OTTAWA,
TRADITIONAL UNCEDED ALGONQUIN TERRITORY, ON,
March 3,
2022 /CNW/ – Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)
commends the tireless work of community leadership and frontline
healthcare workers for their immense and ongoing contributions to
their communities’ pandemic response. Their efforts and quick
action continue to save lives.

Below are some of the latest updates from ISC for the week of
March 3, 2022.

Vaccinations

As of March 2, 2022, over 88% of
individuals aged 12 and older in First Nations, Inuit and
territorial communities have received a second dose of an approved
COVID-19 vaccine, and 27% have received a third/booster shot. Over
50% of individuals aged 5 to 11 have received at least one
dose.

Vaccine information is updated and published on Thursdays and
can be found at canada.ca/covid-vaccines-indigenous.

COVID-19 cases

As of March 2, 2022, the following
case counts have been reported from First Nations communities:

• 86,866 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases, of which 11,777 are
  the Omicron variant
• 2,975 active cases
• 2,989 hospitalizations
• 83,227 recovered cases
• 664 deaths

For the week of February 24 to March 2,
2022, the average daily reported active case counts dropped
by 10.7% compared with the daily average the week before.

This is compared with a

• 13.6% decrease in average daily reported active case counts
  reported the week of February 17 to 23,
  2022, from the week prior
• 9.5% decrease in average daily reported active case counts
  reported the week of February 10 to 16,
  2022, from the week prior

For the month of February 2022 the
rate of newly reported hospitalizations in First Nations
communities* dropped by 56% compared to the month before, in was
representing 12% of the respective rate in the general Canadian
population.

• This compares to:
• • 254% increase in the rate of newly reported hospitalizations in
    First Nations communities during the month of January 2022
• Includes FN communities in AB, SK, MB and ON

Case count information is updated and published daily Monday
through Friday and can be found at
Canada.ca/indigenous-covid-cases.

Request for Federal Assistance (RFA) approvals and
extensions

• Kasabonika Lake First Nation’s (ON) RFA was approved on
  February 25, 2022. Canadian
  Rangers are providing COVID-19 mitigation support in the community
  for two weeks until March 10, 2022,
  with the possibility of an additional two (2)-week extension based
  on a reassessment to be conducted by March
  10, 2022.
• Kashechewan First Nation’s (ON) RFA was approved on
  February 1, 2022. Canadian
  Rangers are providing COVID-19 mitigation support in the community.
  A new RFA was approved for continued support until at least
  March 16, 2022.

·  Mishkeegogamang First Nation’s (ON) RFA was approved
on February 9, 2022. Canadian
Rangers are providing COVID-19 mitigation support in the community.
A two-week extension was approved for continued support until
March 11, 2022.

·  Eabametoong First Nation’s (ON) RFA was approved on
February 10, 2022. Canadian
Rangers are providing COVID-19 mitigation support in the community.
A two-week extension was approved for continued support until
March 10, 2022.

·  Attawapiskat First Nation’s (ON) RFA was approved on
February 16, 2022. Canadian
Rangers are providing COVID-19 mitigation support in the community.
On March 1, a two-week extension was
approved for continued support until at least March 16, 2022.

RFA recent conclusions

• The Operation REMOTE IMMUNITY 3.0 RFA was approved on
  November 10, 2021. Canadian
  Rangers recently concluded its supports to provincial vaccination
  programs in remote Indigenous communities in Ontario. Operation Remote Immunity 3.0 has
  ended after coordinating nearly 200 vaccine clinics in 29 remote
  and isolated Indigenous communities served by the Sioux Lookout
  First Nations Health Authority and the Weeneebayko Area Health
  Authority. Since November 2021, approximately 9,700 doses of
  COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in remote communities
  under Operation Remote Immunity.  The RFA will remain
  active until March 31, 2022, to
  address any unforeseen support requirements.

·  Weenusk (Peawanuck)
First Nation’s (ON) RFA was approved on January 30, 2022. Canadian Rangers just
concluded providing COVID-19 mitigation support in the
community.

