The Navajo Nation 

Office of the President and Vice President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 5, 2022

Navajo Department of Health implements “yellow status” for schools and increases capacity to 75% for businesses, mask mandate remains in effect  

WINDOW ROCK, Arizona – On Tuesday, the Navajo Department of Health issued three new public health emergency orders transitioning the Navajo Nation from “orange status” to “yellow status,” consisting of moderate-low restrictions including increasing gathering and capacity limits, re-emphasizing the safer at home order, and continuing the face mask mandate in all public places. The new guidelines are based on the consistent decline in new COVID-19 infections within the past several weeks on the Navajo Nation. The new public health emergency orders are available online at: https://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19.

“We are seeing consistent low numbers of daily COVID-19 cases on the Navajo Nation thanks to our Navajo people and our frontline warriors. Capacity limits will increase for businesses and most gatherings, but we will keep the face mask mandate in place in all public places and this applies to all visitors and tourists that come to the Navajo Nation. We are taking careful steps to reopen and we will continue to rely on the public health experts to guide us along the way. Please continue to be very cautious, wear a mask in public, and please get vaccinated if you haven’t already,” said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez. 

Public Health Emergency Order No. 2022-004 [PDF] declares “yellow status” for all businesses and increases the maximum occupancy allowed to 75-percent, which includes restaurants, casinos, hotels including campgrounds and RV parks, museums and zoos, marinas and parks, movie theaters, and personal care and services. The order also allows gyms, wellness centers, and recreation facilities to operate at 25-percent maximum capacity, or less depending on six-foot physical distancing. All businesses must submit a COVID-19 reopening plan to the Division of Economic Development before reopening in yellow status. Reopening plans can be e-mailed to navajoeconomy@navajo-nsn.gov.

Public Health Emergency Order No. 2022-005 [PDF] re-emphasizes the “safer at home” order and increases in-person gathering limits from 15 to 25 persons for social gatherings, traditional ceremonies, churches, youth programs, holiday gatherings, and in-person meetings and trainings. For outdoor recreational events such as walks, runs, bike rides, motorcycle events and similar events, gatherings of up to 50 people are permitted. Drive-in gatherings of up to 100 vehicles are permitted where people from the same vehicle remain in their vehicles. Masks must be worn at all in-person events and gatherings. 

The order also provides guidelines for graduation events, limiting outdoor in-person events to 75-percent maximum occupancy and 50-percent maximum occupancy for in-door graduation events. 

Public Health Emergency Order No. 2022-006 [PDF] declares “yellow status” for all schools and requires face masks to be worn by all students, teachers, and employees. The order also limits gatherings to 25 or fewer persons for non-classroom instruction events such as back-to-school, orientations, and other community gatherings. In-door sports events are limited to 50-percent capacity and 75-percent for outdoor events. All schools are required to comply with the Navajo Nation COVID-19 Safe Schools Framework and the Navajo Nation School Reopening Plan available online at: https://www.navajoreopening.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19-Safe-Schools-Framework.

“As we move forward in this pandemic, we continue to offer our appreciation and prayers for all frontline workers and those who are fighting COVID-19 at this moment. We ask our people to carefully read the new public health emergency orders and help to inform your elders and loved ones. Please be safe, be very cautious especially in public places, and keep praying for our people,” 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.