January 1, 2021

Chickasaw Nation News

With nearly one thousand doses delivered in mid-December, COVID-19 vaccinations are underway in the Chickasaw Nation. Healthcare workers are the first to be vaccinated to help protect them from the illness as they continue to care for patients. Dr. John Krueger, Under Secretary for the Chickasaw Nation Department of Health, says that he is hopeful that the general public will have access to the vaccine by early spring. Chickasaw elder and healthcare employee Rhonda Brown was the first employee to receive the vaccine at the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center. She speaks with Quin about her vaccination experience, telling her she feels fine and that she sees the vaccine as a light at the end of the tunnel.

Next, Brad and Quin speak with Travis Freeze, Director of Chickasaw Nation Pharmacy Services, about how the tribe has been preparing to store and administer the vaccine, as well as the science behind the Pfizer vaccine. He also explains how excited he and his team were when they received and unpacked the first shipment of vaccine doses. Then, Brad and Quin get an update on Dr. Grant Lashley, a Chickasaw citizen and emergency room physician in Louisiana who survived his battle with COVID-19. After spending 39 days in the intensive care unit and suffering a stroke, he is currently on the road to recovery, one step at a time. To close the episode, we learn that Chickasaw Heritage Series documentaries have been airing on public access television across the country in recent weeks. For more information about the films, visit www.chickasawfilms.com.

SHOW MORE