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Eugene

(62,734 posts)
Thu Apr 16, 2020, 07:12 AM Apr 2020

Navajo Nation extends weekend lockdowns as virus cases rise

Source: Associated Press

Navajo Nation extends weekend lockdowns as virus cases rise

By FELICIA FONSECA
April 16, 2020

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation has extended its weekend lockdowns preventing people from leaving their homes, except in emergencies, on the vast expanse of land that has been harder hit by the coronavirus than any other Native American reservation in the U.S.

Jessie Valdez, who lives in Nageezi on the New Mexico portion of the reservation, and her grandchildren are ready. They’re stocked up on food and other supplies, and plan on baking, cooking, watching movies and, “of course, a lot of cleaning.”

“Staying home, staying away from anybody, anything will help,” she said Wednesday. “I don’t know how long this virus is going to be around. We don’t know.”

The tribe first put in place the 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday lockdown last weekend for the reservation that lies in parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah and is larger than the state of West Virginia. It came after a nightly curfew was imposed to keep people at home from dusk to dawn during the week.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said Wednesday he was thankful most people are adhering to public health orders, but not everyone is complying.

“It’s very disheartening to receive reports of many people going out into the public today and traveling to border towns, most due to the federal stimulus funds that our people are beginning to receive,” he said a day after announcing weekend lockdowns would continue.

-snip-


Read more: https://apnews.com/8153655440a0fa81d899bf50f26d689d
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