January 21, 2023 – The Navajo Nation lifted its COVID-19 mask mandate on Friday, nearly three years after it was implemented.
“It is time for the Navajo people to get back to work,” said Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren in a Press release“It is time for them to be able to open their local chapter buildings to conduct their business locally and receive the services they demand and deserve.”
The reservation has achieved “low risk” status when it comes to hospital use for COVID patients, the discharge said. The reservation has recorded 2,009 COVID-related deaths and 80,539 cases because the pandemic began, in response to Navajo Nation COVID DashboardThe Navajo Nation spans parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah and is home to about 250,000 people.
Nygren said the Navajo Nation was one among the last jurisdictions within the country to lift the mask mandate. He was sworn in on Jan. 10, replacing Jonathan Nez, who led the nation when the mask mandate was implemented.
In a tweetNez asked whether the choice to abolish compulsory insurance was based on political or health reasons.
“The reason Covid numbers have been relatively low compared to the regions surrounding the Navajo Nation is largely due to the mask mandate. To my knowledge, this new administration has not publicly released Covid-19 numbers since taking office and that is very concerning,” Nez tweeted.
Indoors, masks are still mandatory in kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, nursing homes, healthcare facilities, and for individuals who show symptoms of COVID-19 infection, have tested positive, or have had contact with the disease.
Native Americans have suffered disproportionately throughout the pandemic. Compared to non-Hispanic whites, American Indians and Alaska Natives have 3.5 times higher infection rates and 4 times higher hospitalization rates, in response to the Indian Health ServiceThey have the next mortality rate and die earlier.