Nunavut health minister calls out ‘dangerous’ COVID-19 misinformation

‘As we go through tough times as a territory, there’s nothing to be gained from these lies,’ says John Main

Health Minister John Main on Tuesday called out Nunavummiut who are spreading misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines on social media and the radio. (Photo by David Venn)

By David Venn
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Health Minister John Main is calling out people who spread “dangerous” misinformation about vaccines on social media and community radio.

He made the comments during the Government of Nunavut’s COVID-19 news conference Tuesday.

“Unfortunately, there are some Nunavummiut who are using radio or social media to spread lies regarding vaccinations,” he said, without offering any specifics. “As we go through tough times as a territory, there’s nothing to be gained from these lies.”

People who are unsure about the vaccine should be asking experts their questions, not taking information from social media, he said.

“Getting vaccinated is a personal choice. But if you don’t believe in the vaccine, please, do not put others at risk with your false information,” Main said.

On Wednesday, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. announced it would be drawing names in April to give away 25 snowmobiles — one to each community — to Nunavut Inuit who are at least five years old and fully vaccinated.

Main said he appreciates the support from Inuit organizations in encouraging Nunavummiut to get vaccinated.

“I hope to see more Nunavummiut going out, getting their shots when they can before April,” he said.

The Qikiqtaaluk leads the three regions with 72 per cent of residents being fully vaccinated. In the Kivalliq, that number drops to 67 per cent, and further to 63 per cent in the Kitikmeot, according to GN data.

Vaccination appointments in some communities have been limited due to staffing shortages, Main said on Jan. 20.

That is expected to get better, as the Health Department is planning mass vaccine clinics across the territory in the next few weeks, he said.

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(33) Comments:

  1. Posted by Pangloss on

    Good message, John. Please consider calling in to the local radio in Igloolik and give the community real scientific information about the vaccines. They have been deluged with lies and fear mongering bs from a local pastor on the radio and need to hear the truth.

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    • Posted by Soothsayer on

      John is not an expert so the CPHO should be involved too. But this is what needs to happen community wide in Nunavut; Main and Patterson need to roll their sleeves up, get on the phone and call in to the local radios in all the communities (or at least the most affected and recalcitrant ones) and talk to the community, take calls, do some public education.

      Some have noted that all the necessary info about vaccination can be found on the GN website. Great, but the reality that is not about to change anytime soon is that few people are going to go out and find the information you want them too, you need to bring it to them. It’s street level work, but it’s going to be the most effective.

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    • Posted by Soothsayer on

      John is not an expert so the CPHO should be involved too. But this is what needs to happen community wide in Nunavut; Main and Patterson need to roll their sleeves up, get on the phone and call in to the local radios in all the communities (or at least the most affected and recalcitrant ones) and talk to the community, take calls, do some public education.

      Some have noted that all the necessary info about vaccination can be found on the GN website. Great, but the reality that is not about to change anytime soon is that few people are going to go out and find the information you want them too, you need to bring it to them. It’s street level work, but it’s going to be the most effective.

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      • Posted by Grassroots work on

        From another article about water woes in Grise Fiord:

        “To communicate with residents, hamlet representatives have been going on the radio two or three times a week to talk about the need to conserve water, Dibblee said”

        https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/leaking-water-tanks-force-grise-fiord-to-ration-water/

        Whether you are a wannabe shaman warning residents that the vaccine is from the devil and that receiving it will wind you up in hell, or a public health officer educating on the safety and risks of vaccination, if you are serious about it, this is how you get your message across.

    • Posted by Katrina Dymond on

      If they have to bribe you with snowmobiles you should question it. This is all about control and profit. Do your own research and you will see that the majority of people pushing the jab have stocks in big pharma.

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    • Posted by Rand Passmore on

      Thanks John
      Here in Ottawa we are currently being inundated with bad information from a small minority of people and fringe politicians. This minority of truckers and fringe groups are very vocal and irresponsible whiners who annoy good responsible folks who are vaccinated and mask up etc. Continue to speak responsibly and would you please fo it nationally as well

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  2. Posted by Oscar on

    Way to tell it like it is. John is a straight shooter. Please people of Nunavut get your vaccine shots to protect yourself and your loved ones.

