By L. Parsons Last week Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer met with members of the Biden administration including FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) officials to discuss COVID-19 related issues and to advocate for more COVID-19 vaccines, testing kits, medical personnel and other resources to help reduce the spread of the virus. The Biden administration has announced their plan to release 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines within the President’s first 100 days in office. In a statement, Biden said, “We will ensure that there is equity in the vaccination process by using data to target resources to hard-hit communities, ensuring no out-of-pocket costs for vaccinations, and equitable access to vaccines in marginalized and medically-underserved communities. Partnerships with state, local and community-based organizations and trusted health care providers, like community health centers, will be central to this effort.” It is assumed this includes tribal communities. In a press release, Nez stated, “As of Jan. 29, the Navajo Area Indian Health Services reported that the Navajo Nation received 64,713 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines combined, and that 47,455 of those doses had been administered including some for second doses.” According to Nez, more than 73 percent of Navajo Nation residents have been vaccinated. “This helps us to be able to advocate for more doses,” he said. The Nation has been holding vaccine events in various places across its nearly 30,000 square miles, including one in Fort Defiance, Ariz., last week that distributed more than 1,000 doses. Nez continued, “Compared to states across the country, the COVID-19 vaccines are being put into the arms of our people here on the Navajo Nation at a very high rate. Over the weekend, we saw thousands of people waiting in long lines to receive the vaccines. Now that the 57-hour weekend lockdown is lifted, our health care workers are expanding efforts to get the vaccines administered as quickly and efficiently as possible. “We appreciate the White House officials and federal agencies for meeting with us and for the support they continue to provide. Our message to them was that our health care workers are doing a great job and confidence in the vaccines is at a very high level among our people so we need more vaccines to meet the demand and to vaccinate as many of our people as possible. The need is growing greater and greater as we receive more reports of the COVID-19 variants spreading.” The Navajo Nation spans a vast amount of land in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. Throughout the pandemic, it has experienced times of being the population hardest hit by the virus. As of last Monday, 28,325 positive cases have been reported as well as 1,018 deaths. Nez continued, “My administration has issued letters to the governors of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah stating that if the states used Native American population numbers to advocate and receive COVID-19 vaccines, then the Navajo Nation should receive its share of those vaccines for Navajo people residing in urban areas.” Nez also asked the White House officials to follow-up on the Navajo Nation’s previous request to issue a major disaster declaration to free up additional funding and resources. Dr. Jill Jim, the Navajo Department of Health Executive Director also sits on Biden’s COVID-19 Advisory Board. She has reportedly requested support from the federal government for more test kits, which, as Jim said, “Will help to address the needs of school employees, businesses and essential workers who are required to report to work for essential duties.” Lizer added, “We hear the voices of the people who are wanting more resources for school teachers and employees, businesses and essential workers. We are doing our very best to advocate for all of them, but we are competing with high demands across the country. Persistence and communication are key to securing more resources.” Nez has expressed his concern for new COVID-19 variants making their way to Arizona. During a live Town Hall meeting on Facebook, Nez said, “We need to make sure we get as many of our people vaccinated as we can as quickly as we can because we don’t know a lot about these new variants. Once this thing spreads, it is hard to bring the numbers back down. So it’s best that we keep the numbers down.” In a continued effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 and its variants, Nez has issued a Stay at Home order until at least Feb. 15. “We all need to pitch in, all of us. The only way we are going to get out of this, is if we all pitch in and how do we do that? We stay home.” The order, issued Jan. 25 states: * Individuals are required to remain at home 24 hours a day, seven days a week with the exceptions of essential workers that must report to work, emergency situations, to obtain food, medication, supplies, tend to livestock, outdoor exercising in the vicinity of your home and wood gathering and hauling. * A daily curfew is in effect from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. seven days a week. * Essential businesses may operate between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. and include: gas stations, grocery stores, convenience stores, hardware stores, laundromats, restaurants, banks and other financial institutions, and hay vendors. * Refrain from gatherings with individuals from outside your immediate household and requiring all residents to wear a mask in public, avoid public gatherings, maintain physical distancing and remain in your vehicle for drive through and curb side services. The entire order as well as other resources pertaining to the pandemic including vaccination sites and appointments can be found at www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov.
