COVID-19 Testing Now Open to All Workers in New Mexico

FGGAM MEDIA CENTER just received this news release:

Department of Health announces COVID-19 testing

now open to all workers in New Mexico

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) announces COVID-19 testing for all workers in the state. This includes: all government employees (state, county, municipal, federal, etc.), utility and construction workers, grocery and pharmacy employees, retail and wholesale, anyone in food service or other service industries, and any New Mexican at work who would like access to a test, symptomatic or not.

“It is important to the Department of Health and this administration to increase testing for all New Mexicans and provide access to COVID-19 testing to as many persons as possible,” said NMDOH Cabinet Secretary Kathy Kunkel. “In addition to ‘by-appointment-test-and-go’ opportunities at all public health offices in the state, we have expanded our ‘open drive-up testing’ sites and we are also available for on-site testing.”

Starting tomorrow, May 12, Lovelace Hospital in downtown Albuquerque will be open to anyone in the public that needs or wants a test. The drive-up clinic is open from 9 am-3 pm.

All testing is still FREE OF CHARGE to anyone getting the test, and anyone can get tested, whether they have insurance or not. Please remember to bring your insurance card with you when you get tested and to limit two people per vehicle to avoid unnecessary risk for viral spread.

“Increased testing allows for increased case surveillance and contact tracing which helps us mitigate community spread and keep New Mexico safe,” added Secretary Kunkel.

The state continues to discourage all travel, including shopping and recreational activities between neighboring states.

Testing for coronavirus by the state has increased greatly from limited testing in early March to around 20,000 a week at present, with the goal to test 7,500 persons a day.

Because the department knows COVID-19 infected people without symptoms can unknowingly transmit the virus, more testing is necessary to know where cases are occurring for early identification, isolation and thus further preventing ongoing spread.

For more information visit the Department of Health’s COVID-19 website, https://cv.nmhealth.org/ updated daily with the latest testing numbers, our testing location directory and the ability to track cases by zip code.

New Mexicans can continue to call the Department of Health’s coronavirus hotline at 855-600-3453 with health-related questions. For non-health-related questions or concerns call 833-551-0518 or visit newmexico.gov.