UPDATE ON COVID SITUATION IN THE COMMUNITY

Tansi!

We all need to thank our team for taking decisive action related to our first COVID case as otherwise we could have a much worse situation. This week demonstrates how hard things can get when people are not careful. Everyone has a responsibility to protect themselves and all the rest of us. All our front line workers are very tired. Everyone must do their part by following the rules. Everyone needs to remember that a person with COVID-19 spreads the virus for several days before they are symptomatic and that some people never have symptoms. Further, a person can test positive at any time for up to 14 days which is why people must remain in isolation even if they test negative initially.

TEST RESULTS

So far 20 of the 21 people identified as contacts in the 14 households referred to in Bulletin #37 on December 20th have tested NEGATIVE. We are waiting for the results for the last person. All of these people must still remain in isolation for the full 14 day period. They will continue to be checked by public health to make sure they do not develop any symptoms of COVID-19. We will not know their status until early in the new year. I am very cautiously optimistic that we can beat this virus if we stay focussed.

NEW SITUATION

We learned today that a person who went to Thompson for medical was in contact with people who are COVID positive. This person is now in isolation and public health has begun contact tracing related to this situation. If you are determined to be a close contact of this person, public health will contact you.

GROCERY PURCHASE AND DELIVERY

Today, 250 boxes of groceries and supplies came from our Thompson Family Foods and were delivered. Many more boxes of groceries and supplies were also delivered by our Three Rivers Store. More will be delivered on December 24th. We ran into technical difficulties with the online ordering system but are working on getting it up and running as soon as we can. We really need to thank the people at Three Rivers Store for the work they are doing. Be patient and be kind as this pandemic is hard on everyone.

MAIL DELIVERY

Three truckloads of packages sent to the post office were also delivered today by our FNSOs to 70 homes. More packages will be delivered on December 24th.

MANDATORY STAY AT HOME REMAINS IN EFFECT

  • Everyone must continue to STAY AT HOME in their own houses – NO VISITING WITH ANYONE WHO DOES NOT LIVE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD;
  • Only persons with an authorized pass are allowed to drive or walk around the community.

CHRISTMAS SEASON

This has been a very difficult year for all of us. When my Council and I were elected two years ago, none of us could have imagined the impact a global pandemic would have on our community. Even though it is difficult, we all need to be thankful for the strength of our community.
I want to thank our entire Pandemic Response Team and all the people who have volunteered to help out in so many different ways over the past 9 months. We appreciate all of you. I also want to thank all of you who have followed the rules that have been put in place even though we know how hard this has been. We have been able to keep our community safe by working together for the benefit of all of us. Let’s keep it that way.

While we wait for more information over the next few days, let’s all take a bit of time to relax and be thankful we have each other and that no-one in our community has died from COVID-19. Let’s also remember all those families around the world who are grieving for their loved ones who did not make it.
My Council and I and our entire Pandemic Response Team wish everyone a Merry Christmas. We hope that by next Christmas we can celebrate the holiday season in a more usual way.
OUR PRIORITY REMAINS YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY. Despite our best efforts, the virus got into the community but together we can contain the virus. As always we will provide more information as soon as it becomes available.

Ekosani!