In this episode of CNTV News, Brad and Quin begin the episode with a virtual dedication ceremony for three new Chickasaw Nation medical facilities. The new COVID-19 emergency operations facility is a 40,000-square-foot structure that will serve as an incident command center, vaccine site and storage unit. The second new building is the Chickasaw Nation Alternate Care Site, which will help the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center increase its capacity to care for patients. The third building is the new Chickasaw Nation medical laboratory. "As we have witnessed with all three of these projects, the Chickasaw Nation continues to press forward despite the obstacle in our path," said Governor Bill Anoatubby at the dedication ceremony. "Chickasaws have never been known to have lost a battle, and our current battle with COVID-19 is no different. We will beat this disease and the facilities we are dedicating today will help us do that." The Chickasaw Nation also dedicated the new Hina' Chokma or "Good Path" Recovery Center in Ada. The new facility located in Ada will serve as a residential treatment center for First American men.

Next, Brad and Quin provide an update on COVID-19. The Chickasaw Nation has administered more than 13,000 COVID-19 vaccinations and tribal health officials have developed processes to deliver as many as 5,000 vaccinations weekly, as additional doses are received. This month, Chickasaw Nation Dental Services began helping the vaccination team. Chief of Dental Services Dr. Paula VanBuskirk says that everyone was ready to do their part in the fight against COVID and this is the turning point in the pandemic. For the latest information on the COVID-19 vaccines, visit www.chickasaw.net/covid19. The Chickasaw Nation has also conducted more than 100,000 COVID-19 tests and the tribe continues to provide convenient testing sites at the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center and health clinics in Ardmore and Tishomingo. To learn more about COVID testing, please visit www.covidtesting.chickasaw.net.

Health care officials are researching the new strains of COVID-19. Chickasaw Nation Chief of Pediatrics Dr. Tangra Broge speaks with Quin about the variants of the virus and how they may impact children. The Chickasaw Nation has great resources to help you stay healthy during the pandemic. Explore www.chickasaw.net/athome to learn more about medical news, fitness and wellness, culture, unity and more. Plus, see interviews with medical professionals and health care heroes. To close the episode, the conversation is continued with Dr. Katie Burden-Greer, Chickasaw Nation Chief of Inpatient Medicine, about her own recovery from COVID-19.