Mask misinterpretations

A random check of Tucumcari restaurants along the Route 66 corridor at lunchtime Thursday found employees at six of seven restaurants weren't following the governor's day-old mandate to wear protective masks against the coronavirus pandemic.

Those contacted by the Quay County Sun indicated they weren't being deliberate scofflaws. Several apparently misinterpreted a poorly constructed sentence during Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's press briefing about the new rules for restaurants. Others said they weren't notified about it.

The rule and other new mandates were part of a "preparation phase" before the governor plans to partially reopen the state's economy May 15 after weeks of restrictions in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Part of the confusion over the mask mandate for restaurants sprang from this sentence during Lujan Grisham's afternoon press briefing May 5: "Effective May 6: Employees at restaurants and essential businesses operating as a retail space with footprint greater than 50,000 square feet will be required to wear face-coverings."

The sentence was in a graphic displayed during the briefing broadcast on television and the internet and also was posted on the governor's Facebook account.

That sentence led several restaurant managers and employees contacted Thursday to believe the May 6 mandate applied only to restaurants and businesses over 50,000 square feet in size. No business that large exists in Quay County.

They said they thought the mask mandate wouldn't take effect until Monday, where the governor stated "all essential businesses of any size currently operating under the public health order must comply with the face covering requirement" that day.

The governor's press secretary later May 5 emailed a press release that provided more clarity:

"Beginning Wednesday, May 6, all large grocery and large retail spaces (those greater than 50,000 square feet in size) and all restaurants currently operating curbside and delivery service will be required to ensure that all employees have at least cloth face coverings."

The release contained a second sentence after that: "All employees must wear their face coverings in the workplace at all times when in the presence of others."

That news release mostly is sent to news media. Few restaurant owners generally are privy to such information.

Todd Duplantis, a Tucumcari city commissioner who operates three restaurants in Quay County, acknowledged he thought the mask mandate applied only to 50,000-square-foot restaurants until the wider order took effect Monday. He scrambled to pass along new instructions to his employees once he learned about the clarified language in the press release.

"Everyone's in a tizzy - I'm in a tizzy - and it's frustrating," he said during a phone interview Thursday. "I watched her speech yesterday; I understood it for one thing, and now it's something different today. And we personally don't get anything official from them. And I found out from you there was a different directive."

Restaurants with employees that didn't wear masks during random checks Thursday at lunchtime were La Cita, Loretta's Burrito Hut, Cornerstone Deli, Pow Wow Restaurant, Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant and Rubee's Diner.

A Rubee's employee who wouldn't give her name said, "We were under the understanding (the mask mandate) didn't start until Monday."

Others said they had no knowledge a mask rule had gone into effect.

"I think we're all confused about what we're supposed to do anymore," La Cita manager Yolanda Martinez said.

The only employees seen wearing masks Thursday afternoon during the random check were at Del's Restaurant.

"We're wearing them, but it's not by choice," co-owner Yvette Peacock said.

A New Mexico Department of Health spokesman emailed Thursday by the Quay County Sun with questions about restaurants' confusion over the wording of the governor's statement stated he would get "back to you ASAP" but did not reply by deadline.

Duplantis said he took steps weeks ago to ensure his employees at Kix on 66 and Cornerstone Deli in Tucumcari and Mama T's Road to Ruin in Logan had sufficient supplies of personal protective equipment, including masks.

"We've had everything we've needed since the first restrictions came out," he said. "I've had some made; some people donated them. I've handed them out and kept them with all my employees."

Duplantis also remarked he and his masked employees assume more risk from the virus than his non-masked customers.

"If they get sick, it's on my dime," he said.

Employees at Lowe's Market in Tucumcari wore masks Thursday afternoon after none wore them the previous week. The grocery also had taped messages that stated "Protect your community - wear a mask" and "Be hip - wear a mask" near the entrance and exit. The market wouldn't have been required to have employees wear masks until Monday.

Lujan Grisham also announced during last week's briefing that full-time child-care professionals would receive an additional $700 a month and part-time $350 a month as "hazard pay" for their work during the health emergency. The money would come from the federal coronavirus relief bill.

She also said the state would make available $12 million to child-care providers damaged by the health emergency.

If efforts to slow the virus' spread are working, Lujan Grisham said she would announce the first phase of the state's economy reopening that would include:

• All retailers would be allowed to reopen at 20% fire-code capacity with COVID-19 safety measures;

• Restaurants would be allowed to reopen at 50% occupancy but with no stool or stand-up service;

• Gyms, hotels, salons and churches would be able to reopen in a limited fashion.

Theaters would remain closed, and a ban on mass gatherings would remain in effect.