FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 2021
Contact: Joaquin Romero
(505) 506-5798
Senator Cliff Pirtle Releases Statement After All Counties Moved to Turquoise
SANTA FE - Today the New Mexico Department of Health announced all counties will now be elevated to the least restrictive category in the Red to Green reopening framework. The department also announced that all counties will now be in the turquoise category until the framework is abandoned two weeks after the state hits a 60% vaccination rate.
Chaves County, which has consistently been left behind in the reopening of the state, is now put on equal footing with the other counties. The new permanent status of the state ensures five counties in jeopardy of being put back in the yellow status will now remain turquoise.
Senator Cliff Pirtle (District 32 - Chaves, Lea & Otero) released the following statement regarding the county’s status:
“Today’s update is flat out disrespectful to the people of New Mexico. The Governor and her Department of Health have now admitted what we’ve known for months. The red to green framework never made sense and it cost thousands their livelihood. After targeting Chaves county for months now she’s frozen the status of the state in order to stop five other counties from regressing under her metrics. For political expediency she has abandoned her supposedly infallible gating metrics.
This should have been the policy for months. No regressions, clear expectations, practical goalposts, and consistency. Now it’s too little, too late. The Governor’s pride and lies will cost our state for generations. I hope the Governor answers for what she’s done to our people and our economy.”
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