Click here to open in browser.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2020

If you are not subscribed to this newsletter, sign up here.

Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin
Response to COVID-19
UPDATES FOR MENOMINEE TRIBAL MEMBERS AND RESIDENTS OF THE MENOMINEE RESERVATION/COUNTY
Emergency order/guidelines in effect on reservation
Effective through 1/9/2021 or until changed


ALL FACILITIES OPERATED BY
THE MENOMINEE TRIBAL GOVERNMENT
ARE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC
Buildings Accessible
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
All Tribal Buildings are closed to the public . If you need assistance from a tribal department please call. The tribal switchboard operator can be reached at (715) 799-5100.
DATA ON THE MOVE!

With the help of the county GIS Coordinator, all local data has been moved from our county websites to a central Coronavirus hub

This hub will house data for our two counties and the state all in one place. We will continue to provide the same daily, weekly (Thursdays), and biweekly charts that you have been accustomed to on the hub. You can either follow the link above or click on the "COVID-19 Response Hub" image on either county's website.
At look at where the numbers were 10 days ago
Menominee Safe Re-Opening Plans
Face masks required to be worn on the Menominee Reservation
Citing the significant risks COVID-19 poses, a resolution requiring face mask usage on the Menominee Reservation was approved at the July 9, 2020 meeting of the Menominee Tribal Legislature and is effective immediately.

Specifically the resolution requires all residents and visitors to the Menominee reservation age ten and older to wear a face mask covering any time they are, or will be in contact with other people who are not household members in public or private.

The resolution states that employers, educational and governmental facilities and all places of businesses on the Menominee Reservation should provide masks to staff and patrons who do not already have a mask. It also lists certain circumstances when masks can be removed.

A copy of the resolution can downloaded here.
Covid 19 Vaccine Update From MITW Incident Command
DR. AMY SLAGLE, MD
12/14/2020

On Friday, December 11, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved the pharmaceutical company Pfizer’s request for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of its Covid 19 Vaccine. The vaccine started shipping out yesterday to hospitals and other health organizations.

What this means: the vaccine is not licensed but it is approved for emergency use because the threat to further loss of lives to US citizens is so serious.

What you need to know:
  • We are publicizing the EUA fact sheet so people may read it ahead of time.
  • This information pertains ONLY to Pfizer’s vaccine, not other ones which may be approved for emergency use in the future.
  • We do not yet know if the Menominee Tribe will get the Pfizer vaccine or another which is not yet approved. We expect to hear this week which vaccine we will receive.
  • It is not recommended pregnant women or women who could be pregnant take Covid vaccine at this time.
  • People with a history of severe allergic reactions should not take a Covid vaccine at this time. Severe allergic reactions mean swelling of the mouth or tongue, shortness of breath or wheezing, tightening of the throat, or swelling of the body. 
  • You may have lots of questions about the Pfizer vaccine after reading the EUA fact sheet. It is being sent for informational purposes. We need to wait and see WHICH vaccine we get before we send out more information. 
  • The federal government and the state of Wisconsin have determined a priority schedule for how vaccine will be given, because every community will receive only small doses at a time. The recommendations are to vaccinate health care workers and residents of long term care facilities first. After that, community members with underlying health conditions and older age will be prioritized. Healthy young adults will be the later priority.
  • Menominee Tribal Clinic is responsible for administering Covid vaccine to the community.
  • Children under age 16 are not approved for the Pfizer vaccine at this point.
  • No matter when vaccine comes and starts being given, we will not be able to stop other safety measures like social distancing, masking, not gathering, and washing hands for months. Please adjust your thinking! This will not be a sudden return to normal.

PLEASE READ THE EUA FOR THE PFIZER VACCINE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE YOU THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, WEBSITES, EMAILS, MENOMINEE TRIBAL NEWS, AND PAPER DISTRIBUTION!
 
The good news is:  vaccine is coming!!!

