Number of record high cases reported Friday as Navajo Nation lockdown continues

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – The Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported a record-high 351 new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and five more deaths Friday.

The total number of deaths is now 623 as of Friday. Reports indicate that 8,045 individuals have recovered from COVID-19, and 146,196 COVID-19 tests have been administered. The total number of positive COVID-19 cases is now 14,441, including five delayed reported cases.

Navajo Nation COVID-19 positive cases by Service Unit:

·       Chinle Service Unit: 3,122

·       Crownpoint Service Unit: 1,563

·       Ft. Defiance Service Unit: 1,476

·       Gallup Service Unit: 2,299

·       Kayenta Service Unit: 1,564

·       Shiprock Service Unit: 2,099

·       Tuba City Service Unit: 1,512

·       Winslow Service Unit: 797

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

On Friday, the state of New Mexico reported 2,993 new cases of Covid-19, the state of Arizona reported 4,471 new cases, and Utah reported a record-high 4,588 new cases.

President Johnathan said, on May 13, the Navajo Nation reported a record high of 238 new cases, but the Friday's number indicates that uncontrolled spread persists on the reservation and border towns.

Nez reflected on the state of Arizona, where unlike New Mexico, Gov. Doug Ducey has left mask mandates up to local governments. In contrast, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has implemented the toughest Covid- 19 restrictions in the country, including a statewide mask mandate.

"It is time for a mask mandate for the entire state of Arizona – the growing numbers of cases outside of the Navajo Nation is having a devastating impact on our people and it’s evident with 4,471 new cases reported in Arizona," Nez said.

Nez said the upward trend of positive Covid-19 cases has also impacted the rest of the country.

"... We have always told our people that the safest place to be is at home here on the Navajo Nation," he said.

He explained that the administration has cautioned people daily about the dangers of Covid-19, but each individual must hold themselves accountable for their actions.

"If you do not have an emergency, if you’re not in immediate need of food, and if you’re not an essential worker that is required to report to work, then you are mandated to stay home," he said. "We have to do more and we have to take it upon ourselves to isolate the virus. When we move, the virus moves and spreads among the people."

The Navajo Nation’s three-week stay-at-home lockdown is in effect 24-hours a day, seven days a week with the exception of essential workers, cases of emergencies, and to purchase essential items such as food and medication when essential businesses are open from 7 am to 3 pm daily.

According to the Office of the President and Vice President's Friday Covid-19 press release, Navajo Police Department will increase its enforcement of the lockdown and will patrol roadways and communities to help ensure compliance.

All essential businesses are required to ensure employees and customers wear masks, practice social distancing, disinfect high-touch surfaces, access to hand wash stations, sanitizers and gloves, and limit the number of customers in any enclosed areas, the release states.

Vice President Myron Lizer weighed in on the record-high positive cases of the virus, and said all members of the Navajo Nation need to fight the virus by following lockdown protocol.

"We have more and more people becoming infected with this virus and losing their lives," Lizer said. "Our health care system is struggling and may soon be overwhelmed. We have to do everything within our power to protect our children, elders, and those with existing health conditions. Please pray, be safe, and stay home as much as possible.”

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.

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, Vice President Myron Lizer, Speaker Seth Damon and several members of the 24^th Navajo Nation Council issued a letter to the Gallup McKinley County Schools Board of Education members, requesting their support of a resolution to have students return to virtual learning, as opposed to hybrid learning, as cases of COVID-19 continue to increase significantly in surrounding areas.

The resolution was unanimously passed by the board members by a vote of 5-0-0 during a special meeting held on Friday.

“As you are aware, the pandemic has impacted governments, communities, schools and our families. The harm COVID-19 has caused is insurmountable. We are making every attempt to mitigate and recover from the impacts. Policies and procedures have been developed to minimize the spread of COVID-19, and we continue to experience our Country’s 3^rd surge and the Navajo Nation’s 2^nd surge. Both of which are equally devastating to America and the Navajo people,” states the letter signed by President Nez, Vice President Lizer, Speaker Seth Damon, and Council Delegates Mark Freeland, Pernell Halona, Edmund Yazzie, Wilson C. Stewart, and Jamie Henio.

A news release states from OPVP stated that the Navajo Nation has supported online learning for all students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, to help reduce the spread of the virus and to keep students, teachers, administrators, and all school employees safe and healthy.

“We thank the Gallup McKinley County Schools Board of Education for their support and acknowledgement of our Nation’s sovereignty regarding this matter, and for setting an example for other school districts," Nez said. "Unfortunately, we have other school districts near and around the Navajo Nation where many Navajo students are enrolled and continue to be put at risk of COVID-19. We need these school districts to hear our concerns about the safety and health of our people, and take action to return to virtual learning full-time for the remainder of the school year. We cannot play politics with the health and lives of our children, teachers, parents, and others. This invisible monster known as COVID-19 is real and we have to do everything we can to fight it together."

On Oct. 22, the 24^th Navajo Nation Council approved a resolution by a vote of 23-0 opposing all in-person instruction at all schools and supporting the Navajo Nation Board of Education’s recommendation for virtual learning.

“The 24^th Navajo Nation Council has prioritized the health and safety of our students, teachers, and all school workers since the start of this pandemic that continues to devastate our communities with the latest rise in COVID-19 cases," Damon said. "I commend my colleagues and the Gallup McKinley County Schools Board of Education for demonstrating strong leadership and for prioritizing the well-being of our students above all else. We strongly urge other school districts to do what is right for our people.”

On Thursday, the Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported that the total number of COVID-19 cases for the Navajo Nation has reached 14,085, and a total of 618 deaths.

