Wind River Family and Community Health Care shared the following message from Dr. Ebbert:
To All Tribal Members;
In the last week, we more than doubled our total number of COVID-19 cases. We have had several new hospitalizations and still have a Tribal member on a ventilator.
Some of this increase is due to some Tribal members needlessly exposing other Tribal members to the virus. I know people are tired of staying at home and the weather is warmer, but it is very important, maybe even more important that people follow the Tribal Stay-At-Home Orders now that we have these increased cases.
Remember that if you have to go to the store only send one member of the family. If you have a mask please wear a mask. Continue to practice social distancing and good hand washing.
About half of our cases are people who do not have symptoms or have very mild symptoms. You have to remember that just because you don’t have symptoms it does not mean that you can not pass the virus along to someone else. That someone else may be an Elder or someone with a chronic disease that is at high risk to get the virus or even die from the virus. Remember a negative test does not necessarily mean that you do not have the virus, that you can not spread the virus or that you can not get the virus.
We have heard about house parties and other large gatherings of people. Many of our new cases have been the result of such large gatherings. Please remember that you not only put yourself at risk, but you also put your family and especially the Elders at risk.
Please continue to follow the Tribal Stay-At-Home Orders and only go out if you have to. Avoid large gatherings of more than ten(10) people. If you have gatherings of ten(10) people or less you should still stay six(6) feet away from each other. A mask not only helps protect you but also protects others. Both the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone Tribes, Fort Washakie Indian Health Services and Wind River Family & Community Health Care are working very hard to protect Tribal members and our Elders from this deadly virus.
Please help us to protect one another.
Paul J. Ebbert, MD
Chief Medical Officer
05/02/2020