New Mexico COVID-19 Update: Permission to Practice June 1, 2020

New Mexico Department of Health Secretary Kunkel issued a Public Health Emergency Order (https://cv.nmhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/060120-PHO.pdf) today, permitting close contact businesses, including barbershops, hair salons, nail salons, massage therapy establishments, and esthetician clinics, to resume business operations June 1, 2020, at 25 percent occupancy. The New Mexico Regulation & Licensing Department recently issued COVID-Safe Practices for resuming operations (https://indd.adobe.com/view/3f732e94-0164-424d-9ac6-a0ace27e70c8). All businesses are required to follow the Safe Practices for All Employers on page 9. Guidelines for salons, spas, tattoo parlors, and related services can be found here (http://www.rld.state.nm.us/uploads/files/Procedures%20for%20Opening.pdf). We believe massage therapy establishments and esthetician clinics may follow these guidelines, as they are included in the definition of “close contact businesses” in the Public Health Emergency Order along with spas, salons, and tattoo parlors.

We realize the Health Order refers to massage establishments as “massage parlors” in both the Health Order and the Safe Practices. We have addressed this issue with the Governor and the Secretary of the Department of Health.

NOTE: With some states giving authority to local governments regarding work authorization, your liability insurance is only valid if you comply with whichever regulations are the most restrictive—state or local. If you are not authorized to work per state or regional orders, and you are working, you are not in compliance with your state or local regulations and therefore your insurance would not be valid.

Additional Safety Resources

ABMP, ASCP, AHP, and ANP understand there is a fine line between getting back to work and earning an income and protecting the safety of you and your clients. As you consider returning to work, we urge you to make government permission to work only one element of your decision about whether and when to reopen. Please review our comprehensive series of back-to-practice guidelines to help reduce risk and keep you and your clients safe.

We also have helpful forms and printouts available on our website, (https://www.abmp.com/back-to-practice/forms-printouts) including office policies, screening questionnaires, and posters to remind clients about social distancing and handwashing.

We appreciate your membership and will continue working on your behalf to update you as we learn more. Be safe and be well. Please check our COVID-19 page (https://www.abmp.com/updates/news/information-abmp-members-state-shutdow...) for updates.

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