Nunavut to reduce public health measures in 15 neighborhoods

Key takeaways:

• Rapid tests are being allocated to vital businesses.
• Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok states that rapid tests are distributed to essential businesses in Iqaluit and other neighborhoods.

Public health restrictions to be relaxed: 

Fifteen Nunavut neighborhoods will be under less-restrictive public health actions beginning Monday as their COVID-19 case counts decrease.

Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Michael Patterson declared the differences Tuesday morning during a virtual COVID-19 press conference.

Health measures are relaxing in Arviat, Baker Lake, Chesterfield Inlet, Clyde River, Gjoa Haven, Grise Fiord, Kimmirut, Kinngait, Kugluktuk, Naujaat, Pond Inlet, Qikiqtarjuaq, Sanirajak, Whale Cove, and Igloolik.

In all those besides Igloolik, up to 50 individuals will collect outside. Indoor group limitations are changing so ten individuals plus family members can assemble.

In Igloolik, those digits are 25 for outdoor and five for indoor meetings.

Other modifications have raised capacity for restaurants, gyms, and other services.

Restrictions are not varying in Arctic Bay, Cambridge Bay, Coral Harbour, Iqaluit, Kugaaruk, Pangnirtung, Rankin Inlet, Resolute Bay, Sanikiluaq, and Taloyoak.

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Nunavut has 352 verified COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday. Patterson told around 90 percent of those are the Omicron variant, though Nunavut is still noticing several patients of the Delta variant.

Rapid tests for critical assistance

Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok told the Department of Economic Development and Transportation to spread rapid tests to essential businesses in Iqaluit and other neighborhoods. 

These have taxis, retail food functions, emergency house repair businesses, meat and fish services, cargo operators, and airport maintainers.

“In the forthcoming weeks, as we obtain more rapid access tests from the Government of Canada, we will extend distribution to all businesses that desire them,” he stated. Source – cbc.ca

Patterson said it’s essential to keep those services because pandemics there would significantly affect neighborhoods than other schools.

He mentioned schools are the following focus after businesses.