CORONAVIRUS
Navajo Nation Replacing ‘Stay-At-Home’ Order With ‘Safe-At-Home’ Order
Aug 17, 2020, 2:36 PM
FILE: An American flag with an image of Native American on it is attached to a fence outside a home in the East To'Hajiilee housing community in To'Hajiilee Indian Reservation (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – The Navajo Department of Health issued a new public “Safe-At-Home” health order to replace the previous “Stay-At-Home” order that helped the reservation beat back one of the highest rates of COVID-19 cases in the country.
The “Stay-At-Home” order reinstates daily weekend curfews which will run from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., according to a news release.
“The public health order does not require individuals to stay home, but we continue to encourage Navajo residents to limit their travels and leave their place of residence only for emergencies or perform essential activities and errands,” said President Jonathan Nez.
6,970 recoveries, 24 new cases, two more deaths related to COVID-19 as Navajo Nation implements “Safe at Home” Public Health Order pic.twitter.com/yyotxru2Yi
— Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez (@NNPrezNez) August 17, 2020
The new order also puts into place drive-in gatherings and keeps Navajo Nation roads closed to visitors and tourists until the public health emergency due to the coronavirus is over, the release said.
The order states that “drive-in” gatherings include parking lots with hotspot areas, religious services, funeral services, graduations and other events with the following guidelines:
-Participants must remain in their vehicles for the entire event
-All vehicle occupants must be from the same household
-Participants must maintain a six-feet distance from other vehicles
-Organizers and participants must wear face masks
-No more than 10 people in public restrooms
-Ensure access to handwashing station, sanitizers, or gloves
-Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces
The Navajo Nation spreads across an area in Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.
The reservation was the hardest hit area in the country during April and May. Leaders have since been able to reduce the rate of new cases by strictly enforcing curfews, lockdowns and closures. In the last few weeks, Navajo Leaders have loosened public health orders as the number of new cases has decreased significantly.
Sunday the Navajo Health Department reported 24 new cases and two more deaths. The disease has now killed a total of 480 people.
There is more information on how the reservation is controlling COVID-19 at the tribal website.
