Navajo Nation officials announced the reopening on Monday, March 15 of its Fire Rock Casino near Gallup, New Mexico and Northern Edge Casino in Farmington, New Mexico, due to a declining number of new Covid-19 cases, plus more hospital capacity, better testing and contact tracing and vaccine availability. The tribe’s other two casinos, Flowing Water Casino near Shiprock and Twin Arrows Casino and Resort in Flagstaff, will remain closed until officials determine it’s safe to reopen them. The daily curfew for reservation residents will remain in effect, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said, “This is not a full reopening as some states are doing. Instead, this is a carefully crafted, soft reopening that includes specific guidelines to continue helping to reduce the spread of Covid-19 while allowing more businesses to reopen at no more than 25 percent capacity along with strict provisions.”
Navajo Nation Interim Chief Executive Brian Parrish added, “What it’s intended to do is demonstrate that all our safety protocols, which we know are very, very comprehensive, are in place, the program is going to work and keep everyone safe, and then we can open it to a broader audience later.”
Upon reopening, no food or beverage service will be available. All casino employees must test negative for Covid-19 prior to returning to work and every two weeks thereafter. Employees and customers must wear masks. Customers must have their temperature taken and provide contact information, and must prove they live on the reservation in accordance with tribal legislation restricting non-resident travel on the reservation. Service lights on the slot machines will allow customers to request a machine be sanitized. Also, smoking will be allowed only in designated outdoor areas.
Jordan Schermerhorn, a senior research associate at Georgetown University’s Center for Global Health Science and Security, said the Navajo Nation was wise to use data and wait until more than 80 percent of residents on the reservation had one dose of the vaccine before announcing the reopening. “I’m confident they will re-restrict if necessary, which I can’t say about Texas or frankly anywhere else in the country. I really do think they’re leading the country in reopening the right way,” Schermerhorn said.
The Navajo Nation reported its first case of Covid-19 on March 17, 2020 and since then has recently reported 29,968 total cases at 29,968 and 1,222 deaths.
