In an effort to keep the American Indian community better informed about COVID-19, Buffalo’s Fire has asked several American Indian community spiritual and cultural leaders to share special messages about how we can cope with the coronavirus pandemic.
As you listen, be mindful of the thoughtful, safety recommendations suggested so we can all better protect ourselves and stay safe and healthy during this pandemic.
More than two million people around the world have died from COVID-19. This includes more than 400,000 Americans and many members of the American Indian community. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Center for Disease Control recommends that all Americans practice social distancing, wash their hands frequently with soap for 20 seconds, wear masks in public and sign up for COVID-19 vaccines in your area when available.

To watch the video featuring Blas Preciado of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma here.

As of January 24, the number of cases of COVID-19 among the Indian community has increased.

This data includes 173,289 positive tests for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, according to updated information from Indian Health Service (Department of Health and Human Services).

This data is updated three times per week and examines the positive tests results from 13 regional IHS areas including Alaska, California and the Great Plains. The Indian Health Service is working to coordinate a comprehensive public health response during the pandemic and is cooperating with our tribal partners as well as state and local health officials. Information is voluntarily provided from IHS, tribal and urban Indian organizations to Indian Health Service, which then compiles all the data.

Since mid-October, the IHS has shared positive infection rates as well as information about the spread of COVID-19 to the public. The highest infections rates are currently in three areas, two of them in Arizona, where there is a 17.1 percent positivity rate in the Navajo area with 977 deaths and a 17.5 percent positivity rate in the Phoenix area. There is also a 16.8 percent positivity rate in the Oklahoma City area.

To watch other special video messages, click on the links below:

To watch the video featuring Blas Preciado of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma click here.

To watch the video featuring Dorothy White Horn of the Kiowa Tribe click here.

To watch the video featuring Freida Jacques of the Onondaga Nation click here.

To watch the video featuring Jessica White Plume of the Lakota tribe on how to make homemade masks, click here.

To watch the video featuring Leo Yankton of the Oglala Lakota tribe, click here.

To watch the video featuring Robert Old Horn of Crow Nation in English, click here and in Crow, click here.