SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has extended the emergency ‘stay-at-home’ order Monday to combat the spread of COVID-19. Additional businesses deemed non-essential in the new order include automobile dealerships, payday lenders and liquor stores and according to the governor’s office, they must close. However, the order states that new and used automobile dealers may sell cars through the internet or other audiovisual means.

The order goes into effect April 7 at 8 a.m. and will continue through at least April 30. The governor still encourages social distancing. In the original public health order, New Mexicans are instructed to stay at home except for emergency or essential outings and non-essential businesses that had been ordered to close in-person operations must remain closed.

The order has a new requirement that all retail operations that are considered essential businesses, including grocery stores, shall limit occupancy. The maximum number of customers in the store must be equal to 20% or less of the maximum occupancy of the retailer, as determined by the fire department.

Customers waiting outside must be in compliance with social distancing protocols of at least six feet. The order also says that hotels, motels, RV parks and other places of lodging should not operate at more than 25% of maximum occupancy. This is reduced from 50%.

The Department of Health is recommending residents wear cloth, non-medical face masks when traveling outside of the home for essential outings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using cloth face coverings in public settings where it is difficult to maintain social distancing guidelines.

The CDC advises the use of cloth face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to slow the spread of the virus and to help those who may have the virus and not know it prevent the transmission of it to others. The CDC states that face coverings should not be placed on young children under the age of 2, on anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or is otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

The CDC has created an instructional video on how to make your own cloth face mask.