•The Benefits of the COVID-19 Vaccine:

•How the new mRNA COVID- 19 vaccines functio:
Healthcare providers at Menominee Tribal Clinic encourage use of COVID-19 vaccine
Dear Menominee Nation,

We write to you as your health care providers. Our oath of profession and the honor of working in your midst confer upon us solemn responsibility. It is our ethical and rightful duty to protect your health and best insure the richness and quality of your lives.

We watch first hand as Covid 19 ravages Menominee lives. We have seen Covid 19 ruin health. We have seen Menominee die, leaving loved ones saddened and stunned beyond measure. We see the economic stress and toll on mental health wrought by the pandemic. We are aware of the history of inadequate and unethical actions by government authorities in tribal communities during other health emergencies. We humbly acknowledge your reasons to be wary. Given these circumstances we state the following:

We believe taking vaccines for Covid 19 is necessary to end this pandemic, stop the premature deaths of Menominee people, and to return life to normal.

We believe these vaccines were developed quickly because millions of lives depend on them. The technology behind these vaccines has been developed over the past 16 years.
We believe the intentions of the researchers and physicians who develop these vaccines are true, earnest, and forthright. We believe training, experience, and knowledge are indispensable in developing safe and effective vaccines.

We believe the tens of thousands of people studied, including Native Americans, to develop these vaccines would bring to light any serious risks or bad effects, and these large numbers are what make the speed of development acceptable. We are assured by knowing other physicians independently and thoroughly evaluate the research before vaccines are approved. We believe the research proves the vaccines to be safe and effective.

We believe the risk of brief side effects are worth the benefits of avoiding Covid 19 infections and death.

We will take the vaccine ourselves so we can continue to take care of you. We acknowledge it is unknown how long the protection of the vaccine will last but it is clear Menominee will continue to die if the vaccines are not taken.

We recommend all Menominee adults who are eligible take the Covid 19 vaccine as it becomes available.

With respect and reverence for your lives and sacred history, and with the responsibility we carry, we make this recommendation,
Dr. Lyle Ignace of the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center in Milwaukee is administered the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, provided to the clinic by Indian Health Services
"It’s important for a community like the Native community to understand someone like myself, who is a Native physician, that I am speaking directly to Natives who may be apprehensive in receiving the vaccine," Dr. Ignace said. "That if I could do it, you certainly could as a Native community."
Do you need to be tested?
If you believe you are a contact with of someone who has COVID 19 please call the appointment desk at 715-799-5400 to make an appointment for testing.
 
Do not come for testing without an appointment as you will have a long wait.
 
If you are a direct contact, you should not be tested until at least 4 days after you had the contact because it takes that long for the test to be accurate.
 
Even if you are tested, you will still need to complete a 14 day quarantine at home so it is not urgent to be tested unless you have symptoms.
 
Thank you,
Dr. Slagle, MTC Medical Director
Symptoms of Coronavirus
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea
This list does not include all possible symptoms. CDC will continue to update this list as we learn more about COVID-19.
What you need to know
  • Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms.
  • Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness.
Wisconsin National Guard continues COVID-19 specimen collection into 2021
Submitted Article
Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs

MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin National Guard specimen collection teams will continue to gather COVID-19 specimens at regional testing sites throughout Wisconsin scheduled into early 2021.

Teams have collected a cumulative total of over 973,000 specimens at community-based testing sites and institutional-based testing missions. The Wisconsin National Guard’s collection activities support the Wisconsin Department of Health Service’s efforts to expand COVID-19 testing throughout the entire state.

The teams, which are tailorable to meet the needs of a specific facility or community, are dispatched from a larger task force of several hundred Citizen Soldiers and Airmen. They have established mobile testing sites since early April at locations ranging from correctional facilities, health clinics and institutional facilities, to private businesses, senior-living facilities, and community-based testing sites.

Most community-based testing sites across the state are conducted on a regularly scheduled basis. All visitors seeking a test at these sites are urged to contact their local health department for more information about a particular testing day.

Those seeking a test at a Wisconsin National Guard community-based specimen collection site are urged to register online in advance using the [news/2020news/20150]Dynamics Testing and Registration Application (DTRA) program, which is also known as COVID Connect.

