The Klukwan community has taken several aggressive steps to slow the spread of COVID-19 including declaring a local emergency, passing a “shelter in place” order and posting signs at the entrance to town that read, “village closed to visitors.”

Chilkat Indian Village Tribal Council president Kimberley Strong said the community has taken these steps to protect the high population of elders and immune compromised residents in Klukwan. 

Recognizing that the best way to prevent the spread of coronavirus is preventing contact between people, the Chilkat Indian Village Tribal Council passed a resolution requiring all residents and visitors, even those who have no symptoms, have not been tested for coronavirus and have not been in contact with a person infected, to stay home, Strong said. The resolution went into effect on March 27 and will remain in effect until further notice. She said the council is also limiting non-essential visitors’ access to community facilities and replacing in-person meetings with teleconferences.

Klukwan resident Marvin Willard, 80, said he’s been self-quarantined for 24 days. He said he’s not a “stay at home sort of person” but has managed to create some artwork and accomplish some spring cleaning.

“I got the cleanest house in Klukwan probably, sterilized and all,” said Willard, who lives alone. “I’m doing good. I’m not talking to myself yet.”

Klukwan has closed itself to visitors using “an honor system,” Strong said. The community has placed logs across two roads leading into town while leaving the main entrance open with a notice posted: “Village closed to visitors. Due to the COVID 19 virus, Klukwan is limiting access to the village to protect our highly vulnerable tribal elders.”

While a true closure eliminating all traffic in and out of Klukwan is neither practical nor enforceable, “we would like the community members and visitors to honor the fact we are trying to encourage health and safety measures to protect our elder population,” Strong said. She said her role as a tribal leader is to inform and encourage residents to be mindful of their actions and follow state and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Strong said like most communities, Klukwan has seen a wide variety of responses to social-distancing measures among residents. “Some people are concerned and aware of the risks (of COVID-19); some seem to be unaware of the risks despite the alerts that tribal, state and federal governments put out.” Strong said residents are still allowed outside, and those who go outside seem to be practicing social distancing. 

Willard said Klukwan residents are “behaving themselves” amid local health mandate restrictions, and quipped that he thinks the federal government secretly wants older people to succumb to COVID-19.

“I’m going to fool the government, though,” Willard said. “I’m going to stay alive so they have to keep giving me my social security check.”

“Helping Hands,” a local organization in Klukwan, provides assistance and a sense of connection for those in need, Strong said. The volunteer-based organization offers a range of services including grocery and medicine delivery, financial assistance, ride service and social phone calls for those who want someone to call them on a regular basis.