CROW AGENCY - The chairman of the Crow Tribe has issued a 14-day lockdown order and a curfew for tribal members to fight the spread of coronavirus on the reservation.
The order issued by Crow Chairman Alvin "AJ" Not Afraid states the lockdown will end on Aug. 21. The daily curfew is in effect between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
A previous stay-at-home order set to expire in mid August was also extended through the end of the month.
RELATED: 3 additional COVID-19 deaths reported in Big Horn County
Here is the full press release:
Chairman Not Afraid executed an executive order modifying the existing stay at home order in order to prevent the spread and loss of life of tribal members due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus.
Chairman Not Afraid stated: “The previous extension of the Stay at Home Orders were not followed properly which has lead to an increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases and unfortunately deaths.”
The Crow Tribe’s Indian Reservation will be under a lock down order the next 14 days or until August 21, 2020. There is also a curfew that will be implemented from 8:00pm to 6:00am daily.
Essential businesses and emergency and medical facilities will be allowed to remain open under specific guidelines.
All public gatherings will be banned for the time period and the use of Oka Beh’ Marina will be closed for the duration. Check points at access points to public areas and the reservation will be established to monitor and turn non-residents around.
The 2020 academic school year is fast approaching and the executive order requires tribal member students to remain at home until the administration has determined it is safe for students to re-enter school. Although there have been discussions with the Montana Public School System, the Chairman stated: “We cannot afford to risk our future and the risks are just too great for the Crow people.”
The Crow Indian Reservation has one hospital in which it shares with the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. There is limited bed space and ventilators. Big Horn County, most of which includes the Crow Indian Reservation has confirmed cases climb to nearly 200 over the past week and there have been four deaths in the past three days due to COVID-19 Coronavirus.
The Crow Tribe’s Chairman Not Afraid issued a declaration of emergency issued on March 15, 2020 and the latest issued “Stay Home” order has been extended until August 31, 2020.
RELATED: Crow Tribe stay-at-home order extended, Crow Fair canceled