After collecting the specimens at each site, the test kits are sent to a lab for analysis, and individual citizens receive their results via an email or a phone call from their local health department or a state call center within three-to-seven days following the test.

Local Wisconsin National Guard specimen collection sites along with cumulative testing site totals are listed below. Additional information on these testing sites and others is available at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website.

•Langlade County: Antigo hosts a community-based testing site Dec. 18, Jan. 15, Jan. 12, Feb. 12 and Feb. 26. One team gathered over 330 specimens at a community-based testing site Oct. 23, Nov. 6, Nov. 20 and Dec. 4 in Antigo.

•Menominee County: A team operates a community-based testing site Dec. 22, Jan. 5, Jan. 19, Feb. 2, Feb. 16 and Mar. 2 in Keshena. A team gathered over 850 specimens at a community-based testing site Oct. 27, Nov. 10, Nov. 24 and Dec. 8 in Keshena.

•Oneida County: A community-based testing site operates each Tuesday and Thursday between Dec. 15 and Mar. 9 in Rhinelander. The Rhinelander testing site gathered nearly 2,350 specimens between Oct. 20 and Dec. 10.

•Shawano County: A team operates a community-based site for the Stockbridge-Munsee Nation in Bowler Dec. 22-23, Jan 12-13, Jan. 26-27, Feb. 9-10, Feb. 23-24 and Mar. 9-10. This site has gathered over 1,600 specimens between Oct. 14 and Dec. 9. A team gathered nearly 500 specimens at a Shawano community-based testing site Oct. 20, Nov. 3, Nov. 17 and Dec. 1.
Covid 19 Update
12.17.2020
DR AMY SLAGLE, MD
Covid cases:
There are now over 800 cases of Covid in Menominee people on the Reservation and surrounding areas.

We rank among the highest counties in the state for number of cases compared to total population.

14 Menominee from the Reservation have died from Covid. Multiple people are hospitalized with severe pneumonia.

At the risk of “going all doctor-y’ here is the graph we look at twice weekly:
The squiggly horizontal line going across the blue bars shows the trend of cases; after a great decrease in cases before Thanksgiving, you can see the trend is now increasing. Not good news because these numbers reflect illness, suffering, people in hospital, and people dying from Covid.

Here is a graph which compares Menominee to Shawano County:
The blue line is Menominee County, the red is Shawano. 

DON’T GIVE THE GIFT OF COVID!!!

This brings us to Christmas time. The recommendations from CDC, public health directors, and Infectious Disease specialists are the same as Thanksgiving: Please celebrate Christmas with only your immediate family. Please do not gather with other families outside of your home this year.  Please do not place the lives of those you love at risk. The purpose of this Christmas is Next Christmas being normal.
 
National Guard will be at Tribal Transit on 12/22/2020. I recommend going for a test.  It is likey test results will be back within 2 days, potentially stopping people who have Covid from spreading it over the Christmas holiday. Hours are 10-6 pm. 300 people can be tested; let’s use up every one of those tests!

***I recommend you pre-register before your National Guard test at: register.covidconnect.wi.gov

If you pre-register this will decrease the chances the NG writes down your birthdate, name, phone number, or email incorrectly. E-mail notification seems to work well.

VACCINE UPDATE:
We await news from the State of WI Dept of Health Services regarding when, which, and how much vaccine we will start receiving. The vaccination process will take months so in the meantime our public health safety measures must continue. We will update you with vaccine news as it becomes available. As we recommended in our letter to the community, the MTC medical providers strongly recommend vaccine to all who are eligible!

SUMMARY:
  • Cases continue to increase and bring with them severe illness and the deaths of Menominee
  • You can do much to stop this! Wear a mask, stay home, wash your hands; simple actions with enormous impact.
  • Please get a Covid test on 12/22/2020; the results could stop you in your tracks if you are considering gathering for Christmas.
  • Make this a Christmas at home with your immediate family. Don’t bring Covid to your parents, or grandparents, or aunts and uncles.
  • Vaccine is coming. We remain patient.

