Board of Trustees | Public Statement on Vaccine Mandate
September 1, 2021
Source: CTUIR Incident Command Center
“This week, the Board of Trustees approved an Order mandating all employees of Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center, the Umatilla Tribal Fire Department, the Education Department and all COVID-19 screeners to become fully vaccinated by September 30, 2021. To lead by example, all CTUIR Board of Trustee members and officers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This Order comes after careful consideration of our ability to carry out tribal government and health care services to the community, and the continued hardship on the CTUIR.
Currently hospitals in the state of Oregon and the surrounding counties are reaching capacity. Newly infected people suffering from symptoms of COVID-19 that require respiratory therapy are being transported to other states for COVID-19 emergency care. We are facing shortages in medical care capacities, equipment and protections.
The medical and health care fields are reporting service disruptions and delays that result from employees required to quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19 exposures. These services are vital to the CTUIR community and we must preserve the CTUIR capacity to provide such services. In the meantime our children, elders and tribal families continue to become infected with COVID-19 and its Delta variant.
The spread of COVID-19 remains a hardship on our tribal way of life and to our tribal people and employees. Statistically, tribal people are at a disproportionate higher risk of serious illness and death when infected with COVID-19. This summer, our community suffered a substantial increase in COVID-19 infections and deaths.
As a community, we need to remain vigilant in our fight against COVID-19 in order to be as safe as safe as possible. Please continue to wear your mask, wash your hands and social distance to the best of your ability.
Stay safe and healthy.”
– CTUIR Board of Trustees
This week, the CTUIR Board of Trustees approved an Order mandating all employees of Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center, the Umatilla Tribal Fire Department, the Education Department and all COVID-19 screeners to become fully vaccinated by September 30, 2021. pic.twitter.com/F01Uw7XeyS
— Umatilla Confederated Tribes (@1855CTUIR) September 1, 2021