Covid-19 Daily News Digest – April 1, 2020
Doctors to be assigned virtually to Manitoba First Nations during COVID-19 pandemic
She said the department will deploy doctors and specialists virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic but specifics on how it will work are still being ironed out and plans continue to change.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/virtual-doctors-manitoba-first-nations-covid-1.5517081
Some First Nations are limiting access to communities amid COVID-19
The checkpoint will collect data that it is hoped will assist the community’s health workers to better understand who is going in and out of the community and to assist in gaining a better understanding of the risk factors in order to limit exposure within the community.
https://www.manitoulin.ca/some-first-nations-are-limiting-access-to-communities-amid-covid-19/
Local First Nations pro-active in dealing with COVID-19
The Ministry of Health, FNHA, Emergency Management B.C. and Indigenous Services Canada are working together to identify needs and gaps to ensure Indigenous communities are well-supported in managing any outbreaks that may occur.
Scenarios for Indigenous COVID-19 response include calling in the army: Miller
Miller believes it’s now just a question of when, not if, an outbreak will happen in the first remote Indigenous community and officials are bracing for it.
Northern Ontario communities doing what they can to keep COVID-19 out
“As council we’re saying okay, if it should hit Kenora, Dryden or Sioux Lookout that’s going to be an automatic shutdown, lockdown, nobody comes, nobody goes,” he said. “Because we’re in a remote community and we just don’t have the facility.”
Morris said on top of flight restrictions, the community is planning 24-hour lockdown drills to help prepare community members in the event the new coronavirus reaches them.
Manitoba rejects request to shut down highway to the north to combat COVID-19
“We don’t have that luxury because we’re on a major highway into the north. This is the lifeline to the north. We don’t want to shut the highway down because all the essential goods that have to go up there come through here, but we want to protect our community just as much as those other ones do,” said Cook.
Yukon reports 6th case of COVID-19, and ‘good news’ of 3 recoveries
Also on Wednesday, Yukon’s economic development minister, Ranj Pillai, held a news conference, where he was asked about mining activity in the territory. Some Yukon First Nations want a halt on all mining operations during the pandemic, citing concerns about mine workers travelling into and out of the territory.
Pillai called it a “complex” issue because it’s not just out-of-territory workers at Yukon’s mines — he says many Yukoners work in the industry too.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yukon-covid-19-financial-losses-1.5518048
LNG Canada worker tests positive for COVID-19
LNG Canada has been advised that an individual who had been engaged in work on the LNG Canada site had tested positive for COVID-19. The test was conducted after the individual had experienced mild symptoms and had immediately returned to their home to self-isolate, in accordance with self-isolation advisories and requirements.
B.C. First Nation ‘flooded’ with resource project referrals from industry, province amid coronavirus lockdown
Allen Edzerza, a member of the B.C. First Nations Energy and Mining Council and a citizen of the Tahltan Nation, said it remains too soon to see the impact of the updated regulations, and many First Nations still lack the funding and staff to deal with referrals.
“There’s always the capacity issue,” he said. “There are over 100 exploration companies in [Tahltan] territory. So, if those 100 exploration companies want to do work, and they have to do a work order, and they are required to reach out and consult with the Tahltan, you can see how many orders would come from that.”
First Nations Know Pandemics. This Time, They Say, Will Be Different
“The time for denial and bureaucratic delay about the spread of COVID-19 is over — our communities are in crisis and we are looking for answers and for resources to stop the spread of this horrendous and nightmare pandemic.”
https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2020/04/01/First-Nations-Know-Pandemics/
COVID-19: Trans Mountain expansion remains on schedule despite pandemic
To try to protect workers, the company has staggered work shifts to minimize the number of people on the site, staggered lunches, reduced or eliminated in-person meetings and increased cleaning methods. Health and safety procedures during orientation have been revised to mention the importance of social distancing and frequent hand washing.
https://edmontonjournal.com/business/local-business/covid-19-tmx-expansion/