“We have lost far too many of our Navajo people and we are losing many across this country as well," Council Delegate Mark Freeland said. "It’s heartbreaking to hear stories of families who have lost loved ones. We have to be united in our fight against COVID-19 and I thank the Gallup McKinley County Schools Board of Education for supporting our Navajo students. We have to remain diligent and strong and continue to pray for our Nation,”

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact education by keeping schools closed and having many students learn from a distance, there is growing concern that students are becoming less engaged from learning and participating, stemming from a lack of accountability.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, a non-profit group that has created one-on-one youth mentorships for over a century, is aware of the unique challenges faced by students at this time. To that end, they want to recruit more mentors to help more students around Gallup.

Sarah Piano, regional director for Big Brothers Big Sisters Mountain Region, said their main focus right now is recruitment.

“Due to the virtual mentoring component we’re implementing, more kids can be involved in the program,” Piano said Nov. 11. “We are seeing a lot more youth referrals to our program because kids are more isolated now than ever because of COVID and kids being out of school.”

Since young people are isolated, they need guidance and support more than ever, Piano continued.

“Things are uncertain right now and kids are feeling anxious. But we know that having one mentor in your life makes such a big difference,” she said.

The goal of Big Brothers Big Sisters is reflected in a hashtag they are using on social media — #KeepKidsConnected. The hashtag is also the center of a fundraiser that began in mid-October.

MOVE FOR KIDS’ SAKE

The event began Oct. 15 and runs through Nov. 14. Piano said the virtual fundraiser was created in place of the Bowl for Kids’ Sake benefit the group holds each year.

According to their website, Move for Kids’ Sake is the signature fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Each year, about half a million people across America come together to have fun and raise money to support the group in efforts to help and guide youth as they grow up.

The virtual event is the first of its kind held for the Mountain Region.

“We didn’t want people to feel tied down, so we wanted them to move any way they wanted,” Piano said.

Participants formed a “QuaranTeam,”  which, according to the online urban dictionary, is the individuals, family members  and friends that you are secluded with during a pandemic, signed up on Big Brothers Big Sisters’ website, and then got out and moved around however they wished. Walking, running, hiking, jumping rope, or even doing household chores were all fair game.

“We had people cleaning their houses during the event. There was one group from Grants that went out to a nearby mountainside and picked up trash there,” Piano said. “People found great ways to move around and do good for their community.”

Other activities Piano witnessed included dancing and chopping wood.

“This all proved you can move around in lots of different ways,” she said.

Then as participants moved around throughout the day, they were told to post their activities on social media or send photos to Big Brothers Big Sisters to post themselves while using the hashtag #KeepKidsConnected.

As of Nov. 11, Mountain Region has raised about $175,222 of its $217,279 goal. Piano said the original deadline was Oct. 31, but was moved back because their fundraising goal had not been met, but she feels confident they will meet the goal with some extra time.

Piano also said a lot of people ask about the annual bowling event and wonder if they will bring it back next year if the pandemic circumstances change.

If the changes don’t come, another virtual event could be the organization’s future direction. But Piano said that decision has yet to be made.

“We’re looking at this year as a trial run, because we’ve never had a run like this,” she said. “So this is a good learning opportunity for us.”

VALUE OF THE PROGRAM

More than anything, Piano hopes the virtual fundraiser will help the community to recognize how important Big Brothers Big Sisters is for many kids and their families, because of the support it provides for them.

“I am so grateful to the families, mentors, businesses, and donors,” Piano said. “This program would not be possible without them.”

Piano also wants to stress the program is still taking applications for mentors, which are needed in order for the program to continue. With the pandemic restricting in-person meetings, she said many interviews and check-ins are done over Zoom or Skype now, and other means of virtual correspondence are being used.

For more information on Move for Kids’ Sake and Big Brothers Big Sisters, including to donate or how you can help out, visit https://www.bbbsmountainregion.org/mfks/

By Cody Begaye
Sun Correspondent

Non-essential businesses, nonprofits to close in-person services for two weeks

By Dominic Aragon

Sun Correspondent

SANTA FE — During her Friday press conference, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham laid out a plan to close certain businesses for two weeks starting Nov. 16.

The governor said businesses deemed “non-essential,” and nonprofits, will be required to cease in-person services until Nov. 30.

Non-essential businesses include barbershops, salons, and gyms. Food and drink establishments will need to halt on-site dining, but can offer curbside and delivery services.

Houses of worship can operate at either 25 percent of the maximum occupancy or 75 people at any time, whichever number is smaller. Lujan Grisham said New Mexicans are instructed to shelter in place and only leave home for trips pertaining to health, safety and welfare.

“New Mexico has crushed this virus twice, and we’ll do it again,” she said.

OUTLOOK

After Nov. 30, the state will have a three-tier county-by-county system to establish reopening benchmarks for individual counties.

“We feel very confident about this aspect of having the whole state, county-by-county working cohesively to continue to blunt the spread of the virus,” the governor said.

• Level 1 (green) would have a county with low positivity rates and low daily case counts.

• Level 2 (yellow) would be a county that is with borderline positivity rates and average daily case counts that would require public health restrictions.

• Level 3 (red) would mean a county has widespread illness and infection, restricting in-person activity.

“This permits counties the flexibility to engage more directly in both problem solving and rewarding by showing they have found strategies to mitigate risk,” Lujan Grisham said.

BY THE NUMBERS

• The state has seen over 60,000 COVID-19 cases as of Nov. 12.

• The state reported 1,753 cases on Nov. 12, which is the highest number of cases in a 24-hour period in New Mexico.

• Additionally, the state reported 182 COVID-19 deaths in the last two weeks, bringing the total to 1,176 deaths.

• Locally, McKinley County and neighboring Cibola County have reported over 5,100 and 900 total cases respectively.