New Mexico’s governor announces statewide shelter-in-place order due to ‘out of control’ virus

SANTA FE, New Mexico -- Amid a surging pandemic that she declared is "out of control," New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced a statewide shelter-in-place order starting Monday for two weeks, including the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

"We face a life or death situation," the governor said at a Friday news conference where she indicated that people should stay home, avoid social contact and abide by the state’s mask mandate if they do need to go out for essentials.

Under her new order, non-essential businesses must close; essential businesses – such as grocery stores, pharmacies, child care facilities, gas stations and others – may remain open for limited operations; restaurants can provide curbside pickup and delivery services but dining-in is banned. Essential retailers must close nightly from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Lujan Grisham is imposing the very strict mandates as state health officials warn about the potential for increased spread with the holiday season approaching.

"We are at the breaking point, with a crush on our current healthcare system and infrastructure," the governor said after several weeks with over 1,000 new cases a day occurring and a 214% increase in hospitalizations over the past 14 days.

Here's a more detailed look at the mandates that will be in effect as of Monday through Nov. 30:

• All mass gatherings are prohibited, a mass gathering has been defined as any event that brings together more than five people
• Houses of worship are restricted to 25% or less of their maximum capacity
• All businesses and non-profit entities, except those defined as essential businesses, must reduce in-person workforce by 100%
  • These businesses may operate to the minimum extent necessary to provide curbside pickup and/or delivery services to customers - but only if they are legally permitted to provide their services through pickup and/or delivery
  • Essential businesses identified as retail spaces must close at 10 p.m. and cannot open until 4 a.m.
• Places of lodging that have completed NM Safe Certified training can operate at 25%, those places of lodging who have not completed that training must close
• Outdoor recreational facilities must close
• Indoor malls close

Any businesses violating the new mandates will face fines of $5,000 a day, according to the governor's office.

"Without the compliance and cooperation of New Mexicans statewide, we do not need to imagine the bleak public health calamity we will face – the images from El Paso the last few weeks, from New York City earlier this year, and from Europe at the outset of the pandemic will be our fate in New Mexico," Lujan Grisham said.

You can watch the governor's entire news conference in the video player below.