Another holiday weekend will be upon us, and we anticipate increased social activities and tourism in the area. With this increased social and tourist activity, comes the risk of spreading COVID-19 among ourselves, to our elders, and to the vulnerable. There is also the potential for the introduction of new COVID-19 cases from visitors arriving from various regions within the U.S. that have high case counts of COVID-19. Several communities with the U.S. saw some of the largest single-day increases of COVID-19 cases following the July 4th holiday. The good news is that there are steps you can take to protect yourself, protect our elders, and reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Be mindful of your potential risk for COVID-19 in different settings. COVID-19 spreads more easily in:
Crowded places—with many people nearby
Close-contact settings—especially where people have close-range conversations and for longer duration (within 6 feet and for at least 15 minutes)
Confined and enclosed spaces—especially with poor ventilation
The risk of getting COVID-19 is even higher in settings where these factors overlap.
If you decide to engage in public activities to celebrate this holiday weekend, protect yourself and your community by practicing everyday preventive actions and avoid the three Cs.
Continue to wear cloth face coverings or masks.
Avoid crowded places and limit time in enclosed spaces. We recommend sticking to small groups of family or friends.
Practice physical distancing by maintaining at least 6 feet distance from others. This is especially important for people who have an increased risk for severe illness.
Maintain good hygiene by washing hands frequently with soap and water. If you do not have access to soap and water, then use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Cover coughs and sneezes.
When possible, open windows and doors for ventilation.
If you are unwell, stay home unless to seek urgent medical care.
If you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, such as fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea, then it is extremely important to get tested. Call the Indian Health Service (IHS) clinic at 508-539-2561 or another healthcare provider to discuss your symptoms and need for a COVID-19 test. Community testing allows public health officials to identify which individuals have the virus so they can stay home and away from other people who do not have the virus to help stop the spread of the disease and save lives.
These extra daily precautions may seem burdensome but are vital to the overall health and safety of our tribal community. We want to protect our community and most of all our tribal elders and the most vulnerable members.
