Coronavirus Update Page

Safety Precautions

• Practice social distancing. Stay home and keep visitors to a minimum. Do not participate in shopping or other outside activities that are not necessary.
• If you are sick, call your doctor ahead of time and explain your symptoms to them.
• Wash our hands as often as possible and avoid facial contact.

How is the virus spread?

The virus can be spread person-to-person, likely via coughing and sneezing, handshaking, or other close contact with an infected person. Common symptoms of illness will include fever, cough and shortness of breath. While the primary risk factor has been travel history, or being in close contact with a confirmed patient, there has been transmission of the virus not related to these causes.

Prevention Methods:

Face Masks

DIY Face Masks - Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19

Hand Sanitizer

Making your own hand sanitizer is easy to do and only requires a few ingredients:

• Rubbing Alcohol (99% alcohol volume)
• Aloe Vera Gel
• Essential oil, such as tea tree, lavender, or use lemon juice

The key to making an effective, germ-busting hand sanitizer is to stick to a 2:1 proportion of alcohol to aloe vera. This keeps the alcohol content around 60 percent. This is the minimum amount needed to kill most germs, according to the CDC Trusted Source.

Additional Resources

• Resources for Indian Country (National Congress of American Indians)
• Coronavirus Disease Live Updates from the World Health Organization
• Print Resources about the Coronavirus Disease 2019 from the CDC
• Travel Health Notices from the CDC
• Stop the Spread of Germs Downloadable Sign
• Oklahoma State Department of Health

COVID-19 Fund Spend Breakdown

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COVID-19 Task Force

Mission:

The overall goal of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Task Force is to work in conjunction with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Administration, Legislators, Department of Health, Health Board, Department Leadership, Casinos Management, the Indian Health Service, and selected health professionals in order to provide health awareness, prevention processes and messaging, monitor compliance with health guidelines, contain and track Covid-19 positive cases and contacts, conduct research to protect and improve the long-term health of the Cheyenne and Arapaho people, and advocate for all those directly affected by the pandemic within our tribal jurisdiction and membership, while adhering to all health and safety protocols as established by the CDC and our tribal leadership.

Prevention Processes:

Tribal Programs are scheduling appointments for clients and will communicate with our screening staff (verbally or in writing) when an appointment is to arrive. This enables positive and respectful responses and has been beneficial for both the clients and screening staff.

Upon arrival to any Tribal Facility a visitor will be asked brief questions regarding demographics- physical address, contact information, etc. We ask if they are having any symptoms or taking any medications that may be used to treat symptoms such as Tylenol or NSAIDS (aspirin, naproxen sodium or ibuprofen), which may affect temperature readings. We also inquire if they have been exposed to any person who has recently traveled outside of the United States and we also inquire about any possible exposure to any individual who has tested Positive for Covid-19.

Once an individual completes the questionnaire and has a normal temperature, they are allowed into the facility, given a color-coded wrist band to verify they have been screened, informed that they must comply with all safety measures (face masks, social distancing, use of hand sanitizer) while on the campus.

In the event that we encounter a positive result on any of the screening forms, the individual will be re-assessed immediately by a Licensed Nurse for a more detailed evaluation and will be given direction on the next steps in the process. If they are confirmed to be positive or exhibit symptoms consistent with COVID-19 (such as an elevated temperature and/or cough, new loss of taste or smell), we will direct the individual to seek immediate medical evaluation at the nearest facility and will continue to follow up with the individual in order to provide any and all necessary assistance. This individual will not be allowed access into any of the Tribal Facilities until they are fully evaluated by their physician or by medical staff at one of the Indian Health Service Clinics.

Collaboration and Care

The Task Force also works in conjunction with our CHR Program and our registered nurse/contact tracer, who is the lead in our Contact Tracing Protocol. This team provides tailored services to individuals and families as each case develops. Therefore, services will vary depending on risk factors, severity of symptoms, treatments, number of family members involved, and overall expected response to treatment of symptoms.

Research, Communication, and Policy

The Task Force has been actively conducting research on COVID-19 and communicating findings with key stakeholders. Research and communication topics include best practices for prevention and containment across the many situations encountered, risk factors for severe COVID-19 (especially any affecting our people uniquely) and how to reduce these risks among tribal members and employees, treatments and therapies for COVID-19 cases, active cases and emerging epidemics within Oklahoma and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Jurisdictional area, the status of vaccines in clinical trials, IHS testing and patient care (including barriers faced with supplies and other factors), priorities (such as protecting our elders) and strategies to enhance both the Tribes’ and the IHS’ healthcare capacity, and many others.

At the request of Governor Wassana and the Tribal Legislators, the Task Force provides advice on policies and procedures to safeguard the health and wellbeing of tribal customers, employees, and members at work and while in or on tribal properties and facilities.