COVID19 Joint Information Center
March 24, 2020 10:00 a.m.
City of Anthony
No report Tuesday.
City of Sunland Park
Police department is now conducting medical surveillance of staff for self-tracking purposes.
City of Las Cruces
No Planning and Zoning Meeting this evening, Yes ASCMV meeting Thursday morning.
The City of Las Cruces requires all non-essential work take place from home effective at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24.
Below is a list of the exceptions pertaining to essential services for the preservation of health, safety and wellbeing.
All should be alternated amongst employees:
Construction management
Building/permitting (limited staff)
Legal - only as necessary
Utilities- limited to essential operations and on call
Traffic engineering- basic crew can be rotated/on call
Facilities maintenance/essential functions
Limited animal control
Risk management/calls out
Fleet/public safety/utilities/streets
Senior programs/ food delivery only
IT- on call for public safety
Transit
Finance - payroll, disbursement, purchasing manager as needed
All Departments - Payroll support staff for payroll purposes
This will take place until at least April 10 or until further notice.
Las Cruces Police Department
Also following governor’s orders. To the greatest extent possible, staff is working from home. There is a contingency plan to answer calls for service from people not following public health order. Three-prong approach: will reach out to ask for compliance, then face-to-face, then forward to NM State Police who will enforce state order using citations and fines. Codes enforcement is leading this effort. To date, there have been a couple of calls for service related to the order.
Las Cruces Public Schools
Closed all playgrounds, public spaces and sports fields. Student activities will feature resources.
Instruction continues to work with principals and teachers to provide enrichment resources to students. Administration is working to post videos on social media with book narration.
Doña Ana County
Aligned with Gov. Lujan Grisham’s direction Monday, Mar. 23, the Doña Ana County Board of County Commissioners meeting was livestreamed today. Presenters connected remotely and input from the public is welcome by email or phone calls to the Commissioners.
The Detention Center has been working closely with area law enforcement agencies and the judicial system to reduce the number of detainees in custody, to further help decrease the risk of spreading COVID-19 within the facility.
Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office
Regarding enforcement of the public health order, DASO will support state police using their community policing model.
Village of Hatch
No report.
Town of Mesilla
Nothing new to report.
Memorial Medical Center
Now at zero visitor protocol, with limited exceptions. There is one entry point from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for staff; still screening everyone for medical history. Gift shop, café and chapel closed until further notice. Food service continues for patients.
Elective surgeries/procedures are being postponed until April.
Media was on site Tuesday morning, gathering video following governor’s orders.
Mountain View Regional Medical Center
Have similar restrictive policies to MMC that will be released later today via news release.
New Mexico State University
No report.
New Mexico State University Police
Nothing new to report.
Office of Emergency Management (OEM)
Looking for guidance from the state on emergency declaration.
In contact with El Paso emergency operations; they will be self-initiating move to mirror the public health order in New Mexico to limit contact and allow travel only for essential services.
DOH: working to establish priority process for certain essential workforce, to include first responders.
Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility
No report Tuesday.
State of NM Aging & Long-Term Illness
Their regional ombudsman coordinator, Rosa Torres, ensures residents are not being exploited or abused. Reports that several residents are struggling without family contact, now that we’re under a new public helth order. Agency is working to get tablets into facilities to keep communication open with loved ones. Agenc is asking for donations of puzzles, magazines, games or movies now that they’re under restricted visitor protocol. Meals are being delivered to their room. Little movement within facilities to limit contact.
Seniors needing meal delivery or other services can call the Senior Resource Center: 800-432-2080
Mesilla Valley Regional Dispatch Authority (MVRDA)
Administration is trying to pull data from CAD to see how often information is coming in for universal precautions. Currently there is no category for this criteria.
Asked DOH about COVID-19 health directive and privacy rules that are waived during a declaration of emergency to protect first responders so that information on the general area of positive cases can be known. *That document is attached to today’s email.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, El Paso Sector
No report Tuesday.
New Mexico Department of Health
George Richards, operational liaison: Currently looking for potential test sites in rural areas of the county, possibly at fire stations. Following new public health order.
George reminded JIC members to follow CDC protocol; treat every call as if they are COVID-19 cases. First responders indicated this could drain resources and PPE quickly. George indicated that for local agencies not funded through state or federal sources could request supplies through OEM. The threshold recommended, as an example, was having less than 30 N95 masks on hand.