Special News for Indian Country:
CDC Releases Updated Guidance on COVID-19 and Delta Variant
On Tuesday, July 27, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance around masking and the COVID-19 Delta variant.

This new guidance, which is based on the most up-to-date science, includes recommendations around masking for fully vaccinated and unvaccinated American Indian and Alaska Natives. The CDC now recommends that everyone (including fully vaccinated individuals) wear a mask in public indoor settings to help prevent the spread of the Delta variant, in areas with substantial and high transmission. This variant is much more contagious than the original COVID-19 virus and we must do everything we can to protect our Native elders, children, and communities. It’s more important than ever to get vaccinated to shield our most vulnerable from this new variant. The COVID-19 vaccine offers strength and hope in this new fight to stop the spread and bring this pandemic to its end. If you or your relative are considering receiving a COVID-19 Vaccine, please check out this resource created by the National Indian Health Board on Questions to Ask Your Provider. Remember, getting the COVID-19 vaccine and wearing a mask is an Act of Love.
The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is hosting an educational webinar about the Delta variant, and it’s impacts in Indian Country on Monday, August 16. The Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP) and NIHB are teaming up to provide this important information to Tribes, Tribal health departments, and Tribal serving organizations. Please save the date, further details will be available in the coming days. NIHB is committed to serving all federally recognized Tribes throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and provides information to keep our Tribal communities safe on our COVID-19 Tribal Resource Center webpage.

For questions or more information, please contact Tyler Dougherty, Director of Public Health Policy and Programs at tdougherty@nihb.org.
National Indian Health Board Mission Statement

Established by the Tribes to advocate as the united voice of federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes, NIHB seeks to reinforce Tribal sovereignty, strengthen Tribal health systems, secure resources, and build capacity to achieve the highest level of health and well-being for our People.
For all of the latest updates and resources on Coronavirus (COVID-19) response,

For all media inquiries, please contact
April Hale at ahale@nihb.org