FNHMA Health Bulletin: Coronavirus (COVID-19) |
This weekly health and wellness bulletin is intended to provide facts, resources for supports and outline potential actions to organizations, communities and their members. Each week the bulletin will include updated information surrounding the COVID-19 Pandemic.
In this bulletin you will find news and information regarding:
- Total Number Of First Nations Confirmed Cases In Canada As Of October 2, 2020
- Rapid Response Team Arrives In York Factory First Nation To Help Prevent COVID-19 Outbreak
- The COVID-19 Pandemic May Delay The Liberal Government's Pledge To End Long-term Boil Water Advisories On First Nations.
- Largest Outbreak Of COVID-19 In An Indigenous Community In Canada Offers Important Lessons
- Health Canada Approves Rapid COVID-19 Testing Device As Canada Braces For Caseload Spikes
- 2 First Nations In Northern B.C. See Spike In COVID-19 Cases
- Tips for Practicing Spiritual Wellbeing in Times of COVID-19 From Anishinabe Youth Network
- Living On The Land During COVID-19
- AFN Calls for Renewal of Residential School Survivors’ Mental Health Support Program, Set to Expire End of March 2021
See below for more information on these topics.
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FNHMA Weekly Virtual Town Hall and Updates |
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FNHMA Virtual Celebration
FNHMA is producing a dynamic 3-hour celebration, including powerful guest speakers, moving tributes, exciting musical guests, the presentation of the CFHI Leadership Award Leading Through Difficult Times, all this culminating in a ceremony honouring our 2020 graduates.
We will also acknowledge the contribution of individuals and organizations who recognize the importance of celebrating ALL health workers across the country for their tremendous contributions during these difficult times.
Is there someone in your community who is making a difference and showing signs of leadership during these difficult times? Prepare a brief video (30 seconds) by yourself or gather a group of colleagues / friends and tell us about this person. Send us your video and it could be chosen to air on November 4!
Add your voice to this powerful group by becoming a sponsor today!
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The FNHMA Virtual Town Halls have returned for another 12 weeks. You can watch the Town Hall live on Thursday, October 7, 2020.
Please keep a look out for more information.
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Launch of Canadian Contact Tracing Training |
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The Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada are pleased to announce the release of the three new courses to support training of Canadian contact tracers:
1) Introduction to Contact Tracing
This introductory course looks at the who, what, when, why, and how of contact tracing. This course is intended for public health volunteers and professionals who will support contact tracing activities and who have no previous training in contact tracing.
Estimated time to complete: 60-90 minutes
2) Introduction to Case Interviewing
This course provides a general introduction to interviewing best practices and aims to leave participants comfortable with conducting public health interviews.
Estimated time to complete: 60-90 minutes
3) Introduction to Public Health in Canada
This module provides an overview of public health in Canada, including key roles and functions, history, scope, and jurisdictional considerations. The course may be used to provide public health context for training on other topics.
Estimated time to complete: 40 minutes
Timelines:
The pre-release of the English modules will take place on Tuesday September 15, 2020. We expect the French modules to be available by the end of September. We will send out a second notification when the French courses are available online.
Registration:
There is no cost to participate in the courses. To register for any of these courses as part of the Contract Tracing Learning Path, please visit https://training-formation.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ and click on “Health Emergency Management”.
Please note that additional courses in the contact tracing learning path are already available through World Health Organization (WHO) or the Global Outbreak and Response Network (GOARN). To access these courses, please go to the following external links:
Emerging Respiratory Viruses, Including COVID-19: Methods for Detection, Prevention, Response and Control (OpenWHO – available in multiple languages)
This course provides a general introduction to emerging respiratory viruses, including novel coronaviruses. Contents include:
- The nature of emerging respiratory viruses, how to detect and assess an outbreak, strategies for controlling outbreaks due to novel respiratory viruses;
- What strategies should be used to communicate risk and engage communities to detect, prevent and respond to the emergence of a novel respiratory virus.
- https://openwho.org/courses/introduction-to-ncov
Social Determinants, Culture and Contact Tracing (Australian National University, hosted by GOARN – only available in English)
This module provides a general introduction to the importance of recognizing social determinants and culture in the design and implementation of contact tracing activities. This module aims to build awareness and enable the participant to apply learnings to real-world contexts through working examples from a variety of infectious diseases where contact tracing is a core public health intervention to mitigate transmission. This module is relevant for both novice and experienced contact tracers.
