Robbin Preston

Department of Corrections staff sterilize 50 boxes of food for elders and those living on dialysis in Chilchinbeto where the first cases of coronavirus are from.

A humanitarian group that usually works with developing countries is delivering supplies to the Navajo and Hopi Tribes to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Air Serv International will fly masks, hand sanitizer and other supplies to remote parts of the Navajo and Hopi nations over the next six weeks. The nonprofit is partnering with a GoFundMe campaign that has raised more than $5.4 million.

Navajo and Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund spokeswoman Cassandra Begay said Air Serv was shocked to learn how similar the reservations are to developing countries.

“It’s like a third world country without running water or electricity,” Begay said. “It’s a public health crisis and we’ve lost hundreds of people because we didn’t have the infrastructure.”

Most reservation roads are unpaved and many Navajo and Hopi cannot afford to pay for gas to drive the great distances to pick up supplies.

7,840 Navajo have tested positive for COVID-19. The majority have recovered. 

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