Coronavirus Update – April 27, 2020

Coronavirus updates for Grant County for Monday, April 27, 2020.  Our guest today on Coronavirus Update is Naava Koenigsberg, owner of Bear Creek Herbs, who will be talking about her approach to COVID-19.

Coronavirus Update is a local radio show that provides the latest information you need to know on local community strategies to slow the spread of the Coronavirus and protect yourself, your family and our community during this public health crisis. Brought to you by Gila-Mimbres Community Radio, Gila Resources Information Project, Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities Grant County and National Center for Frontier Communities.

Send us your updates to coronavirusupdategrantcounty@gmail.com

NM Dept of Health COVID-19 Hotline 1-855-600-3453 or visit cv.nmhealth.org

Coronavirus Information Hotline at 1-833-551-0518 or visit newmexico.gov

NM Crisis & Access Line, 24/7, 1-855-662-7474; nmcrisisline.com

Message from Grant County’s health care providers – video

Donations to Community COVID-19 Response – Grant County Community Foundation

Coronavirus Update Resource Page – gmcr.org/coronavirus-resources

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CVU is broadcast live weekdays at Noon and
rebroadcast following Democracy Now! at 6pm and 8am

Or listen to this episode at your convenience via this link…
CVU / Coronavirus Update – April 27, 2020

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April 27, 2020 – Updates as of 10 am – Please note: Because we are producing this show remotely, these updates are current as of 10 am. Information on this page can change quickly, including Coronavirus Updates from previous days. Please visit gmcr.org/category/coronavirus-update to see the latest updates.

As of Today – Monday , April 27 – 2,726 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in New Mexico, with 99 deaths, 148 hospitalized individuals, and 650 recoveries according to the New Mexico Department of Health.

Grant County currently has 14 positive cases of coronavirus. In total, 56,615 COVID-19 tests have been performed in the state, and 475 have been conducted in Grant County.

For a full breakdown of COVID-19 cases by county and demographic information, visit the state’s COVID-19 data dashboard at: cvprovider.nmhealth.org/public-dashboard

The Department of Health reports that given the infectious nature of the virus it is likely other residents are infected but yet to be tested or confirmed positive. To that end, all New Mexicans have been instructed to stay home except for outings absolutely necessary for health, safety and welfare.

According to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham in her press conference on Friday, the more New Mexicans follow the stay at home order and stop the spread of the coronavirus, the sooner the state can re-open quote “in some productive planned safe way.” End quote. The public health order is in place through April 30. Although the Governor has announced that she will extend the order through May 15, she was hoping to ease up on some restrictions, but she warned that won’t be possible unless people continue to abide by social distancing guidelines.

As a reminder — New Mexicans who report symptoms of COVID-19 infection, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath, are advised to call their health care provider or the COVID-19 hotline immediately at 1-855-600-3453

New Mexicans who have non-health-related questions or concerns can also call the COVID-19 Information Hotline at 833-551-0518 or visit newmexico.gov, which is being updated regularly as a one-stop source for information for families, workers and others affected by and seeking more information about COVID-19.

More information at cv.nmhealth.org

SPECIAL MEETING REGARDING GILA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

In a press release issued on Friday, April 24, 2020 —

The Board of County Commissioners of Grant County will consider assuming the governance of Gila Regional Medical Center at a special meeting to be held at 9am this Friday, May 1.

Recent events have raised serious concerns regarding the financial viability and continuity of operations of the Gila Regional Medical Center. GRMC is a county-owned hospital that was established pursuant to New Mexico’s Hospital Funding Act. The stated purpose of the Act is to enable and encourage counties to provide appropriate and adequate hospital facilities for the sick in all geographic areas of the state.

The act provides counties broad powers to take necessary and expedient action to carry out this purpose.

Accordingly, the Board of County Commissioners of Grant County will consider all available options to assist GRMC in the provision of much needed quality healthcare to the people of Grant County and its surrounding areas. Such options include revocation of the powers delegated to the hospital’s Board of Trustees and the retention of a professional healthcare management company to assess and remedy shortfalls in the leadership and management of GRMC. There are no plans to sell the hospital.

Chairman Chris Ponce stated, “We are truly grateful for the service of the Trustees. As healthcare has changed and become more complex, their task has become more and more difficult. The Commission believes the time has come to consider that the current governance structure may not be the best way to ensure the County’s hospital has every tool it needs to be successful for the foreseeable future.”

The meeting will take place in the Commission Meeting Room at the Grant County Administration Center located at 1400 Highway 180 East here in Silver City, with remote participation available. The agenda for this meeting may be altered up to seventy-two (72) hours prior to the meeting; copies can be obtained from the County Manager’s Office or viewed online at grantcountynm.gov.

Due to the Coronavirus Emergency declared by the governor and the limits on the number of persons gathering, except for essential functions, the meeting will be closed to the public. However, it may be viewed live on the County’s YouTube Channel or later as a recording on the County’s website at grantcountynm.gov.

Public input will be via email and comments must be submitted prior to the meeting. Comments may be emailed to khubbs@grantcountynm.gov, with Public Comment noted in the subject line. Comments will be read into the minutes.

For more information on this evolving story, visit the Silver City Daily Press website at scdailypress.com

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM RESUMES TODAY

The Small Business Administration resumes accepting Paycheck Protection Program applications from participating lenders today.

The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.

SBA will forgive loans if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities.

You can apply through any existing SBA 7(a) lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating.

Other regulated lenders will be available to make these loans once they are approved and enrolled in the program. You should consult with your local lender as to whether they are participating in the program. More information at SBA.gov

PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR SELF-EMPLOYED, INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS AND GIG ECONOMY WORKERS

The application for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, or PUA, for self-employed, independent contractors, and gig economy workers is now available through the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions.

PUA is a new temporary federal program under the CARES Act that provides benefits to individuals who are not otherwise eligible for Unemployment Insurance.

You must be either unemployed or have hours reduced to fewer than 32 hours/week and must be earning less than the weekly amount of unemployment you receive.

Applying for PUA is a two-step process.
1)  apply for regular Unemployment Insurance benefits at jobs.state.nm.us to determine if your income is covered by the regular state Unemployment Insurance (UI) program. If determined ineligible for regular UI benefits, you will then be cleared to apply for PUA benefits.
2) Once you are determined ineligible for regular benefits, you will be provided access to apply for PUA benefits through a link on your Unemployment Insurance Tax & Claims System homepage.

Again, Self-employed, independent contractors, and gig economy workers should apply NOW for regular Unemployment Insurance benefits.

More info and frequently asked questions can be found at dws.state.nm.us/COVID-19-Info

GIVE GRANDLY TAKES PLACE MAY 9

Give Grandly 2020, southwest New Mexico’s local day of giving, is coming up on May 9th. With the COVID-19 emergency, local nonprofits need our support more than ever to continue to provide services to our local communities. Give Grandly 2020 provides us with the opportunity to come together as a community during this unprecedented crisis and show our generosity.

Give Grandly will also host a live-streamed telethon on May 9th from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. The event will showcase the participating nonprofits and the good work they do. Check out the music from local musicians and leaderboard updates to track donations as they are reported.

Visit givegrandly.civicore.com to find out how you can participate and connect with local nonprofits whose missions you believe in.

Please visit our website at GMCR.org for all of today’s updates and additional resources.

And remember to send us your updates and questions — email us at coronavirusupdategrantcounty@gmail.com or post on facebook @GilaMimbresCom munityRadio.

If you missed part of today’s show, Coronavirus Update is rebroadcast at 6pm and 8 am Monday through Friday and past shows are available 24/7 at gmcr.org.