Palene Nelson and her grandson bring donated food into their house after a delivery on June 17, 2020. Palene lives with her son, daughter-in-law, and four grandchildren in Pinon, Navajo Nation. She recently contracted COVID-19 but was not able to self-isolate. Donated supplies have helped her family avoid having to go to the grocery store frequently. (Daniel Vergara/VICE News)
One in three Navajo Nation residents don’t have indoor plumbing, making it extremely difficult for people to wash their hands regularly. Many still use outhouses, like the one seen here on the Western part of the reservation on June 19, 2020. (Daniel Vergara/VICE News)
Those without running water often visit wells on the reservation and fill up gallon-sized tanks to haul back to their homes. Dr. Michelle Tom, a family physician in Winslow, Arizona, speaks with a Navajo resident in Dilkon, Navajo Nation about the importance of clean water and wearing a mask on June 16, 2020. (Simone Perez/VICE News)
Family and friends who attended the funeral of Rose Laughter-Neztsosie in Shonto, Navajo Nation, on June 18, 2020, were asked to wear masks, use hand-sanitizer, and maintain social distancing. The service memorialized Laughter-Neztsosie, who died from COVID-19 at 86-years-old. (Simone Perez/VICE News)
The Navajo Nation government has instituted weekday curfews and weekend lockdowns on and off since May in an attempt to quell the spread of the virus. Homemade signs like this one, shown on June 18, 2020 on the western edge of the reservation, urges residents to stay home. (Simone Perez/VICE News)
Michael Begay (left) owns and operates Valley Ridge Mortuary in Tuba City, Navajo Nation, the only funeral home on the western part of the reservation. He and his staff, like Robert Dayzie (right), have struggled to keep up with the increased number of funeral services. Here, Begay and Dayzie wheel a COVID-19 victim from a freezer truck to load into a casket on June 18, 2020. (Simone Perez/VICE News)
Family and friends look over the grave of Rose Laughter-Neztsosie in Shonto, Navajo Nation during her funeral on June 18, 2020. Navajo Nation has seen over 400 covid deaths. (Daniel Vergara/VICE News)