Coronavirus updates for Grant County for Wednesday , July 8, 2020. Our guest today on Coronavirus Update is Jason Espinoza, Executive Director of the New Mexico Society of Association Executives and he’ll be talking about the new COVID-Safe Practices Certification Program – NM Safe Certified – now available for free to New Mexico businesses.
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 info@grantcountycoronavirusupdate.org
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
NM Crisis & Access Line, 24/7, 1-855-662-7474; nmcrisisline.com
Message from Grant County’s health care providers –video
Donations to Community COVID-19 Response – Grant County Community Foundation
Grant County Coronavirus Update website – grantcountycoronavirusupdate.org
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 – July 8, 2020
As of Today – Wednesday, July 8 – 13,727 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in New Mexico, with 519 deaths, 133 currently hospitalized individuals, and 5986 recoveries according to the New Mexico Department of Health.
Since last week Grant County has reported 6 additional cases with 24 total cases of COVID-19 with 17 recovered.
In total, 385,242 COVID-19 tests have been performed in the state, with 3,090 having been conducted in Grant County.
For a full breakdown of COVID-19 cases by county and demographic information, visit the state’s COVID-19 data dashboard at: cvprovider.nmhealth.org/public-dashboard
Every New Mexican must work together to stem the spread of COVID-19. Get tested. Stay home, especially if you are sick. Wear a mask or face covering when in public and around others. Maintain a distance of 6 feet from others when in public spaces.
New Mexicans who report symptoms of COVID-19 infection, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and/or loss of taste or smell should call their health care provider or the NMDOH COVID-19 hotline immediately (1-855-600-3453).
More COVID-19 health information is available at cv.nmhealth.org
PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER EXTENDED THROUGH JULY 15
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham last week extended the state’s emergency public health order through July 15 and issued a severe warning about the risk of New Mexico being forced to re-enact more severe public health restrictions in order to curb the spread of COVID-19 across the state.
Reflecting the rising case count and COVID-19 transmission rate in all regions of the state, the state’s amended emergency public health order does not enact any additional easings of public health restrictions intended to mitigate the spread of the virus.
The governor and state health officials said that “Phase Two” of the state’s reopening would be on hold until public health conditions warrant further relaxations of restrictions and the state’s gating criteria could once again be met.
The governor warned New Mexicans that the spread of COVID-19 in New Mexico and beyond – with visitors continuing to come into the state and New Mexicans traveling and returning without adherence to the state’s public health requirements and advisories – presents the possibility that the state will this month be forced to reinstitute certain business closures to protect the health and safety of residents as well as the state’s health care capacity.
State officials expressed concern about rising positivity among younger cohorts of New Mexicans. This week the largest group of news cases is among individuals in the 20-to-29-year-old age group and the second-highest group of new cases is among individuals from age 30-to-39 according to the Department of Health.
New Mexicans are once again urged to restrict travel outside of the home to the bare minimum. In order to underscore the importance of wearing face-coverings for all emergent and necessary travel outside of the home, the governor announced that the state will aggressively enforce the mandatory face-covering requirement for all residents in public places. In accordance with state law, violators will be subject to a $100 fine. In addition, retailers will now be required to ensure that their customers are wearing face coverings in order to enter store premises.
COVID-19 cases are rising precipitously in neighboring states and indeed across the U.S. Therefore the governor announced a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all out-of-state travelers into New Mexico, whether traveling by air or by vehicle. Hotels and other places of lodging are expected to enforce the 14-day travel quarantine for any out-of-state visitors and report non-compliance to state health authorities.
The public health order is available at cv.nmhealth.org
WHERE CAN I GET FACE MASKS/FACE COVERINGS?
If you need a face mask or cloth face covering, there are a number of places here locally through which you can purchase them.
Businesses needing disposable face masks can purchase them through the PPE Bank managed by the Silver City/Grant County Chamber of Commerce. Call the Chamber at 575-538-3785 to arrange a time for purchase and pick up. The cost is $18.50 per box of 50 and there is a limit of 2 boxes per business.
You can also request a cloth face covering through the Grant County Coronavirus Update website. Fill out the form at grantcountycoronavirusupdate.org/i-need-a-face-mask/ and you’ll be sent a mask in the mail.
For a $5 donation, you can get a cloth face covering at the Silver City Farmers’ Market on Wednesday’s 9 am — 12 pm at Ace Hardware Parking Lot and on Saturdays 9 am — 12 pm at the corner of Pope St. and College Avenue in the old Life Quest parking lot.
There are a number of downtown Silver City businesses that are selling face masks including: All My Momma’s Junk, Animalia, the Grant County Art Guild, Javalina Coffee House, Kris’s Unique Boutique, The Market Place, Morning Star, Pretty Sweet Emporium, Single Socks and at the Silco Theater Concessions.
You can also get directions for Do -it Yourself face coverings on our website at grantcountycoronavirusupdate.org
LOCAL COVID-19 TESTING
Please take note of changes in local COVID-19 testing schedules and procedures.
Grant County Public Health Office will provide free testing every Monday from 8:00a.m. to 11:00a.m. for utility workers and Food Industry Workers. Appointments are required and must be scheduled by calling Grant County Public Health Office at 575-538-5318 (ext. 4) by noon on the preceding Friday.