Canadian Rangers helping communities respond to
outbreaks
ISC continues to support First Nations in their
community response to COVID-19 outbreaks in collaboration with
partners, including the Canadian Rangers. For almost two years,
Rangers living in northern Ontario
communities have been on the ground assisting their fellow First
Nation members respond to the needs of those experiencing
outbreaks. Rangers help with a wide range of tasks, including the
roll-out of vaccines and the delivery of essential supplies
including food and water to households, and conduct wellness
checks. These valued members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are
integral to providing much-needed support for communities during
the pandemic. ISC is proud to work collaboratively with other
government departments, including the CAF, to ensure Ontario First
Nations have all the resources they require to prepare for and
respond to COVID-19 outbreaks.

Interim support for addiction treatment services
The
pandemic has brought many challenges, including for First Nation
partners who deliver alcohol and drug treatment services. In
Atlantic Canada, as part of
ensuring access to residential treatment options, First Nation
communities used ISC COVID-19 public health funding as an interim
measure to ensure 58 individuals have access to needed in-person
private addiction treatment services.

Algonquins of Barriere Lake, Quebec
The Algonquins of Barriere Lake,
with the support of ISC, recently purchased a generator to use in
facilities that are not connected to the community’s electrical
grid, including  the temporary housing units for out-of-town
health care professionals. These health care workers will assist
the community in its efforts to protect its members from COVID-19
and the virus’ effects on physical and mental health.

The generator will help meet the community’s urgent health
services-related needs. Until this new generator is delivered and
installed in the coming weeks, a back-up generator will be used to
provide the buildings with power. While these temporary
accommodations will help the community meet its immediate needs,
ISC understands that there are significant infrastructure needs in
Indigenous communities, and it is working with First Nations to
find long-term solutions.

Skownan First Nation’s COVID response

The Skownan First Nation recently purchased a four bedroom
ready-to-move trailer unit that will provide families who test
positive for COVID-19 with a safe place to rest and isolate, while
helping reduce the spread of the virus within households and the
community. As part of their pandemic response, the First Nation has
also been using the community’s lodge for members to isolate, as
well as accessing other isolation locations outside of the
community. However, there was no existing space for families to
isolate together and recover from the virus outside of their
household. Community leadership identified a need for family
isolation options and procured this mobile unit with $250,000 in funding through the Indigenous
Community Support Fund.

Supports currently available to First Nations, Inuit and
Métis communities

Across the country, ISC Regional Offices and Regional Medical
Officers of Health remain available to assist First Nations, Inuit
and Métis communities and organizations should they require
immediate assistance with an outbreak or supports such as temporary
infrastructure, rapid testing or PPE.

Indigenous communities and organizations can also continue to
request needs-based funding from the Indigenous Community Support
Fund. This fund provides Indigenous leadership and organizations
with the flexibility needed to design and implement community-based
solutions to prevent, prepare for and respond to the spread of
COVID-19 within their communities.

These funds can be used for measures including, but not limited
to

• support for Elders and vulnerable community members
• measures to address food insecurity, such as support for the
  purchase, transportation and distribution of food; and traditional
  foods such as hunting and fishing
• educational and other support for children
• mental health assistance and emergency response services
• preparedness measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19

ISC continues to work with Indigenous communities to
collaborate, share information and co-develop Indigenous-led,
distinctions-based communications and health response approaches
with Indigenous partners, listening to their advice and
guidance.

Associated links

Operation Remote Immunity 3.0 wraps up after coordinating
nearly 200 vaccine clinics in 29 remote and isolated
communities

Statement from the Council of Chief Medical Officers of
Health (CCMOH) on the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic
response

Indigenous Services Canada flowing $125M in COVID-19 public health funding directly
to First Nations Communities

COVID-19: Indigenous awareness resources

Join other Indigenous people in being a #VaxChamp

Confirmed cases of COVID-19

What we are doing: By the Numbers 

Epidemiological summary of COVID-19 cases in First Nations
communities

Government of Canada introduces
additional measures to address COVID-19 Omicron variant of
concern

Indigenous Community Support Fund

Regional Medical Officers of Health

Hope for Wellness Help Line

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SOURCE Indigenous Services Canada