Department of Health county map update May 5: Nearly entire state in Turquoise

Layouts BreadCrumbs BreadCrumbs SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Health on Wednesday announced the updated statewide COVID-19 map for the two-week period beginning May 5, with 30 New Mexico counties at the Turquoise Level, at which there are the fewest restrictions on commercial and day-to-day activities amid decreased virus risk. The majority of the state’s counties remain at the least restrictive levels. As of May 5, two counties are at the Green Level and one county remains at the Yellow Level; zero counties are at the Red Level. Eight counties advanced to a less restrictive level since the most recent update to the map criteria: Bernalillo, Catron, Doña Ana, Hidalgo, Otero, Sandoval, San Juan, and Valencia . Even as New Mexico rapidly vaccinates eligible populations with all available supply, it is important that New Mexicans still seek out COVID-19 tests if they feel symptomatic, if they have traveled, if they have spent time unmasked in the company of others – particularly non-household members and particularly indoors. Getting tested not only helps slow the spread; it helps counties maintain their risk levels and advance to less restrictive levels when the viral risk in the community is sufficiently reduced. Please seek out COVID-19 testing at togethernm.org . The state’s county-by-county system uses key health metrics – the per-capita daily incidence of new COVID-19 cases, average COVID-19 test positivity within county borders and county vaccination rate – to determine the level of public health risk and requirement for each county. A county that meets one criterion may operate at the Yellow Level; a county that meets two may operate at the Green Level. A county that has met all three criteria, or two of three for two consecutive biweekly map updates, may operate at the Turquoise Level. Additionally, counties that reach the Turquoise Level will move to a four-week update, as opposed to biweekly. Counties that may operate at the Turquoise Level as of May 5 are: Bernalillo, Cibola, Colfax, Curry, De Baca, Doña Ana, Eddy, Grant, Guadalupe, Harding, Hidalgo, Lea, Lincoln, Los Alamos, Luna, McKinley, Mora, Otero, Quay, Rio Arriba, Roosevelt, Sandoval, San Juan, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, Taos, Torrance, and Union . Counties that met both of the health metric thresholds and may operate at the Green Level as of May 5 are: Catron and Valencia . Counties that met one of the health metric thresholds and may operate at the Yellow Level as of May 5 are: Chaves . No counties must currently operate at the Red Level. The color-coded tier system – Red Level, Yellow Level, Green Level and Turquoise Level – enables counties to shed restrictions and provide local communities the flexibility to operate more day-to-day activities as soon as public health data show the virus is retreating within their borders. As of May 5, the health metrics used to determine a county’s risk level are: A new per-capita rate of new COVID-19 cases of no greater than 10 per 100,000 inhabitants over the most recent 14-day reporting period An average positivity rate less than or equal to 7.5 percent over the most recent 14-day reporting period A county with a fully vaccinated rate at or above a target ( 40% as of May 5) that increases 5% every other week as more vaccinations are completed The public health order, the red-to-green framework and frequently asked questions are all available at cv.nmhealth.org/redtogreen , where New Mexicans can also view the test positivity rate and new case incidence for each county. The