TO: All NCN Employees, NCN Organizations, Council Members and NCN Citizens and Residents
FROM: Chief Marcel Moody
SUBJECT: COVID-19 Isolation Upon Return From Travel
This is the first time in history that a coronavirus has caused a global pandemic. The situation is changing very rapidly as are the responses of leaders around the world. There are currently four confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Winnipeg. Each case so far is connected to out of province travel. Public health advice is to self-monitor and self-isolate if you have travelled.
Our community, like many Indigenous communities, has a population that includes a number of citizens with underlying health conditions. There is overcrowding in many homes. We have been pro-active by taking steps recommended by NCN’s emergency management team to keep our citizens safe. Hopefully this will prevent, or at least slow down, the transmission of this virus.
If you recently travelled out of province additional steps are required to protect our community. It is currently unclear how the virus is spread so it is possible you may have come in contact with someone who has the virus whether they are symptomatic or not. We all have a shared responsibility to take steps to try to minimize the spread of this virus even if it does cause inconvenience.
Therefore, if you have travelled out of province within the past week, effective immediately you are directed to self-isolate for a period of 14 days from the date you returned to Manitoba. Please follow the guidelines for self-isolation attached to this memo and contact your Manager to try to make arrangements to work from home. We will provide you with more information about the best practices to follow during self-isolation as it becomes available.
If during this period you develop any flu or cold like symptoms, please immediately contact Lynda Wright, Director of Health at 204-679-5330 as you may need to be tested to determine if you have Covid-19.
We know that this situation may be stressful for you and your family but the evidence so far shows that the only way to slow the spread of this virus is to take early preventative measures.
Thank you for your co-operation as we take steps to safe guard your health and the health of all our citizens.
Ekosani.
