The Navajo Nation 

Office of the President and Vice President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 28, 2020

Navajo Department of Health identifies 68 communities with uncontrolled spread of COVID-19

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – On Monday, the Navajo Department of Health identified the following 68 communities with uncontrolled spread of COVID-19 from Dec. 11 to Dec. 24, 2020:

* Chapters recently added to the list

“This week, we see a very slight reduction in the number of communities with uncontrolled spread of COVID-19, but that does not mean that we let up our guard. We won’t know the impact of the Christmas holiday for several more days, so we don’t know the full extent of exposure and new infections. Keep your guard up and continue to follow the recommendations of our public health experts. The NavajoDepartment of Health has extended the stay-at-home lockdown that requires everyone to remain home unless you are an essential worker who has to report to work, for cases of emergencies, to pick-up medication, to get food and water, and other essential activities. Please be safe and keep praying for our people and our communities,” said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez.

The Navajo Department of Health issued Public Health Emergency Order No. 2020-032, which went into effect on Monday until Jan. 11, 2021 with the following provisions:

• Extends the Stay-At-Home Lockdown which requires all residents to remain at home 24-hours, seven days a week, with the exceptions of essential workers that must report to work, emergency situations, to obtain essential food, medication, and supplies, tend to livestock, outdoor exercising within the immediate vicinity of your home, wood gathering and hauling with a permit.
• Re-implements full 57-hour weekend lockdowns for two additional weekends that include: 8:00 P.M. MST through 5:00 A.M. MST on Jan. 1, 2021 through Jan. 4, 2021, and for the same hours on Jan. 8, 2021 through Jan. 11, 2021.
• Essential businesses including gas stations, grocery stores, laundromats, restaurants and food establishments that provide drive-thru and curbside services, and hay vendors can operate from 7:00 a.m. (MST) to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday only.
• Refrain from gathering with individuals from outside your immediate household and requiring all residents to wear a mask in public, avoid public gatherings, maintain social (physical) distancing, remain in your vehicle for curb-side and drive-through services.

President Nez and Vice President Lizer have also extended the limitation of Navajo Nation government services through Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021, due to rise in COVID-19 cases. 

“Our health care workers have never given up on fighting for us, so let’s do our very best to help them by staying home more often. The coronavirus only moves when we move, so let’s stay home as much as possible to help isolate COVID-19. Thank you to all of the first responders and health care workers who are working through the holidays for us,” said Vice President Myron Lizer.

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.