Navajo Nation: 94% Of Vaccine Given, More Coming

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – Navajo area Indian Health Services has already put 74,048 shots into the arms of residents after receiving 78, 520 vaccinations. That is a remarkable 94% of doses received and it puts health officials on pace to reach a goal of vaccinating 100,000 people by the end of February.

“Confidence in the vaccines is very high here on the Navajo Nation and that increases demand across the board,” said Navajo President Jonathan Nez. “With the advocacy of our administration along with Navajo Department of Health and Navajo Area IHS, we are going to receive additional doses of the vaccines and more personnel to help administer those doses.”

Navajo Nation has administered 94% of current COVID-19 vaccine doses, 
additional vaccines and personnel to arrive this week to help administer more pic.twitter.com/KvSQBifUtd

— Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez (@NNPrezNez) February 8, 2021

 

The Centers for Disease Control will send $210 million dollars to tribes across the country for vaccine activities and COVID-19 testing. That money will bring another 28,925 vaccine doses to the Navajo Nation, according to a news release.

President Nez also said 82 federal health workers will arrive later this week to help at Navajo health vaccination clinics in Utah and Arizona.

"FEMA administrator, Mr. Robert Fenton, he let us know that the President of The United States signed the major disaster declaration for The Navajo Nation," said Nez. https://t.co/7BQ3aWKPeV

— Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez (@NNPrezNez) February 3, 2021

At the beginning of the month, President Biden signed a Disaster Declaration for the Navajo Nation which freed up federal dollars to reimburse for money it spent on emergency services at the onset of the pandemic, the release said.

“The assistance that our Nation has received from FEMA since the start of the pandemic has been very helpful and effective. Their personnel have been on the ground here on the Navajo Nation working one on one with our health care professionals,” Vice President Myron Lizer said. “All the assistance from the federal level is supplementing the great work being done by our health care workers on the Navajo Nation. We cannot thank them enough for everything they are doing to save lives.”

Coronavirus Resources

Have you or a family member been affected by coronavirus issues in Utah? KSL wants to hear from you. Contact KSL by emailing social@ksl.com.

What is COVID-19? Here’s What You Need To Know To Stay Healthy

The latest coronavirus stories from KSL can be found here.

Your Life Your Health: How parents can prepare their home, children against coronavirus.

How do I prevent it?

The CDC has some simple recommendations, most of which are the same for preventing other respiratory illnesses or the flu:

• Avoid close contact with people who may be sick
• Avoid touching your face
• Stay home when you are sick
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Always wash your hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
• If soap and water is not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

The CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.