Pandemic crisis standards to expire for New Mexico hospitals

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico’s top health official says COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are continuing to decline and the state is still on track to lift its crisis standards of care declaration for hospitals in the coming weeks. The declaration was issued last fall as a way to ease the strain on New Mexico’s already overburdened health care system. A few hospitals enacted the standards, which cleared the way for them to ration care if necessary. They had the option of suspending procedures that weren’t medically necessary if they didn’t have capacity. Health Secretary Dr. David Scrase said Wednesday that the availability of hospital beds increased this week.