counties would be under these restrictions:

• Essential retail spaces: 50% capacity;

• Food and drink establishment: 50% capacity for indoor dining and 75% capacity for outdoor dining;

• Close-contact businesses: 50% capacity;

• Outdoor recreational facilities: 50% capacity or lower if stipulated under New Mexico COVID-Safe Practices;

• Close-contact recreational facilities will remain closed;

• All other businesses: 50% capacity;

• Houses of worship: 50% capacity;

• Places of lodging: 75% of occupancy with completion of NM Safe Certified training and 40% of occupancy otherwise. Vacation rentals limited to 10 guests;

• Mass gatherings defined as 20 persons or 100 vehicles.

The state on Wednesday will update each county’s current level at cv.nmhealth.org and will provide updates every other Wednesday that includes Dec. 16, Dec. 30, Jan. 13 and Jan. 27.

A county that meets the metrics for a less-restrictive level can operate under that level immediately. A county that must move to a more restrictive level must do so within 48 hours.

Regardless of a county’s level, the state would require facial masks in public and would maintain a COVID-19 watchlist that subjects an establishment to a 14-day closing after four rapid responses in a 14-day period.

The Eastern New Mexico News contributed to this report.