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  3. Posted by no more travel on

    Just wait until Transport Canada stops exempting the north from the national vaccine mandate to travel

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  4. Posted by Hmmm on

    So two months ago Main was a nobody, now that he is minister of health he is the expert…imagine that.

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    • Posted by Qualified on

      Do you think any MLA is in expert in anything? You just have to win a popularity contest in your community. After that you get briefing notes from the “experts” in the department you oversea

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    • Posted by Marie-Michelle Anderson on

      So hmmm, it seems that you are a skeptic perhaps believe the unscientific “truth” spread by other self-styled experts, especially pastors. The Health Minister, and I direct your attention to the word health is suddenly the expert.
      He is; because he has access to the actual facts on number of dead people , dead because of the virus. Very sick hospitalized and fighting for their lives and so yes he is suddenly The Expert. It sure isn’t local yokel theorists lacking a scientific understanding of viruses and statistical analysis etc.

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  5. Posted by Shawn on

    The public housing system is worse…and covid-19 could possibly be the lie that the public is not going from.

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  6. Posted by Nunavut on

    Oh sweet. I’ll just wait for the non inuit draw! Who am I kidding that isn’t discriminatory at all. Not even the least bit sad we need draws for vaccination encouragement.

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    • Posted by Chalky chimp on

      Do you just not know what NTI is?
      “ Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI) ensures that promises made under the Nunavut Agreement are carried out. Inuit exchanged Aboriginal title to all their traditional land in the Nunavut Settlement Area for the rights and benefits set out in the Nunavut Agreement. The management of land, water and wildlife is very important to Inuit. NTI coordinates and manages Inuit responsibilities set out in the Nunavut Agreement and ensures that the federal and territorial governments fulfill their obligations.”

      This has nothing to do with discrimination against non-Inuit.

      Feel free to use funds from an organization you belong to or use your own funds to encourage people to get vaccinated. I suspect you don’t really care though about that though.

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      • Posted by Crack up on

        Qallunaat out here trying to be upset that an INUIT organization is giving out skidoos to vaccinated INUIT. Not

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    • Posted by Nunavutmiutaq on

      I was shocked at the draw too. That’s a bit too much. 15,000×25= A WHOPPING $375,000!!!!
      who’s paying for the shipping? Inuujunga, not something else. Hunnit % Inuk.
      Who thought of that just to get more people to vaccinated? Like c’mon, have your public health and CHR or Main go on each and every radio station and talk about the vaccine, side effects, next dose, explain who can and cannot get vaccinated, also explain what Covid can do if they’re not vaccinated. Maybe have other Inuit in the community talk about how they felt after the shot. It’s like every other vaccine. Flu shot you get sick too.
      Wish me luck on the draw, I got vaxed.
      I’m not going to say that money could’ve been used for housing cause people have to learn to want to buy their own house and clean and maintain and grow the eff up. Stop having babies if youre living under someone else’s house.
      Taimaaqpunga. Sorry if I offend the qiviqsarai. But someone has to say something.

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    • Posted by Uvanga on

      You know where the airport is. You sound like you are in the wrong part of Canada.

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    • Posted by Bad Look on

      I’m a qallunaat and I’m pretty embarrassed by this person. If it was the GN offering this draw, then I could understand some frustration, but it’s not. NTI is an organization for Inuit. Their funds belong to Inuit. They are using those funds to provide incentive for Inuit to get vaccinated. This all sounds good to me.

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  7. Posted by Shawn on

    The public housing system is worse…and covid-19 could possibly be the lie that the public is not gaining from.

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  8. Posted by Concorn on

    John Main had targeted the problem! Very well done. I’m in full support of his words, because I know one of my friends had been in contact with another individual how had been exposed to covid, and thinks it’s just a joke based on her belief. This individual thinks that covid won’t affect her and doesn’t care about her surroundings either. So sad. I wonder what it would take this individual to realize.

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  9. Posted by Bully Pulpit on

    We will never win an information war when we are too afraid to speak up and identify the lies directly. Instead we hide behind polite language and other pointless niceties, while the liars enjoy their bully pulpit without any concern about what we think.