Mental Health and Well-being for Contact Tracers (Australian National University, hosted by GOARN – only available in English)
This module provides a general overview of the mental health and psychosocial impacts of contact tracing for individuals being treated for an infectious disease, and for individuals who have been exposed to an infectious disease, as well as the public health professionals (or trained volunteers) who conduct contact tracing activities. This module is relevant for both novice and experienced contact tracers.
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The COVID Alert app is an exposure notification app that tells people if they may have been exposed to COVID-19. By letting people know of possible exposures before any symptoms appear we can take care of ourselves and protect our community.
The app is available for free to Canadians and can be downloaded on the App Store and on GooglePlay.
Canadians can be confident in the knowledge that the app is secure. It does not collect any personally identifiable data about you and no information is shared without your consent.
The more Canadians who install the COVID Alert app on their phones, the better we can limit the spread of COVID-19.
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National and First Nation COVID-19 News |
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Total Number Of First Nations Confirmed Cases In Canada As Of October 2, 2020 |
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As of October 2, 2020, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) records indicate that there are 683 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on First Nations reserves, in six provinces. There are also 52 hospitalizations, 551 recovered cases, and 12 deaths.
For more information on these numbers and for more information on how to keep your family safe, please click here.
Click Here to see the full ISC Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Outbreak update page.
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Rapid Response Team Arrives In York Factory First Nation To Help Prevent COVID-19 Outbreak |
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The First Nation — whose home community is at York Landing, about 700 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg — has been in lockdown since a family of seven tested positive for the illness last week. The family tested positive following a trip to Winnipeg for medical reasons, where it's believed that they contracted the virus.
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The COVID-19 Pandemic May Delay The Liberal Government's Pledge To End Long-term Boil Water Advisories On First Nations |
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The pandemic has put some of the Liberal government's key deadlines of its reconciliation agenda in jeopardy, including a promise to end all long-term boil-water advisories on First Nations by next March.
Last week's throne speech indicated a shift in language around the commitment to eliminate the long-term advisories. It made no reference to the 2021 deadline — which was clearly cited in the previous throne speech in 2019.
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Largest Outbreak Of COVID-19 In An Indigenous Community In Canada Offers Important Lessons |
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In the wake of a large outbreak of COVID-19 in northwestern Saskatchewan — the most serious of any Indigenous community in Canada — health officials and local leaders are relying on what they learned during the three-month ordeal to plan for potential outbreaks in other remote, rural areas.
"When it first hit us, we were basically clueless of how to contain this," said Chief Teddy Clark of the Clearwater River Dene Nation (CRDN), 600 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon.
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Health Canada Approves Rapid COVID-19 Testing Device As Canada Braces For Caseload Spikes |
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Health Canada regulators today approved the ID NOW rapid COVID-19 testing device for use in this country — a move that could result in millions more tests for communities grappling with a surge in coronavirus cases.
The Abbott Laboratories-backed point-of-care devices can be administered by trained professionals at places like pharmacies, walk-in clinics and doctors' offices without the need for a laboratory to determine if someone is infected with the virus.
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2 First Nations In Northern B.C. See Spike In COVID-19 Cases |
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Two First Nations in northern B.C. confirmed 27 new cases of COVID-19 last week, and reported the death of an elder due to the disease.
Aileen Prince, chief of the Nak'azdli Whut'en First Nation near Fort St. James, confirmed 13 active cases on Friday, nearly double the number of active cases from the previous week.
On the same day, the Witset First Nation near Smithers confirmed 14 new cases.
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Tips for Practicing Spiritual Wellbeing in Times of COVID From Anishinabe Youth Network |
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Based off the Seven Grandfather Teachings, the Anishinabe Youth Network has created a list of seven helpful tips to keep your spirit alive and well during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Living On The Land During The COVID-19 Pandemic |
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If you or your family members plan on heading out to the bush for some time on the land, please make sure you share these helpful tips from the Nishnawbe Aski Nation. The information provided can help you prepare for a hunting, fishing, or trapping outing and make sure you're ready.
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AFN Calls for Renewal of Residential School Survivors’ Mental Health Support Program, Set to Expire End of March 2021 |
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The AFN released a report titled The Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program Continuation Report. This report coalesces important recommendations from 4 key documents, First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum Framework, First Peoples Wellness Circles Comprehensive Needs Assessment, AFN’s Healing Beyond 2021 Report, and National Centre for Truth and Reconciliations Survivors Perspective Report. These recommendations focus on Culture as a Foundation, developing a Continuum of Essential Services, Collaboration with Partners, and Meaningful Investments.
