In so many Northern communities, living together means living close with one another SA国际影视传媒� coming together in song and dance; coming together to eat and laugh; coming together to grieve and pray. 

In the wake of COVID-19, these cultural cornerstones have been ground to halt as a resident practice social distancing and self-isolation in a bid to block the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Residents in Fort Resolution are doing the same. But itSA国际影视传媒檚 taking time to adjust to what Hamlet Mayor Patrick Simon calls a SA国际影视传媒渘ew normal.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚t was like an overnight shift,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚t is not in our culture not to socialize with one another,SA国际影视传媒� said Simon. 

People are used to going out and meeting with friends; to have social gatherings. Now, said Simon, theySA国际影视传媒檙e being told to stay at home as much as they can, unless they need to make trips for essential groceries or services.

For some in the community, the concept can be hard to understand SA国际影视传媒� theySA国际影视传媒檙e fighting an invisible threat. 

SA国际影视传媒淚f this was a forest fire, weSA国际影视传媒檇 band and fight it or evacuate. This is different: we canSA国际影视传媒檛 see it.SA国际影视传媒� 

By and large, however, Simon said the need to practice social distancing is getting through to community members: stores are placing tape on shop floors to direct shoppers to keep at least two metres away from one another, and customers are adhering to the new guidelines. 

Simon said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 also seeing acts of kindness and generosity in the hamlet. Residents are bringing groceries and water to Elders SA国际影视传媒� plus the latest need-to-know information about COVID-19. He said friends and family are staying connected from afar over the phone and Facebook.

Some hamlet residents, he said, are making their own handmade protective masks. While they may not be as helpful as surgical masks, Simon said the act of creating the makeshift masks is about something more SA国际影视传媒� regaining a sense of control in uncertain times.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a lot of stress and unknowns,SA国际影视传媒� said Simon, adding people are being bombarbarded by news COVID-19 from the south, when thereSA国际影视传媒檚 little localized information being disseminated in the small South Slave community.

Like other leaders in small Northern communities, Simon is worried about the impact of COVID-19 on Fort ResolutionsSA国际影视传媒� health care system in the event of an outbreak.

SA国际影视传媒淚 don't think they have the capacity to handle it, so theySA国际影视传媒檒l have to either bring it in to assist them in that way,SA国际影视传媒� said Simon. 

SA国际影视传媒淭he current health centre wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be equipped I donSA国际影视传媒檛 think if we get to a point where we have cases. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 my opinion, some many think otherwise.SA国际影视传媒�

In the meantime, businesses and services are being subjected to strict sanitizing protocols, and Simon said he and Deninu K懦臋虂 First Nation are continuing to hammer home health safety measures. SA国际影视传媒渨ash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭his thing is not a question of when, itSA国际影视传媒檚 a question of slowing the spread, slowing the rise, and flattening the curve to get to a period where it starts to go down and we do it by staying at home as much as we can,SA国际影视传媒� said Simon.

SA国际影视传媒淎s long as we do that we should be able to slow down the rise and flatten the curve.SA国际影视传媒