Together, we can and will win this battle

In this week’s issue of Navajo Times, we are reflecting on where we were one year ago this week. In March 2020, the Navajo Nation started to become astonishingly aware of just how serious and deadly the COVID-19 pandemic really was.

In early March, the Navajo Times published articles about a reported outbreak of the coronavirus in the Chilchinbeto area located in the northwest part of the Navajo Reservation. There, many individuals who had previously gathered in a large congregation for a planned religious event became quite sick and some of them eventually died. That was a startling revelation of what was yet to come.

As we all now know, the coronavirus would go on to make millions of people seriously ill all over the world as it spread like wildfire. Sadly, many of these folks never recovered and they passed away all alone in quarantined hospital rooms, health centers and clinics, and even at home.

It is still going on today but to a much lesser number and not nearly as constant. That is due to people becoming knowledgeable about the benefits of being safe by wearing a mask, washing hands, staying a safe distance from each other, and not gathering in large groups.

Also by getting tested when you feel you may have possibly come in contact with the coronavirus, and then going into quarantine or isolation if you tested positive. In quarantine, you fight to get well.

All of these factors made a difference in how we as a society behaved and acted toward the coronavirus. Here on the Navajo Nation, where the infection rate statistics were at times the highest in the United States, we all did our part to combat the spread of this deadly disease, and eventually it worked.

Now, with the various types of COVID-19 vaccines being administered and utilized in large numbers by people all over the world, we are turning the tide to our favor in our battle against the coronavirus.

This is a great, wonderful occurrence to be happening right now. We all need to continue to be diligent in our personal efforts to be safe and healthy, getting yourself and your loved ones vaccinated, and supporting one another every day.

It took a lot of patience, understanding, self-perseverance and sacrifice for us to get where we are today with the coronavirus pandemic. I want to make it known that we should, and will, never forget the many family members, friends and co-workers that we lost during these past 12 months.

There was so much heartbreak, sadness, tragedy and humiliation that took place as a result of the coronavirus. The feeling of helplessness prevailed as we witnessed from outside as our loved ones fall victim to this ugly disease. This helpless feeling then turned to frustration and anger because in the end we couldn’t lay our loved ones to rest in the proper and respectful manner that we wanted.

That was not right and it still hurts like heck at this very moment.

To all of you who experienced the loss of your family and friends this past year, I sympathize with you and I send you my personal blessings for healing and peace.

None of us with any common sense should ever forget what has transpired this past year. We should use our experiences to get wiser and stronger as individuals and as a nation of people.

I’m proud of all of you for your efforts in our battle against the coronavirus. This especially goes for all of our family and friends who put their own lives on the line every day for us.

Thank you sincerely doctors, nurses and other health professionals. Thank you police officers, emergency medical technicians, firefighters and the many, many volunteers who gave their all to help their people with food, water, wood, medicine, medical supplies and so much more. You helped to save a lot of lives.

I offer another big thank you to all of the workers and volunteers who stood outside in the sun, rain and snow, and helped to administer the dreaded COVID-19 tests to us. I don’t want that cotton swab going up my nose ever again.

Today, I appreciate those same folks as they guide and help us to get the vaccinations. Thank you teachers, road workers, cleaning specialists, and everyone else for caring for one another and sharing a friendly smile and laugh.

Over the past 12 months, I have received many telephone calls, emails and other messages from the general public who expressed their respective thoughts and suggestions, in addition to their personal grief and sometimes anger.

I appreciate all that you have shared with me. I will do my best to utilize our newspaper company to help communicate your concerns, solutions and recommendations to all of our readers, and to our elected leaders.

I will wind up this column by encouraging all people who are healthy enough and eligible, to seek and receive the COVID-19 vaccinations. This is truly a life-saving vaccine that will help to protect you and all of us from the deadly coronavirus. It is time to put aside the political differences, religious views, pride and egos, and just go get vaccinated.

Like I stated earlier, many sacrifices were made that led us to get to where we are today with the COVID-19. There are definitely better days ahead for all of us if we just all do our part.
We should all look forward to gathering and celebrating with our families again, to being able to watch our kids play ball or play music, to assemble and pray together in a hogan, teepee or church. These are some of life’s experiences that we have missed for too long.

By getting a vaccine shot, you are helping in your own way to protect and support our children and elderly, our families, friends and co-workers, and yourself. In my opinion, that is reason enough to get vaccinated. It’s just common sense, too.

Together, we can and will win this battle.

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