FORT HALL — The Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Office of Emergency Management (TOEM) Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is actively monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 17, 2020, the Fort Hall Business Council (FHBC), the governing body of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, (Tribes) passed a resolution declaring a State of Emergency within the Fort Hall Reservation. On the same date, TOEM activated their EOC.

The Tribal Department of Health and Human Services, Indian Health Service and Community Health Center (HRSA), working as a unified command, developed and initiated an incident action plan for the COVID-19 outbreak.

On March 20, 2020, the Tribes received official notification from the Southeast Idaho Public Health Region 6 that a positive case of COVID-19 is located within 25 miles of the Fort Hall Reservation boundary.

This threshold met the criteria in the incident action plan which led to a reduction in Tribal governmental services to protect the health and welfare of the Fort Hall community effective immediately.

If any Tribal government employee has further questions, they can call 208-244-8327 for employment-related concerns.

The FHBC urges everyone to self-isolate and observe social distancing and call your medical provider if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 as described by the CDC guidelines.

The Southeast Idaho Public Health has opened a call center to field questions from the community and can be reached at 208-234-5875 or at https://coronavirus.idaho.gov/