This map shows Quebec’s COVID-19 alert zones, which can vary from green, where vigilance is encouraged, to red, the province’s maximum alert level. Nunavik, as a yellow zone, is at Level 2, an early warning zone where residents are encouraged to follow standard measures like hand washing, distancing from others and wearing masks in public. (Image courtesy of the Government of Quebec)
Nunavik to boost COVID-19 screening, testing to stave off second wave
As of Oct. 12, all travellers must be screened at Nunavik health centres seven days after arrival
Nunavik health authorities have hired new staff and public health nurses to boost its screening and testing capabilities in the region, to help prevent the potential surge of new COVID-19 cases as has recently been seen cropping up across southern Quebec.
Nunavik has seen a total of 19 cases of the virus since April, but only two of those cases are current: one in Kuujjuaraapik and another in Inukjuak.
A third case was confirmed last week in a Nunavik resident visiting Montreal, although that individual will be isolated there until it’s safe to travel again.
But the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services says its goal is to maintain low to no numbers in the region. To do that, health authorities are investing in quarantine and screening resources for people coming in and out of the region, a key tool in reducing the risk of the virus spreading.
As it stands, all passengers must be screened before boarding a flight to and from the region, or they must present a negative COVID-19 test result from within 96 hours of their departure.
As of Oct. 12, all passengers will be screened at Nunavik health centres seven days after their arrival in the region, the health board said in an Oct. 5 email to Nunatsiaq News.
The health board is also recommending travellers self-quarantine for 14 days, even if their test results are negative.
To help facilitate increased screenings, health centres across the region have hired new staff to offer COVID-19 tests to travellers from the south and to anyone showing any signs of flu-like symptoms.
The health board has also hired new public health nurses to lead investigations where there is a confirmed COVID-19 case in a Nunavik community, to support people in quarantine and to continue informing the population about COVID-19. The health board said it has increased the capacity of two local laboratories to process testing as well.
The health board says it’s working with its public health department to prepare a plan in case there is a second outbreak of COVID-19 in Nunavik.
The plan is to set up a mobile hospital in the gymnasium of the Kuujjuaq Forum, but the health board hasn’t said much about community-based measures.
“The community level response for the second wave would likely look different than the first wave of last spring,” the health board said in an Oct. 5 email.
“For example, if there are many cases in one community and it is believed that the virus circulates in said community, the measures would likely target that single community and not affect the others.”
Nunavik’s public health department has emphasized that it has yet to see any community transmission—only single cases where infected individuals were quickly put in isolation.
If community transmission infected a significant number of people in a given community, the health board said it would look at quickly closing the site of transmission, for example, a workplace or a school, and moving to restrict any transportation to and from that community.
For the time being, Nunavimmiut are able to travel outside the region, but that could change if COVID-19 numbers continue to grow in southern Quebec, the health board said.
“South-North travel restrictions may be reinstated,” the health board said. “If many communities begin to show signs of the virus circulating with a growing number of cases, imposing region-wide restrictions similar to those of last spring may be considered.
“Hopefully things will not escalate to this level. We continue to do our best to avoid such a situation and ask the population to contribute to this collective effort by respecting the recommendations.”
Can t wait to sing karaoke in public after in covid bussiness is gone
That’d be nice!
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it would also be nice if people were still able to use the gym/arena in Kuujjuaq before it’s being used for Covid-19 shelters. At the moment there have been no cases in Kuujjuaq, yet we had more restrictions in place than Montreal, up until recently. Meanwhile I’ve heard how smaller communities in Nunavik still had their recreation facilities open to the public even after cases had emerged there, it’s a strange patchwork of regulations and restrictions across Québec and Nunavik.
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It would be useful for people to have that kind of healthy outlet in Kuujjuaq, as it ensures people can stay active and lessen anxieties caused by the constant covid-19 news cycle.
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If it comes to this community, it will be spread by the health workers who do not self-quarantine in the same way as others in town, and not by the people playing hockey or going to the gym.
I strongly suggest the NRBHSS and both Health Centres Inuulitsivik and Tulattavik follow their own 14-day quarantine policy or as a minimum multiple Covid19 screenings with negative results for essential workers before they are in contact with the public.
Ok, sure. Why does it take 2 weeks (10-14 days) still for COVID results to be returned in Nunavut. Second wave will be over before the results are returned to these communities.