Health Officials: COVID-19 Cases Rising Among Children

COVID-19 by the numbers

New Mexico health officials yesterday reported 875 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of cases to 233,487. DOH has designated 202,760 of those cases as recovered. Bernalillo County had 222 new cases, followed by Lea County with 87 and both Doña Ana and Eddy counties with 69. Santa Fe County had 19 new cases.

The state also announced 11 additional deaths; there have now been 4,529 total fatalities. As of yesterday, 381 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, 25 fewer than the prior day.

Currently, 77.6% of New Mexicans 18 years and older have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 67.7% are fully vaccinated. In the 12-17-year-old age group, 59.8% people have had at least one dose and 47.4% are fully inoculated. In Santa Fe County, among those 18 years and older, 88.9% have had at least one dose and 78.6% are fully vaccinated.

You can read all of SFR’s COVID-19 coverage here.

COVID-19 cases increasing among NM schoolchildren

COVID-19 cases among children between the ages of 5 and 17 are rising in New Mexico, state Epidemiologist Dr. Christine Ross said during a weekly update yesterday with Acting Health Secretary Dr. David Scrase and Deputy Secretary Dr. Laura Parajón. According to a weekly report on demographic trends, case rates have increased among all age groups, with notable upticks among 18-34-year-olds and 5-17-year-olds. The latter group, Ross noted, “...includes many children who are not eligible for vaccination right now, so it’s really important that everyone around them, everyone that’s eligible for vaccination, seeks out a vaccination.” Those school-age children, Ross said “are becoming a growing percentage of our total cases, although older age groups still make up the predominance of our cases.” Moreover, “given the very high levels of community transmission of this virus, it’s really difficult to discern where or to pin down one specific exposure,” meaning it’s unclear if kids are contracting COVID-19 at school or elsewhere. Ross added that DOH is coordinating with the state Public Education Department “on collecting better data to help us discern school-associated cases versus kids who are getting infected outside of the school environment.”

Health leaders emphasized children and testing—for everyone—during yesterday’s update, with trend lines continuing to show the vast majority of cases, hospitalizations and deaths remain among unvaccinated people in the state. “This current surge we’re seeing isn’t actually a necessary surge,” Scrase said. “It’s raging amongst unvaccinated people. We understand this is America and that everybody has a choice, but there’s other folks as well, there’s hospital folks that are struggling. Please reconsider your vaccination decision.” Scrase said hospitalizations and deaths are both expected to rise in the coming weeks, following the recent surge. “We are still going to have a couple of really rough weeks even if things turn around with cases,” he said.

LESC director resigns after outcry

Rachel Gudgel, director of the Legislative Education Study Committee, resigned from her $130,000 job yesterday, following months of controversy over disparaging remarks she allegedly made in 2019 about Native American students (the details of which were never released by the Legislature). Despite calls for her ouster in the wake of said comments, a July motion to fire her failed on a 5-5 vote. “I have worked for the Legislature since 2005 and I love my job,” Gudgel said in a statement. “However, the harassment and difficult work environment over the past three months has created an atmosphere that is just too challenging for me to continue to work in and be effective.” Lawmakers on the committee accepted her resignation during their meeting yesterday in Socorro, with Chairman Sen. William Soules, D-Las Cruces, saying her departure will help resolve the ongoing tension with the agency. “It was very clear that it was going to be difficult for the LESC to move forward with her as the director just because of the public outcry,” he said. Gudgel’s resignation terms include using paid-leave until mid-February.

In a statement following Gudgel’s resignation, All Pueblo Council of Governors Chairman Wilfred Herrera Jr. said “it’s time to find a new person to lead the LESC on policy issues, someone who has the lived experience, who values the linguistic and cultural diversity in our state, and who can help shape education policies and programs that respond to the needs and rights of our Native children.” In an accompanying statement, Pueblo of Acoma Governor Brian Vallo said a large part of the LEC director’s job description should include addressing court mandates in the Yazzie/Martinez litigation regarding equity for Native American students. “State and tribal relations have been seriously weakened by what has occurred in the past three months,” Vallo said. “The Legislature must work on regaining the confidence of tribal leaders. It’s time for a fresh start.” Vanessa Hawker, the committee’s deputy director, will serve as acting director for the time being.

