Navajo Nation forecasts ‘community immunity’: 120,000 jabs given

Navajo Nation surpasses vaccination goals as tribal areas outpace states in jab distribution across the United States.

The Navajo Nation continues its vaccine drive with over 120,000 doses administered on Friday, moving closer to becoming the first area in the United States to give the first jab to its entire population. The Navajo Nation’s vaccine campaign, which began in December, set a goal of 100,000 initial doses administered by the end of February, which it surpassed on Thursday this week. Health officials then set a new goal of 120,000 doses, which they surpassed today. An area of roughly 70,000sq km (about 27,000sq miles) with a population of 170,000, the Navajo Nation is a largely rural region that essentially serves as a reservation for the Navajo, or Dine, people. It was hit hard during the beginning months of the COVID-19 outbreak, having a per capita infection rate higher than other hot spots like New York City.