COVID-19 cases on the Navajo Nation appear to be plateauing after rising throughout November.
The rate of virus spread on the Navajo Nation is still high. But in a town hall video Thursday, Navajo Nation president Jonathan Nez said he was happy to see the reservation appears to have avoided a surge in cases after the Thanksgiving holiday.
“Good job to everybody during Thanksgiving," Nez said. "I’m hoping, we’re all praying that the numbers don’t go up, but let’s not let down."
Nez urged Navajo Nation residents to get vaccinated for COVID-19 and to continue to practice social distancing throughout the holiday season.
The Navajo Nation still requires masks in public and vaccination rates on the reservation are still higher than they are statewide. Nez reports about 63% of Navajo Nation residents are fully vaccinated, compared to 55% of Arizona residents statewide. In the first few weeks since vaccines became available to younger kids, nearly 30% of Navajo Nation children 5 to 11 have had a vaccine — twice the statewide rate for Arizona kids.
