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Minnesota Native News: Health Report
Trailer
Bonus
Episode 16
Season 1
September: School, Rice and a Survey
This week on the Minnesota Native News Health Report, a reality check on a potential vaccine for Covid-19. I’m Marie Rock. This week the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told a Senate panel we won’t see a vaccine for mass distribution any time soon. This is Dr. Robert Redfield.
I think we’re probably looking at late 2nd quarter, 3rd quarter 2021.
That’s NEXT summer. Meantime, Minnesota health officials will be asking households chosen at random to participate in a statewide survey to see who tests positive for the virus and for antibodies to the virus.
Dr. Ruth Lynfield is the state epidemiologist. She says the survey is intended to help public health officials get a learn more about how the virus is spreading.
And to learn what caused it to spreading particular communities and regions across the state and the percentage of people infected with Covid 19 who did not recognize symptoms, and to improve health messaging and help stop Covid 19 spread.
Officials conducting the survey will be wearing protective gear and have badges identifying themselves. Tests are free and anyone who test positive will be contacted by a health professional. The survey runs until the end of September.
September is also the season to harvest wild rice. Laurie Stern reports.
Bois Forte openend the ricing season on Nett Lake at the beginning of September
Cris Holm is director of ecological programs there.
COVID has really changed things for us this year. Normally, of course, during the race time, it's a it's a fun time. You know, we have we have parching crews, we're making hand parts, right? It's we're buying. We're buying rice from pickers. There's a lot of people around a lot of socializing this year. It's very sterile, you know, we had to we had to forego all the in parking that we would normally do just to keep socially distance conditions for the for the chargers. And all, you know, we're allowing limited people in at a time to sell their rights to us, everybody masks, you know, no gatherings, no group. So it's it's, it's not a it's not a fun year this year. In that regard. People are still out there. They're doing their thing, you know, but it's it is different.
Holm says there will not be a commercial hand-parched product from the tribe this year.
But ricers like Chaz Wagner say the tradition is alive and well for many band members.
(little banter about where he is – we could say I’m out at the lake)
Chaz is a musician, a founding member of the band WarBonnet.
I go by ginoogeezhek, my spiritual name my real name.) He works at KBFT, the radio station on the rez.
I try to go out at least a couple times a week, feels realy good, spiritual, be in touch with the ancesotrs, sweat a little, and the first thing I do when I get off the lake is go parch.
Story #3 Marie: And now it’s time to hear from Jennifer Cortes, who returned to school this week.