Tuktoyaktuk Mayor Erwin Elias is starting to lose his patience with the GNWT.

With the hamlet now contending with its second Covid-19 outbreak in less than four months, Elias said the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer needs to have better communication with communities in-between outbreaks.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think timing is the new thing weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to have to go by,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲hen thereSA国际影视传媒檚 no Covid-19 in the Beaufort Delta, then we have to be given an opportunity to gather. GNWT is going to have to work with the smaller communities to figure out ways on how to get the communities back to their gatherings. The mental health and social impact this has caused is tremendous.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think weSA国际影视传媒檙e really lucky the people are hanging in there. But thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a storm brewing in mental healthSA国际影视传媒攈ow long are you going to keep people in their houses and not let them do anything?SA国际影视传媒�

Having now isolated with his household who experienced a bout of the virus, Elias said heSA国际影视传媒檚 now less concerned about its deadliness than earlier variants.

Instead, heSA国际影视传媒檚 more concerned with the mental-health ramifications of not being able to have community gatherings, noting the OCPHO denied a request to have a holiday dance party while the community was Covid-19 free midway through December.

He added now that the community has dealt with Covid-19 outbreaks a few times, people have a better idea what theySA国际影视传媒檙e up against.

SA国际影视传媒淚t seems to be serious, but thereSA国际影视传媒檚 been a lot of Covid-19 cases in our region and nobodySA国际影视传媒檚 gotten sick,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 had two of my family members with Covid-19 in the house and it was normal.

SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to downplay it because I know for people with health conditions itSA国际影视传媒檚 a different story, but why are we getting vaccinated? I thought we were getting vaccinated so we could gather? I thought that was an incentive for people to get vaccinated.SA国际影视传媒�

Noting hamlet staff are working not stop to keep Covid-19 from spreading any further in the hamlet, Elias questioned why the GNWT couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 employ anyone to maintain updates to community and regional numbers over the weekend.

He also wondered why the GNWT couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 pay nurses to provide tests over the weekends in Tuktoyaktuk.

SA国际影视传媒淥n Friday of last week, I wanted to get tested,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚f I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 get tested on a Friday, for some reason these guys are off until Monday. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 another three days for me if ISA国际影视传媒檓 positive on Monday. So, I checked on Friday, I was told I was going to get called back on Saturday SA国际影视传媒� nothing, nothing, nothing.

SA国际影视传媒淥n Monday I was tested, along with my boys and we were all negative. Thank goodness, because weSA国际影视传媒檇 have to start over.

SA国际影视传媒淐ovid-19 doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 take weekends off.SA国际影视传媒�

One area irritating Elias is what has been allowed to be opened and what hasnSA国际影视传媒檛.

In particular, he wondered aloud why the GNWT is allows bars and restaurants to stay open, but would not permit a community feast.

SA国际影视传媒淭he thing ISA国际影视传媒檓 pissed off about is weSA国际影视传媒檝e got the pubs and the bars and everything like that open,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淧eople are socializing, drinking, partying SA国际影视传媒� but we canSA国际影视传媒檛 have a feast or a games night?

SA国际影视传媒淚t really makes me frustrated.SA国际影视传媒�

Elias also questions why the GNWT is waiting until people arrive in the NWT to test them for Covid-19.

He suggested if people were tested before they got on a plane, it would save the GNWT a lot of work in contact tracing, investigating and posting notifications.

SA国际影视传媒淵ouSA国际影视传媒檝e got people sitting in the airport for one to two hours at least, which gives them plenty of time to be doing testing,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 think testing at the airport would be 100 per cent, but I guarantee youSA国际影视传媒檒l alleviate a lot of problems by catching it at the airport.SA国际影视传媒