Beaufort Delta politicians are questioning why its taking so long for the Covid Secretariat of the GNWT to inform people of the Beaufort Delta when there is a positive case after significant delays marred two announcements of confirmed diagnoses in Inuvik.
Inuvik-Twin Lakes MLA Lesa Semmler says sheSA国际影视传媒檚 still trying to get answers to very basic questions.
SA国际影视传媒淢y one question is, and I canSA国际影视传媒檛 get an answer, is when was this first case at the homeless shelter diagnosed?SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淛ust tell me what day it was.SA国际影视传媒�
Semmler said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 frustrated, noting the nurses, medical and administrative officials charged with monitoring and containing Covid-19 in the Beaufort Delta are working extremely hard, but all information has to pass through the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer (OCPHO) in Yellowknife through encrypted emails. Then, they simply have to wait until the OCPHO writes up an announcement, which in the case of a Covid-19 diagnosis at Aurora College that was announced at the campus on Saturday took until the Tuesday of the next week.
In an Oct. 6 press conference, Dr. Kami Kandola said the delay was because the OCPHOSA国际影视传媒檚 notifications only publish the numbers available before 9 a.m. of the day and the office only found out about the case later in the day.
Noting she received a similar explanation, Semmler said it the OCPHOSA国际影视传媒檚 excuse doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 cut it.
SA国际影视传媒淲hy arenSA国际影视传媒檛 they opening their emails on the weekend? ItSA国际影视传媒檚 Covid,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey said SA国际影视传媒榃e donSA国际影视传媒檛 report probable cases anymore, because it gets everybody up in stormSA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒� I would rather you report a probable case in a community that hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 had many cases than wait until you get confirmation a week later.
SA国际影视传媒淓verybodySA国际影视传媒檚 shutting down. Is it necessary? We donSA国际影视传媒檛 know, but it could be. There shouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be a reason why itSA国际影视传媒檚 being delayed to the public.SA国际影视传媒�
Most offices and non-essential businesses in Inuvik closed Oct. 13 in the wake of the announcement of an outbreak declared at both the Inuvik Warming Shelter and the Inuvik Homeless Shelter.
Semmler added publishing probable cases in communities where Covid-19 is not widespread would give residents the maximum time to contain the virus, noting if people were aware of the probable cases during the last two weekends, which have seen a rally for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation that attracted about 200 people and Thanksgiving weekend, they may have made different choices. Semmler added a lot of people work to provide hot dinners for the homeless during the Thanksgiving weekend who could have been potentially exposed.
Meanwhile, outgoing assistant deputy mayor and councillor Steve Baryluk has asked town council to explore what options it has to put pressure on the GNWT for faster communication.
SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 know if itSA国际影视传媒檚 worthwhile at all to make any effort to find out why the communication seems to have some sort of delay here compared to information thatSA国际影视传媒檚 coming out say in Yellowknife and Behchok谦虁 where things notices are coming out sort of the same day, whereas here our notices are for exposures that happened up to a week ago without people being aware that those exposures have happened,SA国际影视传媒� he said during his last council meeting Oct. 13. SA国际影视传媒淚t significantly increases the risk of transmission.
SA国际影视传媒淚 think thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a lot of concern in the community about why we havenSA国际影视传媒檛 been hearing things in a more timely manner.SA国际影视传媒�
Outgoing Mayor Natasha Kulikowski said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 been in constant contact with local MLAs over the issue and has also raised the issue with the Northwest Territories Association of Communities.
