The Northern Cheyenne reservation is looking to boost their vaccination rates before school starts and the tribal health department estimates fifty percent of tribal members who can get the vaccine have.
Eugene Little Coyote is the public relations officer for tribal health on the Northern Cheyenne. He says that the Delta variant of the coronavirus has made getting vaccinated more important than ever, especially as kids go back to school.
“We do have a majority of adults that are vaccinated, but we want to reach around 70 percent of age eligible vaccine recipients. We are trying to promote vaccination as a smart and safe thing to do. And speak to whatever might be hindering them from wanting to get vaccinated,” Little Coyote says.
The Northern Cheyenne have had two cases of delta variant, and currently have four active cases and two hospitalizations, one of which is a breakthrough case.
Little Coyote said he wanted to emphasize that Indigenous people are more vulnerable to COVID-19 making it all the more important for everyone to get vaccinated.
Taylar Stagner is Yellowstone Public Radio's Indigenous Affairs reporter.