NM to ban indoor dining again (Too many covid19 cases, Dem gov making NM even poorer)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | July 9, 2020 | Dan McKay

[CedarDave]

SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Thursday that New Mexico will tighten its public health restrictions and reimpose a ban on indoor dining to help combat an explosion of new coronavirus cases in much of the state.

Starting Monday, dining inside a restaurant will be prohibited, though outdoor and patio seating will be allowed at 50% capacity. Restaurants and breweries may also continue curbside pickup services.

New Mexico is also set to eliminate an exception to the state’s mask mandate that previously allowed people to exercise without wearing one.

Furthermore, the governor said, no contact sports will be allowed at New Mexico schools in the fall.

The changes are necessary, she said, to safeguard the lives of New Mexicans — another six of whom died from the virus, pushing the statewide death toll to 533.

By one estimate, Lujan Grisham said, the number of deaths could more than double within the next five weeks, unless there’s quick action.

The average number of new infections detected each day shot up 79% in a recent 16-day period, with “astronomical growth” in southeastern New Mexico, near Texas, Human Services Secretary David Scrase said.

“We are beginning to see the kind of community spread that is creating spikes around the country,” Lujan Grisham said Thursday in a public briefing broadcast from the Capitol.

Scrase said New Mexico’s case trends show signs of “the pandemic being out of control.” Lea County in southeastern New Mexico, he said, is emerging as a particular concern.

Adults in their 20s, meanwhile, are an increasing share of the infections, Scrase said, and “we’re starting to see more mortality in younger age groups.” There are signs, he said, of serious health problems even for younger people who contract the virus but don’t die.

[CedarDave]

I would be banned if I gave my heated opinion about this. Indoor dining is not the problem; conducting massive testing (including drive through with hundreds of cars lined up for blocks) is showing how prevalent the virus is with most not showing major symptoms. Also down here in Lea County there is widespread disregard for wearing masks when temps are 100+ and social distancing is rarely practiced in stores.

By the numbers: 14,251 positive cases, 533 deaths (mostly older adults with underlying conditions), and 154 hospitalized with covid-19.
Updated New Mexico COVID-19 cases: Now at 14,251

[Army Air Corps]

Sheesh. This is nuts.

[CedarDave]

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[Tijeras_Slim]

F-ing bitch.

[CedarDave]

Posted earlier today. Opinions differ on the ratings:

Covid-19 Risk Assessment Chart

[CedarDave]

That’s the consensus of most people around here, especially small business people.

[Morpheus2009]

Couldn’t a bar wash down with alcohol? Or are they still denying that protesters who scream with masks off and in dense crowds cannot spread it?

[CedarDave]

More layoffs of those just getting back to work in restaurants. I imagine there will be crowded eateries this weekend (the word “crowded” is relative).

[Morpheus2009]

The biggest problem I ever see with people wearing masks is the fact that they get hot and sweaty. People should have a restroom to wipe their sweaty faces or at least use sanitizer in their cars, or something.

[dp0622]

I heard that Texas banned its fair for the first time since world war II and they are getting over 10,000 cases a day. I think they have limited dining and closed bars. High number of people dying there now everyday too.

98 on July 7th compared to 15 in New York. Boy.

[Tijeras_Slim]

At least I got my first haircut since March 3rd today.

[colorado tanker]

The main reason I like visiting Santa Fe is to dine in the wonderful restaurants. I wonder how many will survive this Democrat Dictator?

[goodnesswins]

How old were they? What nationalit were they?

[Bonemaker]

NM answer to MI wretched Gretchen.

[Morpheus2009]

I wonder if she is denying medicine to COVID patients, like HCQ.

[Army Air Corps]

I live maybe an hour from the Texas-NM Border. I go to NM a few times per year just for fun. Many of my neighbours have second homes in NM, and a lot of them are really hacked-off these days.

[a fool in paradise]

All because Texas opened too soon?

Or because protests/disregard for further shutdown after 3 months?

[Gnome1949]

Have you noticed they won’t say who are those becoming infected. I thought contact tracing was supposed to identify this. My guess is southeastern New Mexico is seeing a spike in cases because of relaxed, Mexican border crossing restrictions.

[a fool in paradise]

Getting restaurant takeout is not very low risk. More kitchen staff are getting sick and some restaurants are even closing because of it. Not all of them tell the public why but some do.

[Morpheus2009]

In many places including my own state of Pennsylvania the tracing is rigged to the point where you automatically assume that people didn’t get it from protests.