PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY: COVID-19 Pandemic 

To slow the spread of COVID-19, the Makah Tribal Council has ordered all people living on the Makah Reservation to Shelter-In-Place.

This means staying home except for essential activities such as getting food, medicine and exercise and to go to work if you work in an essential industry. It also means staying at least 6 feet away from other persons as much as possible. 

​Please take a moment to read the full text order, provided on this webpage, or if you'd prefer a shorter version we have a summary as well as frequently asked questions (FAQ).

​If you have more questions or concerns about the Health Order, please call the COVID-19 Question and Concern Line at  360-645-6273. 
COVID-19 Cases at STIHC
updated April 6 at 12::05pm 
Tested: 15
Positive: 0
Negative: 13
Pending: 2
If you are having an emergency at any time, call 911. 

​If you need medical care:
  • During business hours (M-F 8-5) please call the medical clinic first at 360-645-2233. A medical staff member will be able to help you.
  • After hours, please call the Careline at 1-800-607-5501. 
  • For medical emergencies at anytime, call 911 

​If you need medications:
  • If you have prescription medications that you need to pick up from our pharmacy, come to our parking lot and call us at 360-645-2445. We will bring them out to you! (Please don't knock on the window unless you don't have a phone). 
  • If you have prescription medications off the reservation, we would love to help you get them here. Please call our pharmacy at 360-645-2445 to find out if we carry your medication (or if we can order it), and then call your outside provider or pharmacy and ask to have it transferred to STIHC. 
  • If you can't transfer the medication, we would love to pick it up for you! We have a medical staff member who is trained in infection control and knows how to properly use Personal Protective Equipment who makes runs to Port Angeles to pick up meds on Tuesdays and Fridays. Please call the main clinic at 360-645-2233 and we'll make sure to get all the information we need to pick up your meds! (*we don't like rushing and stressing, and we don't want you to stress either - please call us the day before (so either by Mondays or by Thursdays so we are sure you're on this list, and please don't wait until you're out of medications). 


If you need urgent dental care:
  • During business hours please call our Dental Clinic at 360-645-2934.
  • Outside of business hours, call the Careline at 1-800-607-5501
  • Because of the risk of infectious disease spread, we are only seeing urgent dental cases at this time. 
  • Please remember that oral hygiene is very important and take care of your teeth throughout the day. 

If you need mental health care:
  • During business hours (M-F 8-5) please call the Makah Wellness Center at 360-645-2075 to be connected with a mental health counselor.
  • After hours, please call our regional crisis telephone line at 1-888-910-0416.
  • For mental health emergencies at any time, call 911.
  • Our counselors are still working to support you and our community! If you are already working with a counselor please expect to hear from them via phone. We are working on setting up Zoom for tele-mental health counseling sessions as well. 

If you need recovery support:
  • During business hours (M-F 8-5) please call Makah Recovery Services at 360-640-2975 to be connected with a substance use disorder professional. Makah Recovery Services' recovery coach is available during business hours at 360-640-4496.
  • After hours, please call our regional crisis telephone line at 1-888-910-0416.
  • For emergencies at anytime, call 911.
  • Makah Recovery Services is working on setting up Zoom for telehealth counseling sessions. Telephone sessions are available as well during business hours.
  • If you have any questions about recovery groups or being in compliance with treatment expectations, call 360-640-2975. Support groups are available online at https://aa.org/ and https://na.org/.

Calling first helps us prevent the spread of viruses. 

Thank you all for your cooperation and understanding as we do everything we can to slow the spread of infectious disease in our community. 

