COVID-19 restrictions eased in Nunavik

Restaurants in Nunavik are allowed to open for indoor dining at a limited capacity beginning Monday.

The Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services made the announcement last week as the Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic continues in the region.

As of Feb. 14, restaurants can operate at half capacity. As well, if guests from more than two households want to sit together, the maximum table size is four. Everyone must provide proof of vaccination upon entry.

Restaurants are required to close at midnight with last call for food and drinks at 11 p.m.

Private indoor gatherings are allowed to resume with a maximum of four individuals from as many as two households, while outdoor gatherings are limited to 250 people with proof of vaccination.

Extracurricular activities for students are allowed to resume, along with sports and recreational activities limited to groups of up to 25 children under the age of 18. Proof of vaccination is required for everyone 13 and older, and locker rooms must be at half capacity.

“As long as the epidemiological situation is kept under control and health-care centres can continue to provide appropriate health care … measures will progressively be alleviated to slowly come back to a more normal and less restrictive way of living,” states a post by Nunavik’s health board on Facebook.

The health board reported 237 active COVID-19 cases in the region as of Feb. 11. Over a third of Nunavik’s cases were in Inukjuak, which reported 84 active COVID-19 cases.

The community with the next highest active cases was Kangiqsujuaq with 39. Aupaluk and Salluit were the only two communities to not report active COVID-19 cases.

“Active case counts is the best representation public health can have of the actual COVID-19 epidemiological situation,” the board said on Facebook. “It is impossible to keep track of all active cases for many reasons such as, and not limited to, undeclared positive cases.”

Nunavik’s active COVID-19 cases, as of Feb. 11:

• Akulivik: 12
• Aupaluk: 0
• Inukjuak: 85
• Ivujivik: 3
• Kangiqsualujjuaq: 1
• Kangiqsujuaq: 39
• Kangirsuk: 2
• Kuujjuaq: 25
• Kuujjuarapik: 7
• Puvirnituq: 16
• Quaqtaq: 20
• Salluit: zero
• Tasiujaq: 5
• Umiujaq: 22