Enchantment State News

News outlets are reporting that the New Mexico Department of Health’s gating criteria for reopening New Mexico’s society and economy in light of the COVID-19 pandemic have been met as of Aug. 20 even as Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham hasn’t disclosed possible changes to restrictions.

“Gating criteria are thresholds New Mexico must satisfy before beginning to relax social distancing restrictions and closures,” the New Mexico Department of Health stated. "Currently, the gating criteria consists of eight measures each with an assigned target. In evaluating reopening, officials will consider the state’s ability to achieve a decreasing transmission rate, adequate testing, expansive contact tracing and isolation and sufficient hospital capacity."

The New Mexico Department of Health said the criteria are assessed regularly and if the levels meet predetermined, evidence-based targets, the state will assess the ability to move to the next phase.

The New Mexico Department of Health’s website showed on Aug. 25 that most criteria was met, including a current rate of spread (“10-day rolling average”) of 1.01, with a target of 1.05 or less and a New Mexico daily cases (“7-day rolling average”)  at 124, below the 168 target. “Time from COVID-19 positive test result to quarantine of case contacts” was 47 hours, above the target of 36 hours or less, according to the Department of Health’s website.

New Mexico met its gating criteria as of Aug. 20, Tessa Mentus said, according to KOB 4 Eyewitness News.

“Is our governor going to reopen our state? We did what she asked. We met that new gating criteria, in fact, we are showing all those requirements, who is boss, so to speak,” Mentus told KOB 4 Eyewitness News.

Grisham told KOB 4 Eyewitness News in the next couple of weeks, they will introduce the next set of risks. 

“We’re two and a half plus weeks into really doing better. We’re close, so schools are my priority. I think they should be all of ours," Grisham said.

New Mexico’s emergency public health order that was extended July 30 is effective through Friday, Aug. 28, according to the Office of the Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham website.