TAHOLA — The Quinault Indian Nation has closed its reservation to visitors for at least the next two weeks after residents tested positive for the first time and other residents are in quarantine.
The closure bars all visitors through at least Sept. 6, but it could be extended depending on virus activity, said Tyson Johnston, QIN vice president.
“With recent positive tests of some members of QIN households in the first days of quarantine, we decided immediate and major steps are needed to protect the health and safety of our families and neighbors,” Johnston said. “We are asking all reservation residents to stay home and travel only for essential needs such as food, medicine and medical attention.
“The QIN government will be shutdown to the maximum extent possible while maintaining essential services.”
Those services include meal delivery, medication fulfillment, limited urgent medical care, testing for COVID-19, police, fire, the minimum necessary government financial operations and certain other services to be identified, Johnston said.
Access to the Quinault Indian Reservation will be restricted to village residents, Quinault tribal members, essential government employees and Quinault Indian Nation Enterprise personnel.
The closure will not impact businesses on tribal trust lands such as the Quinault Beach Resort & Casino and Q-Mart locations, Johnston said.
The Nation will reevaluate in 10 to 12 days.
