County barely stays in turquoise zone

Quay County stayed in the turquoise zone during the latest two-week COVID-19 risk assessment announced Wednesday but by a much less comfortable margin.

The county recorded 6.8 daily cases per 100,000 people during the April 6 to April 19 period, compared to 2.6 daily cases during the previous two-week period. The benchmark is 8 daily cases per 100,000 people.

Quay County’s test positivity rate also rose to 4.32% in the latest assessment, compared to 2.31% during the previous one. The benchmark is 5%.

It marked the second straight assessment period that coronavirus case numbers in the county had risen.

This time, Quay County’s numbers had been affected by a recent apparent outbreak of COVID-19 in the Logan ZIP code the prompted its school district to close its campus and go to remote learning until early May. Seven cases had been reported in Logan in about a week.

All other counties surrounding Quay County were in the green or turquoise except for sparsely populated Harding, which backslid into the yellow zone after one reported case there last week.

Over 50% of New Mexico’s counties now are in the green or turquoise zone. The only county in the red was Colfax.

The next assessment will be announced May 5.

Here are the health restrictions for counties in the turquoise zone, including Quay:

• 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: 75% of maximum capacity (indoor and outdoor);

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

• Close-contact businesses: 75% of maximum capacity; no restrictions on outdoor spaces;

• Large entertainment venues: 33% of maximum capacity for any indoor/enclosed space on premises; 75% of any outdoor space on premises;

• Recreational facilities: 50% of maximum capacity of any indoor/enclosed space on the premises; 75% of any outdoor space on premises;

• Bars and clubs: 33% of maximum capacity of any indoor/enclosed space on premises; 75% of any outdoor space on premises, where applicable;

• All other businesses: 75% of maximum capacity indoors; no restrictions on outdoor spaces;

• Churches: May hold religious services, indoors or outdoors, or provide services through audiovisual means, but may not exceed 75% of the maximum capacity of any enclosed space on the premises;

• Places of lodging: No maximum occupancy restrictions for those that have completed NM Safe Certified training; 50% of maximum occupancy for all others; 15 guests maximum for vacation rentals;

• Mass gatherings limit: 150 persons, or 200 vehicles.