
- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez encourages Navajo citizens to share information with their loved ones about Covid-19 vaccinations.
“For those who want to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, we encourage you to contact your IHS Service Unit for information regarding upcoming drive-thru vaccination events or to find out if your Service Unit provides appointments. We are doing our best to provide the information, but we need your help to inform your loved ones,” Nez said on Monday.
“As we see the Covid-19 variants spread in regions of the country, we have to continue doing everything we can to protect ourselves and others. Every day, there is new information and guidelines from the CDC and other health experts, so it’s very important that we all keep ourselves updated and informed. Please continue to stay home as much as possible, always wear a mask in public and around others, avoid in-person gatherings, practice social distancing, and wash your hands with soap and warm water often,” Nez continued.
On Monday, the Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported 15 new Covid-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and one more death. The total number of deaths is now 1,145 as of Monday. Reports indicate that 15,999 individuals have recovered from Covid-19, and 242,360 Covid-19 tests have been administered. The total number of positive Covid-19 cases is now 29,551.
Navajo Nation Covid-19 positive cases by Service Unit:
- Chinle Service Unit: 5,442
- Crownpoint Service Unit: 2,849
- Ft. Defiance Service Unit: 3,489
- Gallup Service Unit: 4,673
- Kayenta Service Unit: 2,628
- Shiprock Service Unit: 4,994
- Tuba City Service Unit: 3,577
- Winslow Service Unit: 1,881
* 18 residences with Covid-19 positive cases are not specific enough to place them accurately in a Service Unit.
On Monday, the state of Arizona reported 1,507 new cases, Utah reported 338, and New Mexico reported 237 new cases. The Navajo Nation’s curfew remains in effect from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. (MST) seven days a week.
Health care facilities across the Navajo Nation continue to administer Covid-19 vaccines during drive-thru events or by appointment. If you would like to receive the vaccine, please contact your health care provider for more information for your Service Unit.
On Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 10:00 a.m. (MST), the Nez-Lizer Administration will host an online town hall on the Nez-Lizer Facebook page and YouTube channel to provide more Covid-19 updates.
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.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Seattle Seahawks Tackle Preservation Projects at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center for Annual Day of Service
Native News Weekly (June 15, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher