Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced June 11 the state’s emergency public health order was amended to permit a limited reopening for breweries this past weekend followed by a broader reopening beginning today, Monday, June 15.
Bars – defined as food and beverage service establishments that derived more than 50 percent of their revenue in the prior calendar year from the sale of alcoholic beverages – are not included in this provision and may not operate outdoor or patio services at present.
The new public health order, which takes effect today, Monday, June 15, allows breweries to resume indoor service at 50 percent occupancy as determined by fire code. Bar and counter seating will still be prohibited, and these businesses will be required to comply with COVID-safe practices for restaurants. This includes a requirement to offer customers the opportunity to record their names and phone numbers or email addresses, along with the date and time of their visit, and retain such records for at least four weeks.
As they reopen, all businesses must operate in accordance with COVID-Safe Practices for their industry, which can be found in “All Together New Mexico: COVID-Safe Practices for Individuals and Employers.” The state’s COVID-Safe Practices now include restrictions and guidelines for drive-in events, such as theaters or holiday fireworks shows.
The changes are part of New Mexico’s phased reopening plan, which began by reopening the businesses and services that required the least personal contact. Moving from phase to phase depends on meeting certain benchmarks – called “gating criteria” – that measure steady progress toward containing spread of COVID-19. The state is currently in Phase 1 of that reopening plan. Modeling reports from the state are regularly posted here.
Workers can make reports about suspected unsafe work environments in the state to nmenv-osha@state.nm.us.