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 7, 2020
- Anxiety Grows in First Nations Communities Amid Pandemic’s Second Wave
- No Doubt Second Wave Of COVID-19 Will Hit Indigenous Communities Harder, Marc Miller Says
- COVID-19 In Indigenous Communities: 'Alarming Rise' In New And Active Cases
- Two Manitoba First Nations Confirm COVID-19 Cases
- Tsuut’ina Nation Closes Schools, Offices Following COVID-19 Exposure
- Little Grand Rapids COVID-19 Cases Self-Isolating In Winnipeg, Response Team Says
- Anishinaabe Woman Sends 280 bags Of Cedar To Little Grand Rapids Amid Outbreak
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 15, 2020.
Please keep a look out for more information.
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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 7, 2020 |
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As of October 7, 2020, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) records indicate that there are 768 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on First Nations reserves, in six provinces. There are also 61 hospitalizations, 623 recovered cases, and 13 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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Anxiety Grows in First Nations Communities Amid Pandemic’s Second Wave |
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First Nations across Canada are having their own second wave of COVID-19 – a jump in case numbers that Indigenous leaders and federal officials are monitoring closely because of the virus’s potential to spread like wildfire in communities often far from medical care.
Indigenous communities have a higher risk of spread and poor outcomes owing to health inequities, a greater prevalence of underlying medical conditions and lack of hospitals in remote areas, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer says. First Nations leaders and health officials also worry the second wave could be more extensive than the first.
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No Doubt Second Wave of COVID-19 Will Hit Indigenous Communities Harder, Marc Miller Says |
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Canada’s top doctor says the second wave of COVID-19 has surfaced as a series of regional epidemics and the federal government is warning about rising case numbers on First Nations. “Given what we have seen in the last two weeks, there is little doubt the second wave of COVID-19 will hit Indigenous communities harder,” Minister of Indigenous Services Marc Miller said Thursday in Ottawa.
Miller explained that during the first months of the pandemic, infection rates on reserves were relatively low compared to the general public. But in the last six weeks, there have been outbreaks in Indigenous communities across the country.
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COVID-19 In Indigenous Communities: 'Alarming Rise' In New And Active Cases |
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Indigenous communities have been facing an "alarming rise in the number of new and active COVID-19 cases," says Indigenous Services Canada (ISC).
In an update news release Oct. 2, ISC said the rise in new and active COVID-19 cases has been linked to private gatherings, as well as exposure to positive cases from outside of communities.
The department reiterated the importance of limiting non-essential trips and maintaining physical distancing from others. Two First Nations people living on-reserve died of COVID-19 in the last week, bringing the death toll to 13, according to data from the federal department.
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Two Manitoba First Nations Confirm COVID-19 Cases |
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Two Manitoba First Nations have confirmed cases of COVID-19 in their communities.
According to a public notice issued on Oct.6 from Poplar River First Nation’s chief, council and emergency measures organization team, said four infected individuals are in isolation. The nurse-in-charge is monitoring all cases, as well as any contacts.
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Tsuut’ina Nation Closes Schools, Offices Following COVID-19 Exposure |
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Early Tuesday morning, Tsuut’ina Nation posted a notice on social media confirming “a COVID-19 infection” following a recent community gathering. Chief and council decided to exceed protocol “to protect Nation citizens.”
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Little Grand Rapids COVID-19 Cases Self-Isolating In Winnipeg, Response Team Says |
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The majority of the 19 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Little Grand Rapids are self-isolating in Winnipeg hotel rooms, according to a member of the Manitoba First Nation COVID-19 Response Team.
It's an effort to prevent the virus from spreading to family members living in close quarters on the remote northern Manitoba First Nation. "We do have some concerns of overcrowding," said Melanie MacKinnon, executive director of Ongomiizwin–Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing.
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Anishinaabe Woman Sends 280 bags Of Cedar To Little Grand Rapids Amid Outbreak |
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An Anishinaabe woman has been busy gathering a special gift — 280 bags of hand-picked cedar sprigs — to send to Little Grand Rapids First Nation. For Clementine Keeper, who lives in Winnipeg, it's a show of support for her home community under lockdown over a COVID-19 outbreak.
"I was terrified because my whole family's from there," she said. "I'm a really strong believer in my traditions. I wanted to help and I thought that this would be a good way to help."
Little Grand Rapids COVID-19 cases self-isolating in Winnipeg, response team says The fly-in First Nation, located 270 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, with a population of 800, was upgraded to red or critical on Oct. 4.
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Flu And COVID-19 #StopTheSpread |
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There are many similarities between influenza (flu) and COVID-19. Both are contagious respiratory diseases, and certain populations including older adults, Black and Hispanic persons, and individuals with chronic health conditions are at high-risk for complications from both diseases.
Many of the steps that help stop the spread of COVID-19 can also help protect against flu, but the best way to help prevent flu is to get vaccinated every year. Flu vaccination is especially important this year to help protect individuals and prevent additional strain on an already overburdened healthcare system. Check with your local community health nurse to see when the flu vaccine will be available to you.
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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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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.
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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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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