Cronkite News: Navajo Nation seeks greater access to COVID-19 tests

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The U.S. Postal Service is distributing COVID-19 tests, like the ones pictured here, to homes across the U.S. Each household address is limited to two kits, containing a total of four tests. Photo by Indianz.Com (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Navajo President Nez advocates for more free COVID-19 tests for tribal members

Monday, January 31, 2022

By Emma VandenEinde

Cronkite News

cronkitenews.azpbs.org

COVID-19 cases in Arizona hit a record last Wednesday and now are starting to slowly decline.

There were over 14,000 cases reported Thursday. That’s according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

The Navajo Nation is seeing a similar surge, according to President Jonathan Nez. The Nation reported triple digits last Thursday with 113 new COVID-19 cases.

indianz · Navajo President Nez advocates for more free COVID-19 tests for tribal members

Cronkite News Audio by Emma VandenEinde: Navajo President Nez advocates for more free COVID-19 tests for tribal members

Despite the numbers, Nez says there’s been very few hospitalizations, which he attributes to high vaccination rates on the Nation. But Nez is concerned about getting tests out to families who need them.

“There are multiple generations of individuals living under one roof, and so when you use a post office box, other families may use the same P.O. Box number,” Nez told Cronkite News. “The other family members, they’re not able to receive the free test kits.”

Nez isn’t the only one seeking changes. Congressman Tom O’Halleran, a Democrat, recently sent a letter to the federal government asking for a priority shipment of tests to tribal communities.

Until then, Nez says Navajos will continue to wash their hands, keep their distance and wear masks.

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

Note: This story is published via a Creative Commons license. Cronkite News is produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.