COVID-19 Daily News Digest – January 1st, 2021
New Brunswick still developing its priority list for COVID-19 vaccines
New Brunswick’s first phase of vaccinations will last until March and target four groups — long-term care residents and staff; health-care workers with direct patient contact, all adults in First Nations communities, and older New Brunswickers.
But repeated requests to the province to define what “older” means have gone unanswered.
On Thursday by email, Macfarlane said, “Public Health is presently reviewing components of vaccination plan, including specific ages.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/province-unclear-about-vaccine-rollout-1.5858826
Siksika Nation to start administering Moderna vaccine to Elders Lodge, first responders Friday
Siksika Nation is one the first First Nations in the country to begin COVID-19 vaccinations, starting with residents and staff at the Nation’s Elders Lodge, Chief Ouray Crowfoot told Postmedia.
One hundred doses of the Moderna vaccine were to arrive on the Nation at 1 p.m. Friday, with priority given to the approximately 40 elders and staff at the lodge, as well as some first responders with the Nation’s health department.
Crowfoot said it was this advocacy that enabled Siksika Nation to get doses more than a month ahead of the provincial government’s original vaccine rollout schedule. According to the province’s website, First Nations, Métis and persons over 65 living on a First Nations community or Métis settlement were not scheduled to receive vaccines until February.
“It’s been a lot of long, hard work our team has done to be able to be one of the first First Nations in Canada to get these vaccines to the Nation, and that’s working with provincial as well as federal bodies to make it happen,” Crowfoot said. “We did meet a lot of roadblocks but we’ve been really persistent about advocating for our people.”
Australia changes word in anthem to honor Indigenous people
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on New Year’s Eve announced that the second line of the anthem, Advance Australia Fair, has been changed from “For we are young and free” to “For we are one and free.”
The change took effect Friday.
“It is time to ensure this great unity is reflected more fully in our national anthem,” he said, adding that Australia was the “most successful multicultural nation on Earth.”
“While Australia as a modern nation may be relatively young, our country’s story is ancient, as are the stories of the many First Nations peoples whose stewardship we rightly acknowledge and respect,” Morrison said.
“In the spirit of unity, it is only right that we ensure our national anthem reflects this truth and shared appreciation.”
Siksika Nation offering hayrides, Indigenous history experience in Banff this weekend
Todd Nakamura said the horse-drawn ride will take 45 minutes and during that time the local history of the Siksika, also known as the Blackfoot, will be shared.
“The Blackfoot Nation in conjunction with Many Guns Ranch and the Blackfoot Warrior Party Horsemanship and Film Society are hosting hayrides from the Buffalo Nations Museum to the Cave and Basin,” Nakamura said.
“This is traditional Blackfoot territory.”
The event will follow strict COVID-19 safety protocols, with only two families or groups per hayride. Permits from the Town of Banff and Parks Canada are in place for the event.
The Siksika guides that will share their history during the hayride are descendants of one of the original signatories of Treaty 7, signed on Sept. 22, 1877.
Year in Review 2020: Culture and Race
This year heralded a renaissance of widespread public discussions about racism and justice.
Black history was the focus of most of the protests, but Indigenous struggles and culture were acknowledged and celebrated as well.
Through July and August, Bristol Bay’s rivers gave plenty of opportunity for people to celebrate fishing and traditions.
In the face of hardship, Bristol Bay’s Indigenous cultures showed their resilience; despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bristol Bay Native Corporation started hosting virtual yuraq sessions. The Corporation founded the Facebook group, Bristol Bay-am Qasgia/Na qenq’a, creating a place to engage with Bristol Bay cultures.
Atkiq Ilutsik-Snyder, BBNC’s culture camp director, said the yuraq celebrations are a way to connect with Native culture.
https://www.kdlg.org/post/year-review-2020-culture-and-race#stream/0
First Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses coming to Manitoba First Nations this week: province
The Manitoba government says it expects to have thousands of doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine routed to Manitoba First Nations this week.
Manitoba’s acting deputy chief provincial public health officer, Dr. Jazz Atwal, said Thursday the province has received its first shipment of the Moderna vaccine — 7,300 shots — and efforts are now in place to get 5,300 doses distributed to northern and remote communities across the province
He said the province is working with First Nations health experts to determine exactly how the first doses will be delivered.
“There are physician leaders on the First Nations side and that plan is being developed at this point,” he said during a media availability Thursday.
“They’re going to decide how to use those doses, on what population, and how they want to roll that out.”
Government of Canada COVID-19 Update for Indigenous Peoples and communities
During the week of December 20-26, the number of new cases reported did not exceed the number of new cases in the preceding week. The Department has recently observed a reduction in the number of newly reported cases of COVID-19 in First Nations communities with 600 new cases reported during the week of December 20-26 down from 1,219 new cases reported during the week of December 6-12.
On First Nations reserves, as of December 30, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) is aware of:
- 8493 confirmed positive COVID-19
- 3039 active cases
- 5373 recovered cases
- 81 deaths
There are a total of 31 confirmed positive cases in Nunavik, Quebec and all have recovered. As of December 30, the Government of Nunavut is reporting three active cases and a total of 266 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There are 262 people that have recovered from the virus and of the four impacted communities, only Arviat and Whale Cove still have active cases.
Moderna doses earmarked for Manitoba First Nations
Manitoba First Nations can expect to receive thousands of doses of the Moderna vaccine as soon as this week, the provincial government announced Thursday.
The provincial government said Thursday that 5,300 of 7,300 Moderna vaccine doses would be allocated to northern and remote First Nations. The news release didn’t say whether vaccines had been set aside for the Métis Nation.
The province anticipates the Moderna shipment to arrive this week, with doses for First Nations to be shipped out immediately.
“We were all waiting… to see this, this moment where we can see some hope in terms of trying to change the narrative as it relates to COVID-19,” said Jerry Daniels, grand chief of the Southern Chiefs’ Organization.
As part of northern Manitoba’s vaccination strategy, an immunization site is being set up in Thompson to provide the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.
To date, however, the province has excluded the Manitoba Metis Federation from its vaccine planning.
‘We will get through this’: Doctor reflects on the impacts of COVID-19 in Indian Country
A surge in COVID-19 cases this fall hit many tribal nations in Minnesota hard.
“You see the numbers and you see that we have the highest age-adjusted mortality rate, so you know what’s happening,” Owen said. “But then when you start touching base even more closely, it’s easy to think about COVID in the abstract, but when you start to bring it home, it’s a little harder.”
The growing statistics are one thing, she said — but in tight-knit communities, knowing the people and the families behind those numbers is entirely another.
“Our communities are so small that one death impacts so many more people, because we’re so interrelated and support one another so much,” she said.
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/12/31/doctor-reflects-on-the-impacts-of-covid-in-indian-country
Prime Minister announces new supports for Indigenous peoples and communities
“Indigenous peoples and communities continue to face unique challenges during the pandemic. We will continue to listen to them, and ensure that students, children, parents, and communities have the support they need to keep safe and healthy and properly respond to this crisis.”
The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
The health, safety, and well-being of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples is a priority during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Government of Canada will continue to support Indigenous peoples and communities during this time to help contain the spread of the virus and keep people safe.
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced over $200 million in new funding to provide support to Indigenous peoples and communities. The funding includes:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Indigenous communities
You can visit the Government of Canada’s website for Indigeenous Services Canada to get information on confirmed cases of COVID-19 in communities, latest news on vaccines, new financial supports and health and safety information on how to protect you and your community.
Please use the following link to access information: