COVID-19 Daily News Digest – January 8, 2020
Remote First Nations communities among first in B.C. to get Moderna vaccine
While some are feeling nervous, many are thrilled to have first access to the defence against COVID-19.
“It is a little bit surreal,” said Don Speck, a member of the Namgis First Nation in Alert Bay who is getting his vaccine this week.
Last spring, Speck’s community faced an outbreak where more than 30 people tested positive and two people died.
“A lot of the elders were scared to leave their homes, [for] basically six to eight months, and so now there’s just this overwhelming relief,” he said.
COVID-19 sees more expectant Colombian mothers turn to traditional help
In rural areas, the COVID-19 pandemic has driven up maternal mortality as pregnant women have avoided health centres. Many women have instead resorted to Afro-Colombian midwives – who have inherited ancestral knowledge and skills – for care prior to their deliveries. But these health workers often lack official recognition of their work.
In her 38-year career as a traditional midwife, or partera, Martínez, who is 58, has helped deliver more than 780 babies. Since the start of the pandemic, she has helped with at least five home births and has delivered care to at least 10 pregnant women.
First doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine head to Manitoba First Nations
The first doses will be given to those in priority groups, determined by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the province, in collaboration with Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), which represents northern Manitoba First Nations, Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin, a health organization formed by MKO, and the Southern Chiefs’ Organization, which represents First Nations in southern Manitoba.
Those priority groups are:
- Essential health-care workers providing services in remote and isolated communities who cannot access the provincial vaccination super sites;
- Residents and staff of personal care homes and elder care facilities;
- People over the age of 60 living in remote and isolated communities; and
- People over the age of 70 living in non-remote communities.
Organizations mobilizing to counter COVID-19 outbreak among Montreal’s Indigenous homeless population
About 80 per cent of the people who have been screened have witnessed a positive novel coronavirus diagnosis, according to a joint statement released Thursday by organizations working with homeless populations.
Among the solutions put in place, the former Royal Victoria Hospital has been transformed into a red zone centre that can accommodate 61 people and offer alcohol consumption management.
In addition, 12 places have been set up in the orange zone for people awaiting results and 14 other places in the yellow zone for those who need to be isolated following close contact.
‘You wake up well’: Amazon villagers take vine tea to treat COVID
The skin of the vine – the name of which the community is keeping secret – is boiled and strained into a tea which is drunk three times a day, for five days, explained Po Yre, a 23-year-old member of the Kayapó community from Pykany village.
“The medicine is very strong. When you take it, you get weak, sometimes with red eyes and a headache. But, the next day, it works. You wake up well,” said Po Yre, who took the remedy after he tested positive for COVID-19 in July.
While there is no scientific evidence that the tea can combat the virus, Kayapó leaders have said all community members should drink it as a form of prevention against COVID, which has killed nearly 200,000 Brazilians, according to official figures.
First shipment of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine arriving in Cross Lake Jan. 7
Pimicikamak Cree Nation Chief David Monias said in an emailed statement on Thursday that his First Nation is receiving 199 doses of the vaccine, with 168 of those intended for elders over the age of 70, 11 for elders in care homes and 20 for staff working in the care home. The doses must be used within 30 days and, if any of those currently eligible to receive it opt not to, those doses will be used for health centre staff or residents aged 69.
Siloam Mission must engage in ‘relevant and rightful change’ with Indigenous people, says former employee
With such a large Indigenous community through the doors, Kejick says the opportunity for Siloam is obvious.
“Everything is at your fingertips. And if you are not going to do it and make this important, relevant and rightful change with us as Indigenous people on this treaty land, I believe you are never going to do it with any other people groups,” she said.
Kejick insists she’s not interested in changing anyone’s faith, including that of Siloam’s CEO, Jim Bell. Her focus, she says, is healing, ensuring longevity and showing respect.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-siloam-mission-indigenous-staff-1.5865164
UBC student’s project translates COVID-19 information to world’s Indigenous languages
A UBC medical student has joined forces with colleagues in Toronto and the U.S. to help ensure Indigenous people around the world can access COVID-19 information in their own languages.
The project, dubbed Translations 4 Our Nations, involves translation of up-to-date public health information about the virus into more than 40 Indigenous languages around the world, with the help of 120 Indigenous translators.
Akwesasne long-term care home grappling with COVID-19 outbreak
Ten residents and 10 staff members tested positive for the virus at the facility in recent weeks. While seven of the cases have since resolved in the last few days, the outbreak still makes up nearly half of active cases in the northern portion of Akwesasne. One resident has died.
“It’s trying times,” said Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Grand Chief Abram Benedict.
“It’s very unfortunate.”
The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne’s (MCA) Community Health Program reports 26 active cases of COVID-19, with seven new cases reported Wednesday. The community, which straddles the Ontario, Quebec, and New York borders, also has seven active cases in the southern portion of the territory.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/akwesasne-ltc-covid-19-outbreak-1.5864666
Two new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Fort Nelson First Nations, curfew begins tomorrow
FORT NELSON, B.C. – Fort Nelson First Nation has confirmed two new cases of COVID-19 in the community.
In a First Nation Facebook statement, the residents are currently isolating, and contact tracing is underway.
Starting on Friday, a curfew will be implemented at the community checkpoints. From 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. no one will be allowed to enter the First Nation unless arriving/leaving for work or is a first responder.
Police will show ‘tolerance’ while enforcing curfew among the homeless: Guilbault
At an online news conference to announce details of the new measures to stem the spread of COVID-19, the minister sought to calm fears among advocates for the homeless about the prospect of strict police enforcement of the 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew.What we’ve said is that we want to accompany and help the homeless clientele and not blanket them with tickets,” she said when asked how the new regulations, which carry fines of $1,000 to $6,000, will affect homeless people.
“So tolerance will indeed be the right approach,” she said. “Nobody wants to hand out tickets to homeless people for the sake of handing out tickets, while knowing full well that the person has nowhere to go.”