The Health Support Program was as a result of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement that offers health and cultural supports for survivors and their families. The funding for this program will become unprotected on April 1, 2021. To raise awareness for the continuation of this important support program, AFN released this report to coincide with Orange Shirt Day.
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Accessing Additional Support Funds |
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Call For Proposals: Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities Project (Heritage Canada)
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The application period for Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities Projects is now open through Heritage Canada.
Sport for social development is defined as the use of sport for social development for the purpose of achieving targeted social outcomes.
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This funding opportunity will support projects relevant to one or more of the following research areas:
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Indigenous Peoples’ Understanding and Experience with Respect to COVID-19, including cultural responses grounded in Indigenous Knowledges and self-determination; intersections with, and impact on, on-going health, social, economic and climate crises; and/or perspectives of (or participation in) vaccine research, sero-surveillance studies, and clinical trials.
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Delivering COVID-19 Testing, Contact Tracing, Self-Isolation and Other Management Practices, and Policies Related to Indigenous Peoples and the COVID-19 Pandemic, including culturally safe approaches and challenges.
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Culturally Safe COVID-19 Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Recovery for Indigenous Peoples, including design and delivery of programs and services that are grounded in Indigenous Knowledges, self-determination, and local community context.
This funding opportunity will provide funds for two streams of research:
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Knowledge Synthesis Grants: This stream will fund knowledge synthesis activities related to COVID-19 such as literature reviews (e.g., integrative review/structured review; synthesis of qualitative research; realist review; meta-analysis of quantitative research; systematic review; and scoping review), needs assessments, environmental scans, and knowledge gaps or strength identification (including community engagements, or arts-informed events, with Indigenous Elders and/or Knowledge Keepers, youth, decision-makers, etc.). See National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health for other knowledge synthesis ideas.
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Evaluation and Assessment Grants: This stream will fund the evaluation and assessment of new or on-going initiatives, programs, policies or interventions related to COVID-19, including but not limited to, community-based and/or cultural initiatives, arts-based interventions, proof of concept, pilot studies, and social or economic impact studies.
Funds Available
CIHR and partner(s) financial contributions for this initiative are subject to availability of funds. Should CIHR or partner(s) funding levels not be available or are decreased due to unforeseen circumstances, CIHR and partner(s) reserve the right to reduce, defer or suspend financial contributions to grants received as a result of this funding opportunity.
- The total amount available for this funding opportunity is $2,000,000, enough to fund approximately 15 grants.
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Up to $1,000,000 is available to fund applications relevant to Knowledge Synthesis Grants. The maximum amount per Knowledge Synthesis Grant is $100,000 per year for up to one year.
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Up to $1,000,000 is available to fund applications relevant to Evaluation and Assessment Grants. The maximum amount per Evaluation and Assessment Grant is $200,000 per year for up to one year
For more information and to apply, please click here.
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A number of Partner and National Indigenous Organizations are and have been producing webinars in order to continue supporting First Nations in a changing landscape.
To view more please follow the links below and be directed to that organization's webinar page.
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Notice of Request of Proposals (RFP) |
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FNHMA has a number of RFPs that can be viewed at the links below!
The First Nations Health Managers Association (FNHMA) is seeking a proposal from qualified individuals or companies to provide audit services to our organization.
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Supports & Regularly Updated Resources |
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FIRST NATIONS PANDEMIC PLANNING TOOL from FNHMA
FNHMA is pleased to announce the Pandemic Planning Tool for First Nations Communities. This tool is available to all First Nations communities, free of charge, in order to help them create their very own pandemic plan efficiently and effectively.
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The following organizations have resources to combat COVID-19. These resources are regularly updated and are available to view at any time.
Please click below to be directed to more information.
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Indigenous Health Today houses many different resources and provides recent news updates via email.
Please subscribe to their health brief as a valued FNHMA Partner.
Click the link to subscribe today!
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COVID-19 has forced everyone to change the way they operate on a day to day basis. FNHMA has adapted to these challenging times by redesigning our intensive and online courses with a new and exciting hybrid course. The hybrid course format combines real time interactive sessions with your group and the ability to work online – all without travelling or taking time off work.
Registrations are still being accepted.
The fall semester runs from September 28, 2020 to December 11, 2020.
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Please note that service hours for InfoPoint have been updated.
InfoPoint will now be available from 9am until 5pm EDT, Monday to Friday.
InfoPoint is your trusted resource to find credible and reliable information on COVID-19.
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Previous Health Bulletins |
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If you missed or would like to see any of our weekly health bulletins, we have included a link to all of our previous volumes.
Click Here to see all previous Health and Wellness Bulletins.
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