Gov. Lujan Grisham held news conference 052820

: Category: Front Page News Front Page News; Published: 28 May 2020 28 May 2020

By Hallie Richwine

The governor gave details on what is changing on June 1.

[Editor's Note: The details of what the governor and cabinet secretaries set out at the news conference can be seen in the slideshow of the presentation attached.]

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham opened the press conference by highlighting her handmade mask from her friend Paul Valdez before reviewing the current statistics.

She reminded the public that the importance of reviewing the numbers is to be aware of where the cases are in the system.

Secretary Kathy Kunzel said that testing remains mostly the same. "People who are symptomatic need to be tested first. If you're sick, don't go to work, call the hotline," she said. Testing has now expanded to asymptomatic people, and that will continue as long as supplies are available. "As the state reopens, we have a rapid response team. When the Department of Health learns of a positive individual in an employment setting, they will go test people and teach them how to isolate, how to clean, and how to protect each other."

Starting Monday the Department of Health is adding partners to help follow the virus. Surveillance in the form of contact tracing will begin to try to stay ahead of the virus. The DOH will be focusing on corrections facilities, tribal communities, long term care facilities, special populations (shelters and congregate living situations0, health care workers, restaurant employees, and child care centers.

Dr. David Scrase reviewed the modeling and gating numbers and said New Mexico is doing well, but offered a message of caution. "We're doing way better than, or very close, to gating standards. We're doing well. I'm relying on all of you to do the right things. Respect others, and respect the virus," he said.

Scrase reminded the public that sharing the statistics is not meant to create a fearful environment and that it is meant to remind people to respect the virus and how it is spread.

Grisham said the state will continue to move forward based on the data-driven information cited in the gating criteria. "If we meet the gating criteria, with the expectation to hold it and have it not just be a moment in time, we will slowly and safely initiate the reopening of the economy."

"This is really good news. This is because as a state we might not always agree, we have different ideas, but once we have that discussion we work hard to respect and protect each other," Grisham said.

Please refer to the slides to see what is changing, and what will remain the same, as we head into June.

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Gov. Lujan Grisham held news conference 052820

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