For tribal members, “I am hereby issuing a stay-at-home order.” Tribal offices were also ordered closed, and so were nonessential businesses on tribal land. “The intent of this order is to discourage out-of-town visitors from coming to Cherokee during the COVID-19 outbreak.” We must all take this public health crisis seriously and do our part to protect our community by limiting our exposure,” Sneed said in an address on his Facebook page. “It cannot be overstated the seriousness of the situation that we face as a nation.
On Saturday, he ordered the road access restrictions. Principal Chief Richard Sneed on Thursday ordered closure of all public access areas on tribal land and declared a state of emergency Friday. Casinos there have been closed for two weeks. The tribe has also closed its schools because of the new coronavirus. All other access points to tribal lands, including its lands in Graham and Cherokee counties, are closed.Īccess is being granted only to tribal members, first generation descendants (nonenrolled Cherokee who have or had an enrolled parent), employees of essential businesses, business owners needing to access their businesses, commercial deliveries and the U.S. The tribe’s land can now be accessed only at three points: U.S.
