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On Friday, the Navajo Nation extended the nightly curfews from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. until further notice.

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. On Friday, the Navajo Nation issued a public health order that extended the duration of the nightly curfew ‪from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. (MDT) until further notice, and another public health order which encourages individuals to practice personal responsibility of sheltering in place and to allow "drive-in" gatherings of any size with restrictions.

"Drive-in" gatherings include parking lots with hotspot areas, religious services, funeral services, graduations and promotions, firework displays, and other events, with the following guidelines:

  • Participants must remain in their vehicles for the entire event
  • All vehicle occupants must be from the same household
  • Participants must maintain a six-feet distance from other vehicles
  • Organizers and participants must wear face masks
  • No more than five people in public restrooms
  • Ensure access to handwashing station, sanitizers, or gloves
  • Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces

“The Public Health Orders continue to combat COVID-19 on the Navajo Nation and to prevent any potential spikes in new cases. There are many recoveries, but must still practice preventative measures, such as planning, wearing face masks, washing our hands, maintaining a distance of six feet from others, and cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces. We must not let our guard down and protect each other," Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said.

Friday Update:

The Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported 78 new cases of COVID-19 for the Navajo Nation and five more deaths. The total number of deaths has reached 269 as of Friday. Preliminary reports from 11 health care facilities indicate that approximately 2,576 individuals have recovered from COVID-19, with one more report still pending. The total number of positive COVID-19 cases for the Navajo Nation has reached 5,808.

Navajo Nation cases by Service Unit:

  • Chinle Service Unit: 1,502
  • Crownpoint Service Unit: 557
  • Ft. Defiance Service Unit: 324
  • Gallup Service Unit: 980
  • Kayenta Service Unit: 877
  • Shiprock Service Unit: 962
  • Tuba City Service Unit: 474
  • Winslow Service Unit: 126
  • *Six residences are not specific enough to place them accurately in a Service Unit

For more information, including reports, helpful prevention tips, and more resources, please visit the Navajo Department of Health's COVID-19 website at ‪http://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19. To contact the primary Navajo Health Command Operations Center, please call (928) 871-7014.


To Donate to the Navajo Nation

The official webpage for donations to the Navajo Nation, which has further details on how to support  the Nation’s Dikos Ntsaaígíí-19 (COVID-19) efforts is:  http://www.nndoh.org/donate.html.


For More Information

For more information including reports, helpful prevention tips, and more resources, please visit the Navajo Department of Health’s COVID-19 website at http://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19. To contact the main Navajo Health Command Operations Center, please call (928) 871-7014.

For up to date information on impact the coronavirus pandemic is having in the United States and around the world go to: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/?fbclid=IwAR1vxfcHfMBnmTFm6hBICQcdbV5aRnMimeP3hVYHdlxJtFWdKF80VV8iHgE

For up-to-date information about COVID-19, Native News Online encourages you to go to Indian Health Service’s COVID-19 webpage and review CDC’s COVID-19

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Levi Rickert
Author: Levi RickertEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Levi "Calm Before the Storm" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at [email protected].