fbpx
facebook app symbol  twitter  linkedin  instagram 1
 

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for 12- to 15-year-old adolescents on Monday.

The Navajo Area Indian Health Service is awaiting forthcoming guidance from the Advisory Council on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and adoption by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) before implementing vaccinations for this age group. ACIP is scheduled to meet on Wednesday and will conduct an independent review and recommendation to the CDC about the appropriate use of the Pfizer vaccine in this adolescent population. 

“As the Navajo Area IHS awaits further guidance and approval from the CDC, the Indian Health Service is preparing to begin administering the Pfizer vaccine to the adolescent age group as quickly as possible. This is an opportunity for families to receive the vaccine together, if adults have not done so already. The vaccines are effective and they are key to overcoming this pandemic. Community immunity is our goal here on the Navajo Nation. Please continue to wear masks, get vaccinated, practice social distancing, wash your hands often, and avoid large in-person gatherings,” Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said. 

On Tuesday, the Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported 9 new Covid-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and no recent deaths. The total number of deaths remains 1,285 as previously reported. Reports indicate that 29,261 individuals have recovered from Covid-19. 268,597 Covid-19 tests have been administered. The total number of positive Covid-19 cases is now 30,642, including 13 delayed reported cases. 

Navajo Nation Covid-19 positive cases by Service Unit:

  • Chinle Service Unit: 5,586
  • Crownpoint Service Unit: 2,941
  • Ft. Defiance Service Unit: 3,643
  • Gallup Service Unit: 4,858
  • Kayenta Service Unit: 2,721
  • Shiprock Service Unit: 5,165
  • Tuba City Service Unit: 3,730
  • Winslow Service Unit: 1,979

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

On Tuesday, the state of Arizona reported 683 new cases, Utah reported 224, and New Mexico reported 137 cases. 

The Nez-Lizer Administration will host an online town hall on Thursday, May 13 at 10:00 a.m. (MDT) 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

California Moves Forward with Pilot MMIP Program
Native News Weekly (April 14, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Biden Nominates Heather M. Cahoon to Board of Trustees of Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation
Native Bidaské with Lyndsay Amato on the #BraidsforCole Movement
Services to Honor Cole Brings Plenty's Life Commence This Weekend in South Dakota

Native Perspective.  Native Voices.  Native News. 

We launched Native News Online because the mainstream media often overlooks news that is important is Native people. We believe that everyone in Indian Country deserves equal access to news and commentary pertaining to them, their relatives and their communities. That's why the story you’ve just finished was free — and we want to keep it that way, for all readers.  We hope you'll consider making a donation to support our efforts so that we can continue publishing more stories that make a difference to Native people, whether they live on or off the reservation. Your donation will help us keep producing quality journalism and elevating Indigenous voices. Any contribution of any amount — big or small — gives us a better, stronger future and allows us to remain a force for change. Donate to Native News Online today and support independent Indigenous-centered journalism. Thank you.

 
About The Author
Native News Online Staff
Author: Native News Online StaffEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at [email protected].