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  10. Posted by Hai? on

    Maybe people would be less hesitant if the GN were more transparent. They need to provide the evidence that justifies this increasing pressure for 100% vaccination and their expressed support for vaccine mandates and monetary incentives. Using these methods, people will likely not be getting vaccinated for their health but to maintain their livelihood (employment, travel, etc.) and for the amazing prizes. This is not right. Our vaccination rate is high in Nunavut. The GN needs to focus more on vaccinating those that want it and encouraging those that are most vulnerable to serious Covid disease. Mr. Main says vaccination is a personal choice but it’s not really a choice if people are being punished for not doing it. P.J. tells us to be community-minded which is great and I agree but then why is the GN supporting mandates that discriminate against a minority group and will likely result in segregation? And they say to ask questions instead of going on social media but they don’t tell us how we can get our questions answered. They don’t answer emails or respond to questions on their group page and they don’t have many radio call-in shows so it seems only journalists get that opportunity. You want to reduce misinformation, be more available, be more transparent, and be honest.

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    • Posted by GN Did on

      The GN did provide all necessary information and there is lots more on the GN website. We cannot push the fault always back to the GN, they have done what they can. It’s up to Nunavummiut to do their work. If you do not want to, stop complaining, especially when you are getting sick or when people die. Just as easy as this

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    • Posted by Larry on

      Watch CBC news,there are fringe nutcases eveywhere in Canada,Antivaxcers ,science in the World,has proved vaccines work.and it is cool to be an antivaxer and gain attention.and when i catch covid 19,its the GNs fault,and now i am getting vaccinated,i want a chance yo win a new sled,thanks NTI,

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    • Posted by Ian on

      Hallaluah to that, praise the lord , he will give us more transparency

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    • Posted by LMSales on

      Suggest you look at thebuzz.nz for the other side of the story. We are also being fed lies – it’s all around the world. See story by ‘ Independent Undertaker’ (Uk).
      Homeopathy stopped the killer flu in 1918 and will again. It’s being used in a hospital in Austria to cure people fast. The V4X causes blood clots and what else.

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  11. Posted by Crack up pt 2 on

    How is it discrimination against y’all non-inuit to not be involved in a draw from the above mentioned Inuit organization?

    “Those darn Inuit are discriminating against us non-inuit by not giving us a shot at a sled meant for vaccinated members of their land claim” is how you guys sound.

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    • Posted by It’s called a joke. on

      That commenter was clearly not being serious with their tongue-in-cheek approach.

      But, could you imagine the backlash of a “southerners only” organization up here! Dear lord. That’s the problem. The double standard.

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      • Posted by Axt on

        The organization manages money from the land claims that belongs to Nunavut Inuit. It is an organization that has to exist. It isn’t a social club.

  12. Posted by Vaccinated and Angry on

    We got vaccinated… so why are we shutdown again? Why can’t we play organised sports?

    I wore a mask, washed my hands, and had given my full support to public health measures… but now that we have a covid strain that is so mild, when do we just say, let’s get on with it???

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  13. Posted by monthy sling on

    Yes it is misinformation pure and simple from Igloolik. No doubt about it, media knows it so do former reporters (being a former CBC, Canadian Bubble Gum Company) and this good man know how to use misinformation like all news media, boy he is good, true politician now,,, mild mannered regular too forked tongue minister, what a about face… This government is three ring circus.

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  14. Posted by Nunavut inutuinaq on

    For those of you who rely on tv for more information and government officials, why would the inventor of MRNA vaccines dr Robert Malone be saying that 1 size fits all approach is very dangerous also he said it’s very dangerous also to get booster shots because the very nature of mRNA and antibodies starts attacking your immune systems so you will see a lot more cases of pericarditis and myocarditis which is a heart also an increase in hepatitis type problems which will appear out of nowhere but know all these symptoms are already happening in other parts of the world look at vaers for example reporting over twenty thousand mortalities due to mRNA vaccines which your government funded cbc will never report also your local bureaucrats doctors will never tell you but do your own research see what’s happening in South Africa for example also Israel which is the most vaccinated countries in the world per capita has the highest transmission of Covid.

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    • Posted by Kurious on

      Let’s see some sources for these claims you’re making?

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