SANTA FE — County jails across New Mexico are contending with a high-risk environment for COVID-19 infection at the same time that many more beds are being filled with inmates, an association of county governments announced Wednesday.
Grace Philips, general counsel to New Mexico Counties alliance of local governments, warned legislators that overall coronavirus vaccination rates among staff at county detention centers are lower than the statewide average — 61% versus about 71% for adults in general.
Vaccinations rates among county jail inmates are far lower — 39% statewide as of late-September.
Philips complimented county jails on their efforts to limit the spread of the highly contagious delta variant through entry screenings, quarantine procedures and vaccination clinics for inmates, but noted that the number of detected cases is on the upswing in the congregate living facilities.
“What we have is an extremely high-risk environment for COVID,” Philips said.
The number of inmates held in county detention centers has increased to 5,280 in late September, from about 3,850 on May 1, 2020 — an increase of more than 25%, New Mexico Counties estimates.
Philips also noted that the highly contagious delta variant arrived this summer as courts started to restore in-person proceedings, contributing to risks of infection.
The upward population trends at county jails stands in stark contrast to state prison facilities, where populations are declining.
In response to the pandemic, more than 550 state prisoners have been released since April 2020 under an executive order from the governor to commute sentences for prisoners who are eligible for early release, with the exception of several serious crimes.
