Navajo Department of Health Identifies 73 Communities with Uncontrolled Spread of Covid-19

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By Native News Online Staff

January 04, 2021

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — On Monday, the Navajo Department of Health identified the following 73 communities with uncontrolled spread of Covid-19 from Dec. 18 to Dec. 31, 2020:

* Chapters recently added to the list

“We have the ability to bring down the numbers through our actions each day. When we choose to travel or to hold in-person gatherings, we put ourselves and others at risk of contracting the coronavirus. Our administration is working with Navajo Area IHS to follow the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices vaccine prioritization. The health care facilities on the Navajo Nation have been vaccinating individuals in Phase I, which include health care workers, first responders, high-risk patients, and others. The next vaccination priority will be elders 65 and older. If more people receive the vaccine and now that the holidays have past, I am hopeful that we will begin to see consistent declines in new cases, but we still are awaiting to see the full impact of the recent holidays. Please be safe and make good decisions for you and your loved ones,” Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said.

Navajo Area IHS informed President Nez that individuals who received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine will begin receiving the second dose this week. Last Thursday, President Nez, Speaker Seth Damon, several members of the 24^th Navajo Nation Council, and Navajo Area IHS Chief Medical Officer Dr. Loretta Christensen received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine to help boost public confidence in the vaccines.

Public Health Emergency Order No. 2020-032 remains in effect through Jan. 11, 2021 with the following provisions:

• Extends the Stay-At-Home Lockdown which requires all residents to remain at home 24-hours, seven days a week, with the exceptions of essential workers that must report to work, emergency situations, to obtain essential food, medication, and supplies, tend to livestock, outdoor exercising within the immediate vicinity of your home, wood gathering and hauling with a permit.
• Re-implements full 57-hour weekend lockdowns for two additional weekends that include: 8:00 P.M. MST through 5:00 A.M. MST on Jan. 1, 2021 through Jan. 4, 2021, and for the same hours on Jan. 8, 2021 through Jan. 11, 2021.
• Essential businesses including gas stations, grocery stores, laundromats, restaurants and food establishments that provide drive-thru and curbside services, and hay vendors can operate from 7:00 a.m. (MST) to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday only.
• Refrain from gathering with individuals from outside your immediate household and requiring all residents to wear a mask in public, avoid public gatherings, maintain social (physical) distancing, remain in your vehicle for curb-side and drive-through services.

Also, on Monday, the Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported 110 new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and three more deaths. The total number of deaths is now 822 as of Monday. Reports indicate that 12,211 individuals have recovered from Covid-19, and 207,074 Covid-19 tests have been administered. The total number of positive Covid-19 cases is now 23,841, including three delayed reported cases.

Navajo Nation Covid-19 positive cases by Service Unit:

• Chinle Service Unit: 4,447
• Crownpoint Service Unit: 2,442
• Ft. Defiance Service Unit: 2,475
• Gallup Service Unit: 3,841
• Kayenta Service Unit: 2,259
• Shiprock Service Unit: 4,174
• Tuba City Service Unit: 2,665
• Winslow Service Unit: 1,512

* 26 residences with Covid-19 positive cases are not specific enough to place them accurately in a Service Unit.

On Monday, the state of Arizona reported 5,158 new cases, Utah reported 2,160, and New Mexico reported 936 new cases.

“The safest place to be is at home here on the Navajo Nation. We continue to see a surge in new cases in areas near and around the Navajo Nation, so please take notice and stay home as much as possible to help reduce the risk of contracting the coronavirus. The holidays are behind us and I am hopeful that the daily number of new cases will not increase drastically, but we will have to see the data in the days to come. Please stay home as much as possible, wear a mask if you have to go into public, practice social distancing, avoid in-person gatherings, and wash your hands often with soap and warm water,” said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez.

On Tuesday, Jan. 5 at 10:00 a.m. (MST), the Nez-Lizer Administration will host an online town hall on the Nez-Lizer Facebook page and YouTube channel to provide additional information and updates regarding Covid-19. The updates will later be broadcasted on local radio stations.

Covid-19 testing schedules are available online at the Navajo Health Command Operations Center website: https://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19/COVID-19-Testing. For more information, including helpful prevention tips, and resources to help stop the spread of Covid-19, visit the Navajo Department of Health's COVID-19 website: http://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19. For Covid-19 related questions and information, call (928) 871-7014.

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