Governor Lujan Grisham was asked about the push to reopen small businesses during her Wednesday COVID-19 update.

"The big box competitive advantage is troubling for everybody in the country who is trying to make sure that their local small businesses can, to the highest degree in a public health crisis, stay afloat, and it is not easy," she said. "And the financial strains and struggles of these businesses and the struggles of the communities who are also affected are real, but if we're not at the surge, and we're bending the curve, even smaller groups are still transmitting the virus. The notion that if you have risk at one place it's okay to have risk at two places is not an effective strategy when you're dealing with a public health emergency."

The governor added that her decision about which businesses were deemed essential was based on life and safety needs of New Mexicans.

To read the full declaration, click here.