NMED News:
New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) has updated its daily COVID-19 Watchlist, which includes New Mexico places of employment that have had two or more rapid responses in the last 14 days.
There are currently 65 establishments on the watchlist.
A rapid response is initiated when the state learns of a positive COVID-19 case in the workplace. NMED or the state agency initiating the rapid response will offer direction to organizations regarding testing, quarantining and isolating, disinfecting, and COVID-Safe Practices.
Thursday’s watchlist contains a smaller number of facilities than the one published Wednesday, as NMED identified some cases of duplicated data and other data quality issues. This week, the watchlist will only include organizations for which NMED conducts the rapid response, which include grocery stores, restaurants, retail stores, gyms, salons, business offices and others.
The Department will include other establishments on the watchlist beginning next week.
The Rapid Response COVID-19 Watchlist allows the public to make more informed decisions when patronizing establishments and also assists NMED’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau and other state and local regulatory agencies in evaluating whether organizations are complying with state public health orders and COVID-Safe Practices. State regulatory agencies may initiate compliance investigations and/or exercise enforcement in situations where these organizations fail to adhere to required practices.
Beginning today, Oct. 23, certain places of employment that have four rapid responses within the last 14 days will be required to cease operations for two weeks to prevent further spread of COVID-19. These facilities also will be listed online. This closure requirement will apply to food and drink establishments, close-contact businesses as defined in the public health order, retail spaces, places of lodging and other places of business presenting an extreme public health risk as determined by the Department of Health.
The current Rapid Response COVID-19 Watchlist can be seen here. For the latest information on COVID-19 in New Mexico, visit https://cv.nmhealth.org/.