Navajo Nation Urges Residents To Plan For Labor Day Weekend, Upcoming Flu Season
Sep 4, 2020, 10:15 PM
(KSL TV)
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – Navajo Nation leaders urged people to stay home over the Labor Day weekend and plan for the upcoming flu season.
“Stay home and stay safe this Labor Day weekend. It is not safe to travel off the Navajo Nation because there remains substantial risk of contracting COVID-19 in other cities and towns near the Navajo Nation,” said President Jonathan Nez in a news release.
“As we’ve been saying all along, use this time on weekends to prepare for the upcoming winter season. Along with the winter season also comes the flu season, but I am confident that we can avoid a large spike in flu cases if we keep wearing our masks, staying home as much as possible, washing our hands, avoiding large crowds and practicing social distancing,” he added.
Even though it is a holiday weekend, a 32-hour lockdown will still take place starting at 9 p.m. Saturday. It will end at 5 a.m. Monday. Officials said the 32-hour weekend lockdowns as well as daily curfews will stay in place through September.
Neighboring Arizona has reported new cases Thursday and Friday that are higher than the 10-day average. “For this reason, it is not safe for our Navajo people to travel off the Navajo Nation. Our health care system on the Navajo Nation will have major issues dealing with a second wave of COVID-19 cases,” said Vice President Myron Lizer.
The Navajo Nation reported 10 new COVID-19 cases Friday, and raised the total number of deaths 520.
Officials said the 16 newly-reported deaths occurred between the months of May and August from state disease surveillance systems, and reporting the deaths was delayed due to late notification.
Overall, 9,871 people on the reservation have tested positive for COVID-19.
The Navajo Nation is in the Four Corners area, which includes Utah’s San Juan County.