Window Rock, Ariz. • Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez is urging all schools on the tribe’s reservation to use online learning during the fall semester to help reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus.
Nez's statement released Thursday night mentioned all public and private schools, including charter schools, schools operated by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs and those controlled by the tribe.
“The number one priority is the safety and health of all students, teachers, and administrators during the COVID-19 pandemic. We urge all schools to do their very best to provide all students with the resources needed to advance their education,” Nez and tribal Vice President Myron Lizer said in the statement.
Over 9,300 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported on the reservation, which includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
The majority of people who are diagnosed with COVID-19 recover.
For some people it causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough.
But for others who contract the virus, especially those who are older or have underlying health conditions, it can cause more severe illness and death.