Infection Control Program Among the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo Prevents Hospitalizations and Deaths During the Covid-19 Pandemic

In response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the United States declared a state of emergency and implemented large scale shutdowns and public health initiatives to prevent overwhelming public resources. The success of these prevention methods remains unresolved as restrictions and implementation varied greatly from national, state, and local levels. Despite national and local regulations, individual adherence to preventative guidelines presented an additional layer of variability. Cases of Covid-19 continued to rise and fall over a two-year period on a national level despite masking recommendations, ease of testing, and availability of vaccines. The Ysleta del Sur Pueblo is a Native American tribal community and sovereign nation located in El Paso, Texas. Speaking Rock Entertainment Center is a major business operated by the tribe, employing a large number of tribal and non-tribal members from the El Paso community. Following nationwide re-openings of non-essential businesses, Speaking Rock implemented an infection control program with strict adherence to recommendations provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Herein, we examine the efficacy of these measures and report on the success of the program resulting in zero employee hospitalizations or deaths in a region heavily impacted by severe Covid-19 during the height of the pandemic.