LAS CRUCES - A day after the New Mexico Environment Department notified the public that four employees at a Las Cruces Walmart tested positive for COVID-19, the store reopened.
On Saturday, NMED issued a notice of imminent and substantial endangerment to the Walmart at 3331 Rinconada Blvd., stating in a news release sent about 3 p.m. that the store had to close immediately.
By 6 p.m., the store was closed. It reopened Sunday.
A Walmart official reached out to the Las Cruces Sun-News late Saturday stating that NMED erroneously stated store policy in Saturday's news release.
More: Environment Department seeks nearly 30 new employees to promote COVID-19 testing
NMED stated in its news release: "Walmart stated they do not require employees who test positive to self-quarantine for 14 days, nor do they notify individuals who came into close personal contact with such employees to get tested."
According to Walmart:
"Per our company policies that have been in place for several months, if an associate tests positive or is presumed positive for COVID-19, the associate is sent home. The associate may only return to work if all the following requirements are met: 10 days have passed since the first day of symptoms or a positive test; no fever (temperature less than 100°F) without the use of fever-reducing medications for at least 72 hours; symptoms are improving; and their healthcare provider considers them fit to return to work.
“We follow New Mexico’s and the CDC’s requirements to notify associates who may have come into close personal contact with associates who test positive. Associates are informed of the availability of COVID‐19 testing and the Walmart Health plan covers testing for all associates who have Walmart insurance and obtain a note from a physician.
"Additionally, in the state of New Mexico we send home any associates who may have had close contact with any confirmed positive case — within or outside of our stores. Anyone who is sent home for potential close contact is required to quarantine for 14 days.
“These protocols are in addition to the extensive measures we’ve had in place since April to help protect associates and customers, including installing sneeze guards at registers, limiting the number of customers in a store at any one time, one-way aisle shopping, placing social distancing signage, and enacting an emergency leave policy for associates who are unable or uncomfortable coming to work.”
The Sun-News has messages into both Walmart and the New Mexico Environment Department to gain a better understanding of what transpired Saturday and will update this story with any response.
Per NMED's news release Saturday, the store must test all its 400-plus workers for COVID-19 and thoroughly disinfect the building.
More: COVID-19 in New Mexico: Doña Ana County passes 1,000 coronavirus cases
The state urges customers who visited the Las Cruces location since June 22 — and any New Mexican who believes they may have been exposed — to seek COVID-19 testing. Testing hours and information are available at https://cvprovider.nmhealth.org/directory.html.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham weighed in on the situation Sunday morning, sharing the first Sun-News story to her Facebook page with the following message:
Stores disregarding COVID-safe practices place their entire community and our state at risk. Workers and customers MUST be safe.
The New Mexico Environment Department posted a notice of imminent danger at the Rinconada Walmart in Las Cruces after four employees tested positive for COVID-19 and the company refused to cooperate by shutting down the store, disinfecting and testing all employees.
The state has zero tolerance for unsafe practices. We will continue to act quickly and ensure consequences for those who fail their responsibility.
Doña Ana County has seen a small spike in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. As of Saturday, the county had recorded 1,378 positive tests, a positive test rate of 3.67 percent. About 42 percent of patients who have contracted COVID-19 in the county have recovered, according to state data.
Lucas Peerman can be reached at 575-541-5446, lpeerman@lcsun-news.com or @LittleGuyInATie on Twitter.
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