Quay County goes into green zone; more rules relaxed

Quay County vaulted from the yellow to green zone in COVID-19 risk assessments announced Wednesday by the New Mexico Department of Health, allowing further relaxation of health restrictions of businesses.

The state also modified the public health order Wednesday, allowing more day-to-day activities and commercial operations such as bars, recreational facilities and entertainment venues. The state added a level of COVID-19 risk – turquoise – for counties that have landed in the green zone for consecutive two-week periods.

State parks, which previously been open for day-use only for New Mexico residents, can be open to camping with reservations and day-use for all.

The new order reflects the state’s growing confidence the coronavirus pandemic is being brought under control.

The new turquoise level raises occupancy limits to 75% for most businesses. It also allows the reopening of large entertainment venues at 33% of maximum capacity for any indoor/enclosed space or 75% for outdoor space, recreational facilities at 50% of capacity of any indoors and 75% of any outdoor space, and bars and clubs at 33% of capacity of any indoor space or 75% outdoors.

Quay County reported 5.1 daily cases per 100,000 people and a test positivity rate of 2.87%. Both were well under the benchmarks of 8 daily cases per 100,000 and a 5% positivity rate.

Neighboring Harding and Union counties landed in the coveted turquoise zone, and De Baca county went into the green zone for the first time.

All but four of New Mexico’s 33 counties are in the yellow, green or turquoise zones. Only McKinley, Otero, Eddy and Dona Ana counties remain in the red zone.

The next date for COVID-19 assessments will be March 10.

There are Quay County’s new health regulations in the green zone:

-- Essential businesses (non-retail): No capacity restrictions but operations must be limited to only those absolutely necessary to carry out essential functions;

-- Essential retail spaces: 50% of maximum capacity (indoor and outdoor);

-- Food and drink establishments (if NM Safe Certified): 50% of maximum capacity for indoor dining; 75% of maximum capacity for outdoor dining;

-- Close-contact businesses: 50% of maximum capacity (indoor and outdoor);

-- Large entertainment venues: 25% of maximum capacity for any indoor/enclosed space on premises; 50% of any outdoor space on premises;

-- Recreational facilities: 25% of maximum capacity of any indoor/enclosed space on the premises; 50% of any outdoor space on the premises;

-- Bars and clubs: 25% of maximum capacity of any outdoor space on premises, where applicable; indoor not permitted;

-- All other businesses: 50% of maximum capacity (indoor and outdoor);

-- Houses of worship: May hold religious services, indoors or outdoors, or provide services through audiovisual means but may not exceed 50% of the maximum capacity of any enclosed space on the premises;

-- Places of lodging: 75% of maximum occupancy for those that have completed NM Safe Certified training; 40% of occupancy for all others; 10 guests maximum for vacation rentals;

-- Mass gatherings limit: 20 persons, 120 vehicles.