COVID-19 Daily News Digest – November 22, 2020
MICOP Is Vital Link for Indigenous Communities During COVID
When COVID hit, MICOP functioned as the critical bridge between Indigenous residents and community resources. Its Oxnard offices began with wellness calls to clients to learn of their needs and provide immediate assistance. At the same time, staff were translating official health information into Indigenous languages and making the technical health information intelligible to its clients. This was challenging work, according to MICOP Associate Director Genevieve Flores-Haro, who noted that Mixteco does not even have a word for “virus.” Working with Ventura County’s Farmworker Resource Program, MICOP created informational videos, which it distributed through social media, Zoom calls, and its own radio station, Radio Indígena (94.1 FM and Facebook Live).
Feds need better data on COVID-19 in Indigenous communities: Miller
“Our data is limited, and so this only represents cases on reserve,” he said, adding the number of COVID-19 cases among Indigenous people in both provinces is much higher.
Miller noted that Manitoba numbers showed high rates of COVID-19 among Indigenous people living in urban areas, as well as a disproportionate number of First Nations individuals in hospital and intensive-care units.
Western Inuit organization to distribute $5.8M in COVID-19 relief
The new programs will offer a monthly meat pack to families, $300 a month to elders and grants of up to $1,000 so local carvers, artists and sewers can purchase supplies.
Heather Scoffield: COVID-19 statistics don’t reflect the reality for Indigenous people living in Canadian cities
According to the latest census, well over half of Indigenous people live in Canada’s cities. They are not included in the federal government’s efforts to monitor the spread of coronavirus nor are they included in new initiatives to collect statistics on a disaggregated basis to take into account minorities. And while many of them are healthy and prosperous, as a demographic, they check off every single box for being at high risk of catching and suffering deeply from COVID-19.
From what Smylie can see, they are indeed catching the virus, and spreading it to their tight-knit networks, both in the cities and on reserves, at an alarming pace.
“The reports that we’re hearing underestimate the impacts,” Smylie said in a recent interview. “There is an undercount.”
Navajo Nation Reports Record-high 351 New Covid Cases; Five More Deaths
“This is not only devastating, but it indicates that the uncontrolled spread of the virus is impacting all communities on the Navajo Nation and in nearby border towns and cities. It is time for a mask mandate for the entire state of Arizona – the growing numbers of cases outside of the Navajo Nation is having a devastating impact on our people and it’s evident with 4,471 new cases reported in Arizona,” Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said.
Alberta is the sole province without a mask mandate
The province says a mask should be worn: “When you’re in public and might come within two metres of others for a prolonged period of time: public transit, retail stores, hair salons”; or “when you’re in shared indoor spaces with people from outside your immediate household.”
But in the province’s most populated cities, masks are required.
COVID-19 not going away any time soon warns Tsilhqot’in chief
Funerals, weddings and baptisms are allowed to go ahead, but only up to 10 people, including the officiant, can attend.
Masks are now mandatory in all public indoor and retail spaces.
“That’s alarming, and when you look at those numbers they’re doubling every two weeks and a lot of our members have weakened immune systems,” Alphonse said.
COVID death toll among First Nations has AMC Grand Chief distraught
Nine deaths have been reported throughout the week. Thirteen deaths were reported the week before.“It is difficult, but we got to keep pushing and getting the information out there and support our communities and leadership,” said Dumas during a Facebook live update on Friday.
“I want to send a message to those who are risking themselves and providing service and healthcare to our communities. I want to acknowledge those people and say thank you to them.”
Arctic Lockdown: COVID-19 Climbs In Canada’s Far North
More than 80 cases have been identified this month in Nunavut, where around 39,000 people, predominantly Inuit, live in communities scattered across a territory the size of Mexico. The worst-hit area, Arviat, has 58 cases in a hamlet of fewer than 3,000 people.
The new lockdown started Wednesday and is set to last two weeks.
“I am asking Nunavummiut to stay strong and to stay focused,” Nunavut’s premier, Joe Savikataaq, said on Friday, referring to the territory’s residents. “Please do not give it a chance to take more of a hold in any of our communities.”
https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/npr/npr-story/937170277
‘It’s time to tighten up’: PM says as modelling shows COVID-19 cases ‘spiking massively’
“It’s the future of our country” that’s at stake, Trudeau said Friday, speaking to the nation once again from outside of Rideau Cottage, resuming what was a nearly daily routine during the first five months of the pandemic as the country battled, and ultimately flattened the first wave.
‘Put away your power saws’: First Nations leaders, conservationists have a new plan to protect old-growth
Along with First Nations leaders, other conservationists, scientists and several politicians, Wu is putting forward a new plan to finance old-growth forest protection in the upcoming B.C. and federal budgets and COVID-19 pandemic economic recovery plans
“The key thing is that First Nations communities need an economic alternative to the past dependency on old-growth logging that’s been facilitated by the B.C. government,” Wu says.
“The benefits of old-growth logging for First Nations communities is in the tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. Who just walks away from that?”
Fred Sasakamoose in hospital for COVID-19 treatment: family
Sasakamoose, who is from Big River First Nation and lives on Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, was the first Indigenous hockey player from Saskatchewan to make it to the NHL.
“The 86 year old has had symptoms for a couple days, was admitted today at a local Hospital and is presumed positive and is now waiting for test results,” according to a Facebook post.
https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/fred-sasakamoose-in-hospital-for-covid-19-treatment-family-1.5199211