Coronavirus Update – April 7, 2020

Coronavirus updates for Grant County for Tuesday, April 7, 2020. Our guest is Maryann Marlar, a volunteer who has taken on sewing face masks and gowns for Gila Regional Medical Center. She will talk to us today about the urgent need for volunteers to help make gowns for the hospital.

Coronavirus Update is a local radio show that provides the latest information you need to know on local community strategies to slow the spread of the Coronavirus and protect yourself, your family and our community during this public health crisis. Brought to you by Gila-Mimbres Community Radio, Gila Resources Information Project, Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities Grant County and National Center for Frontier Communities.

Send us your updates to coronavirusupdategrantcounty@gmail.com

NM Dept of Health COVID-19 Hotline 1-855-600-3453 or visit cv.nmhealth.org

Coronavirus Information Hotline at 1-833-551-0518 or visit newmexico.gov

Message from Grant County’s health care providers – video

Donations to Community COVID-19 Response – Grant County Community Foundation

Coronavirus Update Resource Page – gmcr.org/coronavirus-resources

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CVU is broadcast live weekdays at Noon and
rebroadcast following Democracy Now! at 6pm and 8am

Or listen to this episode at your convenience via this link…
CVU / Coronavirus Update – April 7, 2020

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April 7, 2020 – Updates as of 10 am – Please note: Because we are producing this show remotely, these updates are current as of 10 am. Information on this page can change quickly, including Coronavirus Updates from previous days. Please visit gmcr.org/category/coronavirus-update to see the latest updates.

There are 686 positive cases of COVID-19 in New Mexico, with 12 deaths in the state according to the latest NM Dept. of Health press release (press release).  Grant County currently has 3 positive cases of coronavirus. 48 individuals have been hospitalized in New Mexico for the virus and 133 have been designated as recovered by the New Mexico Department of Health. 

As a reminder — New Mexicans who report symptoms of COVID-19 infection, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath, please call your health care provider or the NMDOH COVID-19 hotline immediately at 1-855-600-3453). 

With COVID-19 cases still rising in New Mexico, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Monday extended her public health emergency order (press release) and announced the extension of related public health orders to encourage social distancing and preserve safety equipment for health care workers. Per the order, all guidance and advisories issued by the governor and secretary of health are in effect through at least April 30. 

Intended to aggressively limit person-to-person contact in the state, the amended emergency public health order closes all non-essential businesses except for remote work. Liquor stores, payday loan businesses and auto dealerships were added to the list of non-essential businesses. Retail stores that are deemed essential such as grocery stores are ordered to limit the number of customers to 20% of maximum capacity to facilitate social distancing. 

The order continues to strongly advise that New Mexicans “stay at home and undertake only those outings absolutely necessary for their health, safety or welfare” and further restricts “mass gatherings” of five or more individuals in outdoor spaces.

More information at cv.nmhealth.org

The state Department of Health has recommended that New Mexicans wear cloth, non-medical masks when traveling outside the home for essential outings in alignment with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Video of how to make a face mask)

The CDC has advised “the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.” 

According to the CDC, cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children younger than 2 years of age, anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cover without assistance.

The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators.  Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.

More information at cdc.gov

Gila Regional Medical Center COVID-19 screening and testing clinic will open on Wednesday according to the hospital’s website (grmc.org)

The hospital is now accepting outpatient appointments for persons with new onset of fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, body aches or other flu-like symptoms or if you believe you have been exposed to COVID 19.

• Telephone screening will be done when you call for an appointment. Once scheduled, please ensure you arrive to your appointment 10 minutes prior to the time you were given.
• Bring your photo ID and if you have insurance, bring your insurance card. Upon arrival to the clinic, you will be directed where to park and what to do.
• Please remain in your car. No more than one other person should be in the car with you. If you have a mask, please wear it to your appointment.
• The screening process for COVID-19 will be used to determine whether you will get tested.

The COVID-19 screening and testing clinic is located across the street from the hospital at 1260 E. 32nd Street, Silver City in the La Montaña Plaza.

Testing is conducted by appointment only. Call 575-388-4130 for an appointment.

Testing is done 8:00am to 4:00pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday ONLY

More information at Gila Regional Medical Center’s website at grmc.org

Because the Gila Regional Medical Center COVID-19 screening and testing clinic has begun, Silver Health Care’s drive through testing at its Bayard and Silver City clinics has been discontinued.

Please visit our website at GMCR.org for all of today’s updates and additional resources. And remember to send us your updates and questions — email us at coronavirusupdategrantcounty@gmail.com or post on facebook @GilaMimbresCommunityRadio.

If you missed part of today’s show, Coronavirus Update is rebroadcast at 6pm and 8 am Monday through Friday and past shows are available 24/7 at gmcr.org.

RESOURCES FROM INTERVIEW WITH MARYANN MARLAR

If you’d like to volunteer for making gowns for Gila Regional Medical Center – cutting, sewing, etc. – please contact Maryann Marlar who is coordinating volunteers. Email her at maryann_marlar@yahoo.com

If you have fabric (greater than 400 thread count) to donate, you can drop it off on the porch at 1515 Cheyenne St. Silver City.

If you’d like to make a donation to this effort, please contact Johanna Grammer at Gila Regional Medical Center Human Resources at 575-538-4076