Thank you,
Amy Slagle, MD
Attention: Update on the Tribe’s COVID-19 General Welfare Assistance Payment
On Thursday, December 10, 2020 Menominee Tribal Legislature authorized the COVID-19 General Welfare Assistance amount.

On Friday, December 11, an in person check pick up event was held.

For checks that weren't picked up, starting on Monday, December 14, checks began being mailed and will continue to be mailed through December 29. Forms are due December 28, and will continue to be processed until December 29, 2020.

We appreciate your patience. We are at limited staff trying to process and mail the checks. We hope you understand we are not able to respond to inquiries regarding if your form was received or when your check was mailed at this time. We would recommend reaching out after December 23 if you submitted your form but have not received your check.

Waewaenen
Daily Activities and Going Out
CDC recommendations
What you need to know
  • In general, the more closely you interact with others and the longer that interaction, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spread.
  • If you decide to engage in public activities, continue to protect yourself by practicing everyday preventive actions.
  • Keep these items on hand when venturing out: a face mask, tissues, and a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if possible.
Should you go out? Learn about what factors you should consider before you head out.
COVID-19 and flu are both viral respiratory illnesses with many similar symptoms, making it hard to tell the difference based on symptoms alone. While experts learn more every day, see what they already know about the differences between flu and COVID-19 here: https://bit.ly/2O1QVX2.
Gov. Evers Delivers Radio Address on COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution in Wisconsin
Dec 17 MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered the Democratic Radio Address encouraging Wisconsinites to continue to taking precautions to protect their health and safety as the state works to distribute and administer the COVID-19 vaccine over the coming weeks and months. 

Hello, Wisconsin. Governor Tony Evers here.

Hope is on the horizon in the new year, as this week we began distributing and administering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine across the state.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has been working hard with our federal, state, and local partners to prepare for this and now they are putting their plan into action with regional hubs to ensure the safe, efficient distribution of vaccine.

While we will continue to follow federal guidance on who gets the vaccine and when, starting with our frontline healthcare workers and other essential services, the important thing to remember is that we are not out of the woods just yet.

So please, don’t give up on the public health guidance that we know will keep our families and communities safe and healthy.

Please continue to stay safer at home, wear a mask whenever you are out in public, and practice physical distancing.

Let’s stay hopeful, let’s stay safe, and let’s get through these upcoming months together, Wisconsin.

Thank you. 
Gov. Evers, DHS Announce a New Outpatient Infusion Clinic Opening for COVID-19 Patients
Clinic will offer treatment for mild to moderate cases to help prevent serious illness

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announced that the Alternate Care Facility (ACF) in West Allis will be opening an outpatient Bamlanivimab Infusion Clinic Tues., Dec. 22, 2020. Bamlanivimab was authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in November for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in adult and pediatric patients. The clinic will be open seven days a week, except for Christmas Day and New Years’ Day. 

“We opened the alternative care facility to make sure folks can get the care they need and relieve some of the stress on our hospitals,” said Gov. Evers. “We are always open to new ways we can evolve the ACF to meet Wisconsin’s needs and opening this new infusion clinic is another piece to that puzzle.” 

Bamlanivimab works by helping to bridge the gap between a new virus entering the body and the body’s creation of antibodies to fight it off. This drug contains man-made antibodies that mimic the antibodies present in patients who recover from COVID-19 and could give the body more time to learn how to make its own antibodies. The goal of infusing Bamlanivimab is to limit the amount of virus in a patient’s body to help prevent serious illness from COVID-19. 

The ACF Bamlanivimab Infusion Clinic will have the capacity to serve up to 84 patients per week, and will be set up in a separate area, distant from the ACF’s inpatient area. The ACF infusion clinic will only accept patients directly referred from a health system or individual hospital. No walk-in appointments will be offered. 

