The most recent New Mexico Public Health Order states that, as of August 20, 2021 everyone in New Mexico over the age of 2, regardless of vaccination status, is required to wear a mask or cloth face covering when in public except when drinking, eating, or under medical instruction. Masks and cloth face coverings may prevent people who do not know they have the virus from transmitting it to others.

It is important to remember that wearing a mask or cloth face covering does not replace the important actions of staying home, washing your hands, and aggressive social distancing (maintaining at least 6 feet of distance between you and others) to reduce spread of COVID-19.

The spread of COVID-19 in New Mexico has increased dramatically in recent weeks, driven by the highly infectious “Delta” variant and primarily unvaccinated populations. State modeling projects that New Mexico will reach 1,000 new daily cases of COVID-19 by the end of August, and as many as 1,000 new daily cases in southeastern New Mexico alone in the weeks after that.

This post is an excerpt of the New Mexico Public Health Order from August 17, 2021 and a press release from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office on the same day titled “New Mexico to re-implement indoor mask mandate; vaccinations required in hospitals, congregate settings“