NM marks recovery month

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham yesterday declared September as National Recovery Month in New Mexico, which follows a national observance intended to “promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices; the emergence of a strong and proud recovery community; and the dedication of service providers and community members across the nation who make recovery in all its forms possible.” There will be events throughout the month in New Mexico as part of Recovery Month; A rally for recovery is scheduled for Santa Fe on Sept. 25. In addition, the state Crisis and Access Line will send daily NMConnect messages offering information and resources on suicide prevention awareness and recovery efforts (download the NM Connect App to receive these). “It is critical that people experiencing mental health and substance use disorders receive the support they need,” Behavioral Health Services Division Director Neal A. Bowen said in a statement. “The reality is that behavioral health is essential to health, prevention works, treatment is effective and people recover.”

Listen up

What’s the best food in the world? Yes, you’re correct: tacos. In the most recent episode of Heating it Up, podcast host and James Beard Award-winning author Cheryl Alters Jamison talks with author José R. Ralat about his book American Tacos: A history and guide, which delves into the US history of everyone’s favorite food. A fan of New Mexico, Ralat name checks El Chile Toreado and El Parasol as sites of two of his favorite tacos in Santa Fe. “I love fried tacos,” he says. “A lot of people don’t realize how traditional they are, and how important they are to the popularization of Mexican food.”

Explaining the Land of Enchantment

For its The World Made Local interview series, Condé Nast Traveler talks with 100 people in 100 countries to “tell us why their home turf should be your next destination.” For New Mexico, the magazine chose Albuquerque-based 4KINSHIP founder Amy Denet Deal (Diné), who uses proceeds from her company to help the Navajo Nation. Deal provides a variety of Land of Enchantment recommendations for nature, art and food. As to the latter, Dolina and Paper Dosa in Santa Fe are two favorites, she says. Elsewhere in the state, “My favorite place in the whole world for breakfast when you’re near Navajo Nation is called the Juniper café, in Farmington, New Mexico. And it’s the only place I’ve ever found that you can get blue corn mush. It’s this beautiful ancestral food made with our blue corn [meal] that’s grown out here.” As for describing New Mexico to the world: “The first thing I think of is its blue fluffy clouds. The clouds speak to me and inspire me. Then there are the beautiful juniper trees and piñon trees of the Southwest. That’s always one of the smells I think of. And then all the amazing red rocks, ochre rocks, white spaces, and amazing land formations that you see all around the area. It’s just so special to the land here.” Deal encourages people to visit the Navajo Nation, but also offers advice upon doing so: “When you come out, respect the land, respect the people, but also just embrace it because you leave here forever changed. You will never forget the time here.”

SOS at SFAS

The Santa Fe Animal Shelter says it remains at critical capacity heading into the Labor Day weekend, and is waiving fees for all animals—regardless of age or breed— from 11:30 am to 5:30 pm, Sept. 3 through Sept. 5. Adoptions include spay/neuter, microchipping and age-appropriate vaccinations. According to a news release, 1,447 stray, injured and unwanted animals went through the shelter between May and July of this year. “That’s over 16 animals coming to us every single day for help,” Murad Kirdar, public relations officer for the shelter, said in a statement. “It’s been a long summer for us, with an unprecedented surge of unwanted dogs, puppies, kittens and cats, with lower-than-expected adoptions. We are, yet again, facing another capacity emergency at the shelter.” For for each dog or cat that is adopted, the shelter says, three or four more animals have entered. “We’ve been at capacity through the entire summer and had to be creative with housing options for excess animals, including reconstructing several new outdoor kennels. It’s really unprecedented,” Kirdar said. While adoption fees will be waived this weekend, the adoption process remains the same, with potential adopters required to complete an adoption survey and counseling; no appointments are necessary, but face coverings are required. The shelter (100 Caja del Rio Road) will be closed Sept. 6 for Labor Day.

Long weekend outlook

We may get a chance to dry out today, as the National Weather Service forecasts a mostly sunny Thursday with a high near 81 degrees. As for the holiday weekend, chances of rain range from 20% (tomorrow) to 40% (Saturday), but actual Labor Day, aka Monday, currently looks on track to be mostly sunny with a high near 84 degrees. Enjoy it while you can—the official start of fall is just a few weeks away.

Thanks for reading! The Word plans to spend part of the Labor Day weekend listening to “No Place Like Home,” a new podcast about the theft of the ruby slippers Judy Garland wore in The Wizard of Oz. Morning Word returns Tuesday, Sept. 7. Lastly, just a few Zozobra tickets remain for Friday’s event. Reply to this email and you may win them!