To curb the increase in COVID-19 infections, Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation (TCRHCC) in northern Arizona is reinstating mask mandates across its facilities. As of July 19, this requirement has been extended to all staff and patients within their Tuba City, Flagstaff, and LeChee operations, responding to a recent spike in cases. Dr. Amanda Burrage, TCRHCC medical director, articulated in a statement obtained by 12news, "TCRHCC will enforce this mask mandate for at least two weeks, after which the situation will be reviewed weekly," adding that the mandate remains in place until COVID-19 numbers "fall below CDC thresholds."
In the face of these renewed precautions, TCRHCC announced a shortage but is endeavoring to restock home COVID-19 test supplies. Being a primary health provider for the Navajo Nation, Hopi, and San Juan Paiute communities, TCRHCC is likely recalling the stark disparities evident when the pandemic first erupted.
At its height, the Navajo Nation faced challenges only a few could grimly anticipate, bearing a higher per capita infection rate than any state in the U.S., according to The Hill. These figures were alarming given that about 173,667 people reside within the Navajo Nation, which translated to approximately 1,786 cases per 100,000 people at the time.
Meanwhile, on a more optimistic note, Arizona has seen a general downtrend in COVID-19 cases since the peak in January 2022. The most recent statewide figures, outlined last week, showed a 72% decrease from the state's three-year average, recording 2,632 cases during the week of July 7, as per 12 News.