​IF YOU ARE SICK -> Self Isolate 

  • Stay home and stay away from others in your household, in a separate room and using a separate bathroom if possible. If you have to be around others, stay 6 feet away and wear a face mask or use a tissue to cover your cough/sneezes
  • Absolutely stay away from high risk persons in your life (high risk persons are those who are greater than 60 years old, have underlying heart or lung or other medical conditions, or are pregnant). 
  • VERY IMPORTANT: If you are at high risk (greater than 60 years old, have underlying heart or lung conditions, diabetes or other immune compromising conditions, or are pregnant), please start monitoring your symptoms very closely. Call immediately if your fever is greater than 100.4 or you are having shortness of breath. 
  • If you are coughing or sneezing, do it into a tissue and immediately dispose of the tissue (or wash if you have a handkerchief). Do not let other people handle your used tissues or handkerchiefs! If you don't have something to cough or sneeze into, use your elbow, but wash your clothes afterward. ​
  • If you have mild symptoms, (such as a cough, runny nose or fever less than 102) you can most likely manage your symptoms at home.  There are several supportive therapies you can do at home without seeing a doctor, such as:
    • Rest
    • Stay hydrated, drinking at least 10 tall glasses of water a day (or 20 short glasses!)
    • Use salt-water gargles, and salt-water rinses to clear your nose and throat
    • Eat anti-microbial foods like onions, garlic, ginger, and foods with antioxidants like broccoli and blueberries
    • Stay away from processed foods and sugar
    • Use over-the-counter medications and supplements such as Zinc, Acetaminophin (tylenol), Ibuprofen (advil), Robitussen (cough syrup), and medicated nasal sprays
  • ​If your symptoms worsen during business hours, call the clinic at 360-645-2233 and the medical staff will assist you. For the safety of other patients and our staff, do not come directly to the clinic. Call first. 
  • If your symptoms worsen during After Hours, please call the Careline at 1-800-607-5501 or, if you suspect you have COVID-19 (fever and a cough), call the Clallam County Hotline at 1-360-417-2430 or the Washington State Department of Health Hotline at 1-800-525-0127 and press #.
  • If you are having an emergency (i.e. severe shortness of breath) at anytime, call 911 

​if you are not sick -> Self-quarantine

  • Avoid all nonessential contact with others.
  • If you have to leave the house for essential activities, maintain social distancing (at least 6 feet apart from one another)
  • Although most healthy people will not experience serious illness, please do not be casual or cavalier about viral illnesses.  Just like the flu, the new coronavirus can cause serious illness and even death in those who are elderly or have underlying conditions. Beliefs and statements such as "what's the big deal, more people die of the flu" undermine our efforts to slow the spread and prevent unnecessary death. Every single one of us plays an important role in this effort. 
  • Wash your hands at the beginning and end of every activity and event, before eating, after using the restroom, after touching commonly used areas (doorknobs and handles) and anytime your hands are soiled - think "2020 - wash for 20 seconds every 20 minutes". 
  • Do not touch your face or eyes or mouth throughout the day. 
  • ​Clean regularly used "high touch" surfaces such as handles, knobs, counters, using a cleaning agent approved by the EPA for killing viruses and bacteria. 

For all of us -> Manage stress and anxiety 

The CDC has a webpage with great materials for managing stress and anxiety during this difficult time. Click here. 
The Greater Good Project also has some great tools. 

COVID-19 SITUATION AT STIHC

We are continuing to monitor the situation and learning as much as we can about the new coronavirus and COVID-19 (the disease that it causes). We have tested 11 patients, 6 tests have come back negative, 5 are pending.

At this time we are assuming community spread and asking all persons to shelter-in-place to slow the spread of the virus. The Makah Tribal Council has supported this recommendation and enacted Resolution 34-20, which puts into effect Health Order 01-20, which is referenced and can be viewed at the top of this page. 
​
We are working closely as a STIHC team and with the rest of the Makah Tribal organization and other regional partners to coordinate our response, learn from and support each other. 

We may not be able to stop the virus from spreading to our area but we can slow the spread and protect our most vulnerable members of our community - our elders, those with underlying heart and lung conditions, and pregnant women. 

For Questions and Concerns, please call the Covid 19 Question and Concern line at 360-645-6273. For regular updates, please check out our posts on social media or call the Neah Bay Fact Line at 360-645-3228. 

Medical Transports & Patient Support Services

  • We will continue to transport any patient for emergencies when we are able.
  • Patients with symptoms of acute respiratory illness  (fever, coughing, or sneezing) are required to wear a mask for the entirety of their trip. Refusal to do so will result in STIHC being unable to transport that patient. 
  • Patients will still receive Patient Support Services for attending urgent/emergency and medically necessary appointments off of the reservation. 

GENERAL CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION & RESOURCES

*please keep in mind that all data reporting about confirmed cases is inaccurate (lower than the real number) due to lack of available testing and significantly delayed test results

Covid-19 Live Data (most up to date)

​Global COVID-19 Situation Dashboard

​World Health Organization COVID website 

CDC COVID website

WA State Dept of Health COVID website

FEMA Rumor Control 
​

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