This treatment option is recommended only for people with COVID-19 who are over the age of 12, have had mild to moderate symptoms for 10 days, and preferably 4 days, or less, and are at high risk of getting very sick from COVID-19. Banlanivimab is not for people who are already hospitalized or require oxygen therapy due to COVID-19. The ACF infusion clinic will only be treating adult patients, with priority given to those 65 and older or meeting other criteria putting them at high risk of developing serious illness. 
Gov. Evers, State Health Officials Call on Federal Government to Send Wisconsin More COVID-19 Vaccine
Federal officials indicate Wisconsin will receive less Pfizer vaccine doses than expected

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers and state health officials today called on the federal government to allocate more Pfizer vaccine to Wisconsin as the state was informed yesterday Wisconsin will only be receiving 35,100 doses of Pfizer, which is much less than expected after the initial doses allocated this week 49,725. Wisconsin has been hard hit by COVID-19 and does not have ability to enact statewide mitigation measures due to ongoing litigation. 

“This is unacceptable. Wisconsin citizens deserve the vaccine the federal government promised,” said Gov. Evers. “Our healthcare workers and long-term care residents need this vaccine that is ready and available. We call on the federal government to send us more vaccine without delay.”

In addition to asking for its fair share of vaccine, Wisconsin officials also called on the federal government to provide clarity on COVID-19 vaccine allocations. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Wisconsin National Guard, and Wisconsin Emergency Management have all been working around the clock to allocate and distribute vaccine throughout the state of Wisconsin. Currently, the federal government informs states of their allocation late in the week for the next week’s shipment. Planning logistics and allocation with only a few days’ notice at a time makes the work incredibly challenging and forecasting timelines impossible. Hospitals and clinics have been anxiously awaiting these doses to help protect their staff that are providing care to Wisconsin residents.

Wisconsin has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare staffing shortages have been challenging during the pandemic and continue across the state. As of today, 451,676 Wisconsinites have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since March. Seventeen counties are experiencing critically high case activity and statewide hospital bed availability is at 13 percent and 36 percent of hospitals in Wisconsin are anticipating critical staffing shortages within the next week.
Tribal Podcast on COVID-19

Here is the link to the latest episode of the MITW podcast where questions regarding COVID-19 are addressed. 

If you would like to submit any questions or topic suggestions, please send them via email to podcast@mitw.org.

The Tribal Podcasts are also available on: on the Tribe’s website at menominee-nsn.gov under the “Community” tab, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher for mobile devices.

You can also follow them on Facebook page at MITW Podcast
Isolation Well-Being Daily Checklist
  • Shower
  • Take prescribed medication
  • Drink water
  • Start or maintain a healthy diet
  • Maintain sleep/wake schedule
  • Clean one thing/area
  • Tend to something living/growing
  • Reach out to a person outside your home
  • Do one thing to get your heart rate up
  • Do one thing you’ll be glad you did later
  • Do one thing just because you want to
  • Have at least one good laugh

Be mindfully present to:
  • A sound or song • A sensory feeling
  • Something you see • A spiritual practice
Menominee Job Center can assist with filing for unemployment benefits
The Menominee Job Center staff are available to help individuals who need assistance filing for unemployment insurance.

For more information please call 715-799-6226 ext. 3300. If you prefer to email, you can contact jobcenter@menominee.edu or message us through Facebook.

FYI: Do not report your stimulus payment from the Federal Government as wages or income when filing unemployment claims.
If your place of business would like to include any COVID related updates in this newsletter, please email the information to derdmann@mitw.org

This is a free service provided by the Menominee Nation News.
People should follow simple steps to avoid getting sick, including:

  • Frequent and thorough hand washing with soap and water.
  • Coughs and sneeze into your elbow/sleeve, not your hands
  • Avoiding touching your face.
  • Staying home, especially if sick
  • Social distancing-keep at least 6 feet of space between you and others
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe, including your phone
  • Use of a face mask when going out in public
As this is an evolving issue, individuals are encouraged to monitor the following websites for the latest information on COVID-19:
MITW will release more information on the following platforms:

Please share the information with others
who may not have access to these options.
Menominee Nation News office hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Devan Erdmann
Director/Editor

Joshua Sederstrom
Administrative/Design Assistant
Patrick Delabrue
Reporter

Christopher Anderson
Reporter
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin | Menominee Nation News
Ph: (715) 799-5167 | Fax: (715) 799-5250
© 2020
Share with your family and friends