Response to Confirmed Case of Covid-19 in Inuvik

Grand Chief Bobbie Jo Greenland-Morgan

April 1, 2020

I want to provide a brief update regarding the recent announcement that there is now one confirmed case of Covid-19 in Inuvik.

This was to be expected. Although we all hoped it would not surface, we knew that it was just a matter of time before it did. However, people should not panic and we should be thankful that the person involved was following the self isolation rules for those returning from outside of the Territory in accordance with the rules put in place by the NWT Chief Public Health Officer. This is all that any of us can do to protect each other.

The individual’s identity is not what we want people to focus on; it is more important for us to be supportive of those who are in quarantine. We ask that you put all your focus and efforts on doing your part to reduce the spread and to follow all the safety measures that have been told to us for weeks now.

The Gwich’in community is strongest when united and our connection doesn’t end due to our temporary physical separation.

It is also worth noting that there have been close to a thousand negative test results in the Northwest Territories. This demonstrates that we are doing well at following the physical distancing guidelines, we should all continue to do so. The diagnosis of a case in Inuvik further underlines the importance of physical distancing and the absolute necessity to follow the established protocols: keep at least two meters apart (we’ve seen recent ads in the Yukon that describes two metres as the length of one Caribou); wash your hands frequently; stay home when possible; if you need to go out for necessities, limit the exposure time you have in public.

Everyone needs to play their part to ensure that Covid-19 does not spread throughout the community, together we can manage and control this.

Lastly, if you can only do one thing and one thing daily, it’s to please be kind to one another.

Mahsi,

Bobbie Jo Greenland-Morgan

NT5