New Mexico’s mask mandate set to be extended

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- New Mexico’s public health order is set to expire Friday.

Under the current public health order, all individuals over the age of 2 shall wear a mask in all indoor public settings, except when drinking or drinking. 

ABC-7 reached out to the governor’s office to learn if the indoor mask mandate would be extended. 

An official with the governor’s office said: “The indoor mask mandate will remain in place when the new PHO goes into effect tomorrow.”

Officials also added that “as hundreds of new Covid-19 cases are reported every day and hospitals around the state are close to crisis standards of care, it's important that New Mexicans continue to mask up in order to slow the spread.”

An official with the New Mexico Department of Health stated that they have seen strong compliance with the mask mandate throughout the state. 

But the agency added that in cases of noncompliance, the department “has reached out to organizations to provide education on the rationale behind the mask mandate, and to remind organizations that noncompliance carries the possibility of significant fines.”

The new public health order will go into effect Friday and more information will be released at that time.