As COVID-19 continues to impact the world, tribal Nations and Indigenous people continue to see sweeping impacts of the virus in our communities. This episode explores public health implications and perspectives surrounding the topic.

First, we talk about some of the ways that the virus has impacted our family and communities personally. We then interview Deionna Vigil, a Research Program Coordinator at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for American Indian Health. She offers insight into the public health response to the pandemic in Indian Country. She explains how this has shifted over time. She then answers our questions about the vaccine.

This is a 2-part series. The next pandemic episode will be released soon, in which we will explore cultural, spiritual, and wellness-oriented impacts of the virus.

These episodes have been made possible with funding by the National Geographic Society Emergency Fund for Journalists.