The Labor Day holiday weekend is coming up, and we know our community is working hard to balance safety in these times of COVID, with a much deserved holiday break. To help us remember that our actions and decisions make a difference, we wanted to share an example of how a community right here, in North Central Washington, has worked together to effectively stop the spread of COVID-19.
The Colville Confederated Tribes reacted quickly to the increase in COVID-19 cases on the reservation by working to change peoples’ behaviors. Because the community got on board with mask wearing, social distancing, and avoiding large gatherings, there are now fewer than 10 active cases on the reservation!
With such a low number of active cases, some communities could mistakenly “let up” on their COVID-19 safety practices. But Dr. Dan Barbara, Director of Health and Human Services for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, helped Tribal members, and all people in Okanogan County, by sharing an important message of, “Good Job, but We’re Not Done Yet!” in a recent Tribal Tribune Article.
Here are a few things that have worked to slow the spread on the Colville Reservation:
- Much of the reservation is closed to non-essential visitors until Dec 31, 2020
- Youth place high value on the elders of their community and want to protect them from getting sick
- Members consider wearing a mask as a sign of respect, and wear their masks often
- People effectively limiting the size of their gatherings to less than 10 people
We can all use these helpful tips as we continue to keep up our progress in slowing the spread of COVID-19 in Okanogan County. Let’s keep these in mind as we enjoy Labor Day in a COVID-19 safe way!