Over the past month, Native Americans have contracted COVID at 2 to 3 times the rate of white Minnesotans
Oct. 22
We wake up with frost pretty much everywhere, but we'll see mostly cloudy skies in the morning that clear as the day goes on. Highs in the upper 40s. | |
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| White Earth Tribal Chairman Michael Fairbanks was given a coronavirus vaccine back in February by Sarah Snetsinger, an RN from the White Earth Home Health department. Photo courtesy of Anishinaabeg Today |
By Dan Kraker
When vaccines for COVID-19 first became available early this year, Minnesota's tribal communities were quick to make them available to their members. One of the first to get vaccinated was White Earth chair Michael Fairbanks.
He’s 58 and in pretty good health, so he was surprised last week when he tested positive for COVID-19. He got the news at a tough time. Three of his friends from the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe had recently passed away from complications of COVID.
"It scared me, you know, put a shockwave through my whole body that, dang, you know I don't want to get sick like they did and end up heading out, you know," Fairbanks said.
Fairbanks believes case numbers are rising in Indian Country because after months of following public health recommendations to mask, socially distance and avoid crowds, people have let their guard down.
Over the past month Native Americans have contracted COVID-19 at two to three times the rate of white Minnesotans, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. | |
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