All of Nunavik put on ‘red alert’ due to Omicron spread

Schools and daycares can open, but all non-essential services are shut down

The Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services has put the entire region on “red alert” to curb the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant. (Screenshot from the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services website)

By Nunatsiaq News

The Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services has put the entire region on “red alert” due to concerns about the fast spread of COVID-19’s Omicron variant.

The health board announced the restrictions Tuesday on Facebook, stating that it’s “just a matter of time until Omicron will spread in all communities” in Nunavik.

The new restrictions allow only essential services to remain open. Non-essential activities are cancelled and visits between people living in different households are prohibited.

Schools and daycares can open, and outdoor gatherings with a maximum of 20 people are allowed. Churches are only allowed to open for funerals with a capacity of 25 people.

Only essential travel is allowed between communities, and a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. remains in effect.

“Everyone is asked to do their part to keep Omicron under control as much as possible,” states a Facebook post by the board.

“Everyone can make a difference by following the measures, respecting isolation and getting vaccinated.”

Nunavik reported 260 active COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, down by one from the day before. There were 28 reported new cases, as well as 29 new recoveries.

COVID-19 remains active in every Nunavik community except Akulivik, Inukjuak and Umiujaq. New cases were reported in Kangiqsualujjuaq, Kangirsuk, Kuujjuaq, Kuujjuarapik and Quaqtaq.

The health board released a COVID-19 overview for reported cases between Dec. 17 and Jan. 12. Of the 741 positive cases over that period, nearly two-thirds were adults 18 and older. Nine people were hospitalized in the region, but nobody has been sent south for treatment.

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(12) Comments:

  1. Posted by Get smart on

    Be more like Nunavut, stop testing and watch your numbers plummet. This isn’t rocket surgery folks.

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  2. Posted by JeannieC on

    Still seeing people visit around. Relatives and non relatives. And some are hunting fishing camping together. Can we report them but to who the report?

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    • Posted by SEB on

      Darn if you do … darn if you dont …. normally when locals go fishing … especially in winter for safety reasons … they go with others. Does it have foods on grocery shelves.. . How are people
      families and children eating??!! One of the Facebook post showed food shortages on the grocery shelves …. more so … the unprecedented cost of food in the North would definitely force locals to provide for themselves and others through traditional means … Hunting and fishing.

      Maybe your concerns should be directed to the COVID-19 regulators to review how to proceed in such situations.

      Blessings Always ?

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      • Posted by CPlus on

        Gatherings and facebook posts about empty shelves have nothing in common – what is your point there? Go to any store in Kuujjuaq and see plenty of food.

        Stop visiting and spreading this virus.

  3. Posted by Peter on

    Its interesting to note we had this virus beat as people got their shots, followed the restrictions, only essential people travelled, mandatory quarantines ect. We let our guard down then we started to see cases towards the end of October, into lockdown 1 we went until the last week of November. Things were going well then we let our guard down again, cases went up after xmas, into lockdown 2 currently. So lets go back to what kept it out for so long although some people may not like it, it worked.

  4. Posted by you reap what you sow on

    Its too bad that there is no cure for “lack of good judgement”
    People are doing what they have always done – total disregard for following guidelines.
    “Oh well, you reap what you sow”
    Lets hope not too many more people die and life can get back to normal before the summer

  5. Posted by Seen the red light coming about a moon ago. on

    Disobedience as usual. People live to break rules, and not considering that other people are affected by their bad choices. But it’s at a point in time whereby, restrictions or not, we will all be exposed sooner than later. That doesn’t mean, following restrictions and slowing it down is not helpful, it is very helpful. Vaccination as well is very beneficial to protect from the seriousness of Covid. Those unvaccinated are risking their health more. That being said, the red alert signs has been with us for weeks, but the authorities didn’t apply it until now to all communities. Poor planning if you ask me. Now, the question is always towards: does restrictions work in the first place or not. We’ll I believe they do, from what I’m seeing everyday, less the defiant behaviours considered. The Health authorities must believe that restrictions are working to a point also, even though numbers are still climbing, we are not at our peak yet. But again I question why the authorities didn’t impose red alert about a week or so ago, if they believe red alert works better.

  6. Posted by Daaniallie Niviaxie on

    I’m concerned with the teachers returning from South and the patients going South for hospital for treatments.
    My most concerns are the students, cause the students go everywhere after school . They are so many .
    I believe that both healthcare systems from Nunavut and Nunavik should team up to make a big general hospital able to perform surgery also with intensive care unit with it.

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  7. Posted by ᑖᓂᐊᓪᓕ ᓂᕕᐊᕐᓯ on

    ᐃᓕᒪᓱᕐᐳᖓ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᔨᓐᓂᑦ ᐅᑎᕐᑐᓂᑦ ᑕᓴᒪᖕᖓᑦ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᓂᑦ ᐱᔪᓂᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᕆᐊᑦᑐᑐᓂᑦ.
    ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓄᓐᓂᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕕᓕᐊᑦᑐᓂᑦ ᑕᓴᒧᖕᖓ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᓄᑦ.
    ᐃᓕᓵᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᒻᒪᕆᐅᒻᒪᑕ, ᓇᒧᑐᐃᓈᓯᓱᒍᑦᓱᑎᓪᓗ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕇᕋᒥᒃ.
    ᐃᓱᒪᕆᔭᖃᑉᐳᖓ ᓄᓇᕘᒥᐅᑦ ᑲᓂᒫᖓ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᕕᒥᐅᑦ ᑲᑐᑦᔨᕆᐊᖃᓐᓂᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕕᐊᓗᒻᒥᑦ ᐊᖏᔪᒥᑦ ᐱᓚᕕᐅᒍᓐᓇᓗᓂᓗ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑉᐱᒋᔭᐅᑦᓯᐊᕕᓕᒻᒥᑦ.

  8. Posted by Peter on

    Were making our village proud another 25 new cases, 108 active, what is it that people do not understand, get your shots, stay home, follow the rules, its that simple. The majority who have their shots, follow the rules are starting to run out of patience, why should those who follow the rules be punished with lockdowns when other could care less and dont follow the rules.

    • Posted by Trying to stay safe on

      Lots of pointers, yours is good Peter. There’s a silent coldness between vaccinated and not. It’s not an issue of concern that it could even get beyond the silence, but people of the vaccinated group are tired of the attitudes and the lack of cooperation from the unvaccinated. This omicron spread is not going away in Nunavik any time soon. It’s just taking hold now, and numbers and issues with health care are about to hit. It’s the unvaccinated who are at a self imposed risk, and there will be problems with sickness and we are not immune to death either as we all know. It’s appears the recommendation are the same about the vaccine! That is: get vaccinated, it will help protect you from serious illness should you get positive with Covid. Plus the vaccination will also help you protect your family, friends and community. Go get the shot, be kind to yourself and others.

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  9. Posted by Silent on

    Some basic information like quarantee days would help. I hear there have been confusion over number of days for travellers.

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