The Joint Information Center (JIC) is advising Doña Ana County residents to stay vigilant and observe COVID-19 safety precautions over the Memorial Day holiday.
The Memorial Day weekend is traditionally reserved for family gatherings and travel, but with area parks and recreation sites still closed due to the pandemic, the JIC is discouraging residents from gathering in large groups or unnecessary travel.
Under New Mexico’s current public health order, continued social distancing and self-isolation measures are necessary to protect public health. The order advises all New Mexicans to stay at home except for food, prescriptions, or medical treatment. Following the recent order, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham advised that face coverings are now required in public and retail spaces.
County residents who live near the southern border with Texas are strongly encouraged to avoid travelling to the El Paso area, as positive cases in El Paso County continue to spike. The New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) is currently monitoring hotspots in Sunland Park and Chaparral, where the number of positive cases is currently more than half of all positive cases countywide. As of Thursday, there were 322 reported cases of COVID-19 in the county, with 193 of those reportedly in the Chaparral, Sunland Park and Santa Teresa areas. Numbers are subject to change when the DOH releases their daily case numbers. Updated information can be found on the department’s data dashboard, www.cv.nmhealth.org.
Community testing at Memorial Medical Center, under the direction of the DOH, will be closed to the public on Monday, May 25 observance of the Memorial Day holiday. According to the DOH, a test-and-go site will be operational on Monday at the Las Cruces Public Health Office, 1170 North Solano, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.
The current public health order is in effect until May 31. A copy of the order can be found here.
The Joint Information Center (JIC) is a public communication function of the Doña Ana County/City of Las Cruces Office of Emergency Management in response to the COVID-19 situation as it relates to our area. Its purpose is to streamline communication between local government agencies during the COVID-19 response. Partner organizations include city and county representatives, local hospitals, the Department of Health, jail and prison facilities, first responders, the Las Cruces Public School district, the Town of Mesilla, City of Anthony, City of Sunland Park and Village of Hatch.
JIC members collaborate on a daily conference call at 10 a.m., Monday through Friday. The notes compiled during that call are made available at www.las-cruces.org and www.donaanacounty.org.