Governor makes unemployment benefits available to COVID-19 furloughs
SANTA FE - The New Mexico Department of Health announced a sixth state resident had tested as a presumptive positive for Covid-19.
The sixth case reported, is, according to the New Mexico Department of Health, that of a Santa Fe County woman in her fifties with known recent travel to Italy. She is at home in isolation.
The fifth case is a Bernalillo County woman in her forties. The Department of Health is investigating a possible travel link. She is isolating at home.
The fourth case is a woman in her sixties from Santa Fe County who had recently traveled to the New York City area.
The other known cases include a Socorro County couple in their sixties who had recently traveled to Egypt and a Bernalillo County woman in her seventies who had recently traveled to the New York City area.
The presumptive specimens are being sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation.
“We expect to see more travel-related cases,” Human Services Secretary David Scrase said, “All New Mexicans can help us and help each other to minimize the risk of spread by taking up preventive measures. That’s why the guidance issued by the state today was so essential.”
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, in consultation with leadership at the NMDOH issued enhanced public health advisory steps that New Mexicans should take to protect themselves, their families and New Mexico communities from the potential occurrence or spread of the disease in our state on March 11.
The governor and Department of Health urged New Mexicans to:
Avoid large public gatherings, particularly if you are a high risk individual.
High-risk individuals are older adults and people who have severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease
Avoid all non-essential travel to affected out-of-state areas and exercise extreme caution with all out-of-state travel.
Remain home (“self-isolate”) if you are sick and call the Department of Health at (855) 600-3453 if you are exhibiting any of the symptoms of COVID-19.
Those symptoms include fever, cough or trouble breathing.
Continue taking precautionary steps to protect your individual health, such as:
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Clean “high-touch” surfaces daily with regular household cleaners.
Avoid sharing personal household items.
In her public health emergency declaration Executive Order 2020-004 on March 11, Lujan Grisham announced that in declaring a state of public health emergency and invoking the powers provided by the All-Hazard Emergency Management Act and the Emergency Licensing Act, she would:
Credential out-of-state professionals who can render aid and necessary services.
Maximize the available insurance coverage for New Mexicans suffering from Covid-19, pneumonia or influenza, while ensuring that medical costs do not create barriers to testing and treatment.
Adopt emergency rules, regulations or declarations to ensure that people experiencing layoffs or furlough status due to forced absences from work because of Covid-19, are eligible to receive unemployment benefits.
Direct the Adjutant General to order into service any elements of the New Mexico National Guard needed to support civil authorities in response to this public emergency.
Make available emergency financial resources on a continuing basis as necessary to address this emergency. Funds shall be used to protect public health, safety and welfare, to provide resources and services needed to avoid or minimize economic or physical harm on a temporary, emergency basis. They will be paid out only in an amount specified by warrants drawn by the Secy. of the Dept. of Finance and Administration upon vouchers approved by the governor or the Dept. of Health.
