In neighboring Colorado, Mesa County is making headlines as the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 increases local infection and hospitalization rates. According to Mesa County Public Health data, hospital beds are nearly full and the overwhelming majority of hospitalized COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated. Our radio partners spoke with a Grand Junction-based watchdog who says misinformation around vaccines within the local right-wing culture has contributed to this situation. Plus, our partners report that high school and elementary students in Monument Valley recently published a book of oral histories about life on the Navajo Nation.

Show Notes:

Photo: Grand Junction, Colorado is the largest city in Mesa County, where the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 is increasing infection and hospitalization rates.

Mesa County Public Health Data

https://health.mesacounty.us/covid19/datadashboard/

Mesa County Public Health: (June 9) Local Public Health Alert – Mesa County Experiencing Widespread Transmission of Highly Contagious Delta Variant of COVID-19

https://health.mesacounty.us/local-public-health-alert-mesa-county-experiencing-widespread-transmission-of-highly-contagious-delta-variant-of-covid-19/

KVNF Regional Newscast: June 25, 2021

https://www.kvnf.org/post/kvnf-regional-newscast-june-25-2021#stream/0

Ann Landman Blog (Opinion): Mesa County’s pervasive right-wing culture is damaging our public health and economy

https://annelandmanblog.com/2021/06/mesa-countys-pervasive-right-wing-culture-is-damaging-public-health-and-the-economy/

Grand County Vaccination Data

https://www.seuhealth.com/covid-vaccine-dashboard

CDC Vaccination Data

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations

Utah COVID-19 Case-Count Data

https://coronavirus.utah.gov/case-counts/

KUER: Navajo Students Capture Oral Histories In New Book About Life In Monument Valley

https://www.kuer.org/arts-culture-religion/2021-06-28/navajo-students-capture-oral-histories-in-new-book-about-life-in-monument-valley