Testing will also be conducted every Tuesday from 8:30a.m. to 11:00a.m. for anyone at the Grant County Public Health Office.
Testing is free, but those who have insurance should bring their card with them.
Throat swab and nasal swab testing options are available.
Appointments can be scheduled by registering on the following website: cvtestreg.nmhealth.org Once registered, you will receive a code. Please save this code and use it when making your appointment by calling: 575-538-5318 (ext. 4).
The Grant County Public Health Office is located at 2610 N. Silver Street (across the street from the Swimming Pool).
CVS Pharmacy Drive-thru in Silver City is making Self-swab tests available to individuals meeting CDC criteria, in addition to state and age guidelines. Patients must register in advance at CVS.com
Hidalgo Medical Services (HMS) in Silver City is doing testing on weekdays except for Tuesday at their clinic at 1007 Pope Street in Silver City and at their Lordsburg clinic on weekdays except for Thursdays at 530 De Moss Street. Call 1-888-271-3596 for an appointment. Testing is expanded to everyone via a drive-up testing approach.
HMS has also recently acquired a Mobile COVID testing clinic. The Mobile Clinic will be in Hurley tomorrow July 9 from 9:00am to 3:00p.m. at the Gateway Grill, 18000 US HWY 180, Hurley. This is a walk-in clinic so no appointment is necessary. For more information, call HMS at 888-271-3596.
Additional rural areas will be serviced over the coming weeks.
And please note that Gila Regional Medical Center is no longer conducting COVID-19 testing, given increased capacity at other local facilities.
GOVERNOR LUJAN GRISHAM SIGNS MEASURE TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES RECOVER FROM COVID-19
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday delivered hundreds of millions of dollars for low-interest, low-risk loans to help small New Mexico businesses recover financially from COVID-19.
The Small Business Recovery Act of 2020 allocates $400 million from the state’s $5 billion Severance Tax Permanent Fund for loans to small New Mexico businesses and nonprofits and almost $50 million for loans to local governments.
Eligible businesses and nonprofits may borrow two times their average monthly expenses up to a maximum of $75,000. The measure sets the interest rate at one-half the prime rate on the day the loan is made. The initial loan period is three years.
The loan program is limited to businesses and nonprofits with 2019 annual gross revenue of less than $5 million and whose April or May income dropped 30 percent or more compared to the same month in 2019.
For a local government to be eligible, it must have experienced at least a 10 percent decline in operating revenue in fiscal year 2020 due to the economic impacts of the coronavirus disease.
The New Mexico Finance Authority will administer the program. The agency anticipates being able to accept applications beginning August 3, 2020.
The legislation, sponsored by Sens. John Sapien, Jacob Candelaria and Sander Rue and Reps. Marian Matthews and Daymon Ely, passed the Senate 26-11 and the House 59-5 during June’s special legislative session.
More information at nmfa.net
$67 MILLION IN PANDEMIC EBT CARDS TO BE ISSUED THIS WEEK
About 168,000 New Mexico families whose children receive free or reduced-price lunch
at school will receive $67 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, or food stamps, this week, the Human Services Department announced yesterday.
The benefits will be issued on Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer cards in the name of the oldest child in each household and mailed out this week.
More than 250,000 school-age children in New Mexico qualify for the P-EBT program, authorized by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which provides assistance to families with children who are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals.
More information at hsd.state.nm.us
FOOD PANTRY SCHEDULES
Please take note of the food pantry schedules for the upcoming week starting Saturday.
Due to the July 4th holiday last weekend, the Commons will be holding its food pantry for Silver City, Tyrone & Arenas Valley residents this Saturday from 10 am until noon at 501 E. 13th Street in Silver City (Just off Swan Street behind the Knights of Columbus)
The Commons Mining District Mobile Food Pantry will be held on Tuesday July 21 from 1 – 3 pm, for Santa Clara, Bayard, Hanover & Hurley residents at the Bataan Memorial Park in Santa Clara
The Commons Gila Valley Mobile Food Pantry for Buckhorn, Cliff, Gila & Redrock residents Will also be held on Tuesday July 21 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m at the Fairgrounds in Cliff.
Visit The Commons website at www.tvcgrantcounty.org for more information.
The Senior Citizens Mobile Food Pantry will be held on Wednesday July 15 from 10:30 am – 12:30 pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 3755 N. Swan Street, for any senior in Grant County (55 and older).
The Mimbres Valley Health Action League Mobile Food Pantry will also be held on Wednesday June 15 from Noon to 2pm at the Roundup Lodge, 94 Acklin Hill Rd. Call 575-574-7674 for more information.
The Food Pantry at the Gospel Mission located at 111 South Texas Street in Silver City is open for drive thru only on Wednesdays 8:30 am – 9:30 am. Daily soup kitchen: 8:30-9:30 for breakfast Mon-Fri and 12-1 pm lunch every day.
Call 575 388-5071 for more information.
St. Francis Newman Center Food Pantry located at 914 W. 13th St. Silver City is open every Monday at 4 pm and cash assistance for rent, utilities, bus passes and prescription drugs is also provided. Call 575-388-4933 for more information.
