Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The state of New Mexico on Wednesday morning amended its emergency public health order to accommodate slightly increased capacity inside essential retail spaces as cold weather grips much of the state.
The changes in the graduated green-to-red of coronavirus risk spread for each county state that essential retail spaces:
— May operate at 50% of maximum occupancy in green-zone counties;
— May operate at 33% of maximum occupancy in yellow-zone counties;
— May operate at 25% of maximum occupancy in red-zone counties.
Previously, essential retail spaces could operate with a limit on maximum occupancy or a specific number of customers at one time, whichever was smaller. The amendment eliminates the latter.
Quay County is in the red zone and almost certainly will remain in it when COVID-risk evaluations all New Mexico counties are announced later Wednesday. The previous restriction for essential businesses in red zones was 25% maximum occupancy or 75 customers at a time, whichever is smaller.
“With colder weather here, we want to ensure that people aren't gathering in lines for an unsafe length of time, especially in communities where there are fewer retail options for essential needs,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a news release announcing the change in the order.
Essential retail spaces, as defined in the emergency public health order, include grocery stores, supermarkets, food banks, farmers’ markets and vendors who sell food, convenience stores and other businesses that generate more than one-third of their revenue from the sale of canned food, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, pet food, animal feed or supplies, fresh meats, fish, and poultry and any other consumable food and drink products; automobile repair facilities, bike repair facilities and retailers who generate the majority of their revenue from the sale of automobile or bike repair products; hardware stores; laundromats; and dry cleaner services.
The state is encouraging essential retailers to set designated hours for senior citizens or high-risk populations. Officials also are asking residents to limit outings and the number of people who travel on those outings.