At least two remote First Nations in northern Ontario have taken steps to prevent non-essential travel and protect their communities from the emerging Omicron threat.
It’s a move that the region’s top health doctors hope will be replicated across the region.
“We anticipate that we will be affected by this new breed of concern and are preparing for it,” said Dr. Lloyd Douglas.
At an emergency chiefs meeting last week, Douglas warned that infections due to the Omicron variant could overwhelm public health capacities in case and contact management, and he issued a long list of recommendations to try to spread the word to prevent COVID-19 in the First Nations.
These recommendations include:
- Limit travel to and from the First Nations, including avoiding all non-essential travel.
- Test everyone who comes into the fellowship on days one and seven.
- Require seven day quarantine for everyone except those who received a third dose / booster.
- Intensify vaccinations, emphasizing the importance of booster vaccinations.
- Limit the gathering size to 10 fully vaccinated people.
Infrastructure constraints
Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug was the first to restrict travel on December 13th. Parishioners are allowed to travel to smaller local communities such as Sioux Lookout, Dryden, and Kenora. Non-essential travel beyond that, for example to larger urban centers such as Winnipeg or Thunder Bay, is restricted, however.
Necessary travel, such as going to doctor’s appointments, is still allowed, but anyone who comes back must isolate themselves for seven days and receive two negative tests. Key employees such as nurses, police officers, and contractors are subject to additional COVID-19 protocols.
Donny Morris, head of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, said the travel restrictions are likely just the first step in the First Nation’s response to the new variant of Omicron. (Youtube)
Chief Donny Morris said while there are currently no cases of COVID-19, the First Nation operates on the assumption that Omicron is already present in the community.
“We were told it’s like a wall, you go against a wall and this thing just climbs.”
Neskantaga’s restrictions came into effect on Monday and are even stricter.
It doesn’t allow non-essential travel to or from the fly-in community, and anyone entering the First Nation who is not fully vaccinated will be required to isolate themselves for 14 days.
Neskantaga boss Wayne Moonias says he is concerned about the potential impact the Omicron variant could have on community members. (CBC)
“We heard it was very contagious and that is really worrying for all of us,” Chief Wayne Moonias told CBC News. “We have to do something because we have many vulnerable populations.”
Concern is even greater in Neskantaga, Moonias said because of the worsening crises affecting the First Nation. The First Nation has been in a state of emergency since 2013 due to a suicide crisis and high drug consumption and has been under boiling water counseling for almost 27 years.
Moonias said they also have one isolation unit in Neskantaga as the First Nation faces overcrowding and a shortage of nearly 100 homes.
According to Moonias, if people need to isolate themselves after returning from an important doctor’s appointment, they will likely need to isolate themselves at home with their families. Between six and a dozen people live in many houses.
Outside the airport in Neskantaga there are signs asking for help to fix the long-standing boiling water warning. (Olivia Stefanovich / CBC)
“It is very scary and a very worrying time for our community,” he said.
“I honestly can’t tell you how we’re going to deal with the problem if our community is hit by this new variant, because it’s going to be massive.”
The chief has called on the provincial and federal governments to provide the remote First Nations with additional support to protect them from the spread of Omicron.
Indigenous Services Canada did not immediately respond to questions about additional assistance related to Omicron.
Health authority relies on vaccinations
Dr. Lloyd Douglas, health doctor for the First Nations Health Authority of Sioux Lookout, said the lack of isolation units in some communities shows once again the underservation of the First Nations.
“We advocate the government to use whatever resources they have to alleviate this crisis a little,” said Douglas.
He said the health agency continues to give priority to the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines in communities. While a number of First Nations have high double-dose vaccination rates – ranging from 80 to 95 percent of eligible individuals – there are others whose vaccination rates fluctuate around 50 percent.
Dr. Lloyd Douglas, health doctor and incident commander of the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority’s COVID-19 response team, says the shortage of isolation units in some communities shows the First Nations are underserved. (Source: Northern Ontario School of Medicine)
“It’s an ongoing conversation with leadership and luckily we’re seeing some people, you know, tapping into this trust we’re trying to build,” said Douglas.
“Some of these communities that are around 40 percent [vaccination rate]”They were less than 20 percent weeks ago.”
In the coming days and weeks, Douglas expects other First Nations to begin implementing additional restrictions.
“If we implement the measures we have outlined, I believe that the effects can be somewhat mitigated as this threat passes over us.”
