MISSION – Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center issued a temporary order to reduce services as of 12pm on Thursday, October 15. The closure will remain in place through Friday, October 16. This closure is related to the reporting of two staff positive tests for COVID-19.
Medical, lab, and pharmacy remain open and will continue to provide limited services on a case-by-case basis. Lab hours will be extended to allow for additional testing capacity of Yellowhawk staff who are being asked to undergo tests. All staff that remain in the building will be tested prior to providing services.
Extensive contract tracing investigations are quickly beginning to take place to identify individuals who may have had potential exposure. All of those individuals who are determined to have been exposed will be contacted by a contact tracer. A “contact” is defined as an individual who has been within 6 feet or less of a person known to have tested positive for at least 15 minutes.
Yellowhawk facilities will undergo a deep cleaning (Clorox 360) to sanitize the clinic. The drive thru flu clinic scheduled for Saturday, October 17 is also being cancelled. Please continue to practice social distancing, wear a face covering, and wash your hands. The facilities on the government campus, including the Nixyaawii Governance Center, Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center, and Nixyaawii Community School, continue to maintain strict measures to prevent exposure to the COVID-19 virus. All employees and visitors are screened, required to wear masks, and maintain a safe distance from others.
For these reasons, the risk of exposure is very low. Still, out of an abundance of caution we are taking the measures described above to ensure the safety of our employees and the community.
The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation is made up of the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla Tribes, formed under the Treaty of 1855 at the Walla Walla Valley, 12 statute 945. In 1949, the Tribes adopted a constitutional form of government to protect, preserve and enhance the treaty rights guaranteed under federal statute.
