FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     

November 3, 2020

COVID19 WEEKLY UPDATE FOR THE FORT HALL RESERVATION

Fort Hall- the Tribal Office of Emergency Management (TOEM) officially report the weekly number of COVID-19 cases on the Fort Hall Reservation. The total number of tribal members impacted by COVID-19 is currently at 412 cases (this number includes positives and recovered) since the pandemic started in early April 2020. Of the 412 cases, 24 are currently positive and being monitored, 377 have recovered, 3 are currently hospitalized, and there are 11 reported deaths due to COVID-19.

Last week, Chairman Devon Boyer and Dr. Lori Snidow, from the Not-Tsoo Gah-nee Indian Health Center were invited to participate in a roundtable discussion with Ambassador Deborah Birx, M.D., White House Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator in Idaho Falls along with Eastern Idaho community leaders, education, industry, medical care professionals to discuss the coronavirus crisis.  Dr. Birx provided a concise presentation that depicted the coronavirus spread into the west, urging the State and local communities to implement safety measures, specifically face masks and testing and advised that Idaho’s hospitalization rate will only increase in the next month. Dr. Birx stated that identifying those individuals who are contagious, with or without symptoms, will reduce the days of infectiousness and the spread of the virus.  

• Younger people are more likely to spread the virus because they are out in the community, and 7-10 days, and are contagious.  

• Those positive patients who have symptoms, are likely to be too ill to be out in the community, so they have 2-3 days of spreading of the virus.   

• The positive patients who are asymptomatic, are out in the community, and can have up to 7-19 days of spreading the virus.

We stress to everyone– Stay at home if you’re sick, wash your hands, social distance by staying 6 feet apart.  If you do go to a funeral or gathering, please wear a mask and try to stay 6 feet apart from other people.  Both I.H.S and HRSA offer free testing on the Reservation. If you think you have been exposed to someone sick with COVID-19 or have symptoms, call the IHS hotline at 208-238-5494 (Monday-Friday 8-5PM). 

If you are contacted by a ‘Contact Tracer’, it means that you were in close contact with someone that tested positive for COVID-19 and you will be instructed to schedule a COVID-19 test immediately and quarantine. Quarantining is important and to check if you develop COVID-19 symptoms and reduce the potential spread of COVID-19. If you get a message from a Contact Tracer, please return the phone call back immediately, so they can provide support.

COVID symptoms include a fever (temperature 100.4 or higher), cough, shortness of breath, headache, muscle and body aches, sore throat, fatigue/extreme tiredness, GI symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), and loss of taste and smell. Each of our Tribal health centers, including I.H.S, Tribal Health and HRSA have tribal contact tracers actively monitoring positive individuals. 

Flu Shots- Health officials are stressing to the Tribal membership to get a flu shot.  It is important in these times to be protected from other sicknesses like the flu.  Please visit the I.H.S. clinic and HRSA to get a free flu shot.

For Tribal employees (repeated message), including the Casino/Hotel and Tribal Enterprises, if you are scheduled to have COVID-19 test, DO NOT return to work. Please quarantine yourself from work and family until you get your test results back and are cleared to return to work from the health official. Contact your Supervisor immediately when you schedule a test and do not return back to work. 

Join us this Friday, November 6, at 12PM for a Facebook LIVE update from the Chairman, Emergency Incident Commander, Tribal Housing and CDC representative on COVID-19 strategies to reduce COVID-19 spread. Topics will include an update from Tribal Housing on the Tiny Homes, where we are at with our COVID numbers, how to stay healthy while on Quarantine and Health recommendations from a CDC official.

For any health concerns and if you develop symptoms, please call Fort Hall Indian Health Service (I.H.S) at (208) 238-5494 (Monday-Friday, 8-5PM) or Community Health Center (HRSA) 208-478-3987. For tribal resources check out the Tribes COVID19 website at http://sbtribes.com/covid-19/.   

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FH COVID chart: updated as of November 3, 2020 at 5:05PM