Socorro County positivity rate drops to under one percent.

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Health on Wednesday announced the updated statewide COVID-19 map for the two-week period beginning March 24, which shows Socorro County with a 0.22 percent positivity rate. This means stores can serve up to 75 percent maximum occupancy.

Specifically:

  • 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 percent of maximum capacity (indoor and outdoor)
  • Food and drink establishments (if NM Safe Certified): 75 percent of maximum capacity for indoor and outdoor dining.
  • Close-contact businesses: 75 percent of maximum capacity; no restrictions on outdoor spaces.
  • Large entertainment venues: 33 percent of maximum capacity for any indoor and outdoor space on premises.
  • Recreational facilities: 50 percent of maximum capacity of any indoor/enclosed space and 75 perecent of any outdoor space on premises.
  • Bars and clubs: 33 percent of maximum capacity of any indoor space and 75 percent of any outdoor space.
  • **All other businesses: 75 percent of maximum capacity indoors; no restrictions on outdoor spaces.
  • Houses of worship: May hold religious services, indoors or outdoors, or provide services through audiovisual means, but may not exceed 75 perecent 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 percent of maximum occupancy for all others; 15 guests maximum for vacation rentals.
  • Mass gatherings limit: 150 persons, or 200 vehicles

Counties at the Turquoise Level have both a new COVID-19 case incidence rate of no greater than 8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants during the most recent four-week period, and an average percent of positive COVID-19 test results over the most recent four-week period less than or equal to 5%.

In addition to Socorro, there are 12 New Mexico counties at the Turquoise Level and 10 at the Green Level, at which there are fewer restrictions on commercial and day-to-day activities amid decreased virus risk. The majority of the state’s counties are now at or approaching the least restrictive levels.

Ten counties are at the Yellow Level as of March 24. None are at the Red Level, signifying the highest risk.

Seventeen counties advanced to a less restrictive level since the most recent biweekly map update.

Even as New Mexico rapidly vaccinates eligible populations with all available supply, it is important that New Mexicans still seek out COVID-19 tests if they feel symptomatic, if they have traveled, if they have spent time unmasked in the company of others – particularly non-household members and particularly indoors. Getting tested not only helps slow the spread; it helps counties maintain their risk levels and advance to less restrictive levels when the viral risk in the community is sufficiently reduced. Please seek out COVID-19 testing at togethernm.org.

The state’s county-by-county system uses key health metrics – the per-capita daily incidence of new COVID-19 cases and average COVID-19 test positivity within county borders – to determine the level of public health risk and requirement for each county. A county that meets one criterion may operate at the Yellow Level; a county that meets both may operate at the Green Level. A county that has met both for two consecutive biweekly map updates may operate at the Turquoise Level.

Counties that met both of the health metric thresholds for two consecutive biweekly map updates and may operate at the Turquoise Level beginning March 24 are: Catron, De Baca, Hidalgo, Lea, Los Alamos, McKinley, Quay, Roosevelt, San Juan, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro and Union.

Counties that met both of the health metric thresholds and may operate at the Green Level beginning March 24 are: Chaves, Colfax, Curry, Eddy, Guadalupe, Lincoln, Mora, Rio Arriba, Taos and Torrance.

Counties that met one of the health metric thresholds and may operate at the Yellow Level beginning March 24 are: Bernalillo, Cibola, Dona Ana, Grant, Harding, Luna, Otero, Sandoval, San Miguel and Valencia.

Counties that met neither of the health metric thresholds and must operate at the Red Level are: none.

The color-coded tier system – Red Level, Yellow Level, Green Level and Turquoise Level – enables counties to shed restrictions and provide local communities the flexibility to operate more day-to-day activities as soon as public health data show the virus is retreating within their borders.

The public health order, the red-to-green framework and frequently asked questions are all available at cv.nmhealth.org/redtogreen, where New Mexicans can also view the test positivity rate and new case incidence for each county.

The categories and definitions for each risk level are available below and available at cv.nmhealth.org/redtogreen.

 

 

El Defensor Chieftain