COVID-19 pandemic in Nunavut

As of July 31, 2020, Nunavut is the only territory or province in Canada with no confirmed cases of COVID-19,[1] an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As part of the global pandemic and its impact on Canada, Nunavut has implemented restrictions on commerce, public gatherings, and travel into the territory by non-residents.

COVID-19 pandemic in Nunavut
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationNunavut, Canada
Confirmed cases0
Government website
Nunavut Government

Timeline

On January 28, 2020, Nunavut's Chief Medical Officer Michael Patterson stated that he had been monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak, and was "liaising with all of our counterparts, including federal and territorial public health experts and communicable disease experts". Patterson stated that Nunavut's Department of Health was making preparations for a possible outbreak within the territory, including educating staff on personal protective equipment and testing procedures.[2]

Patterson felt that the risk of COVID-19 reaching the territory was "very small", as it is only accessible by air travel, and that there was not much travel between Nunavut and Wuhan, China "[even] at the best of times". However, he noted that the territory's housing shortages could impact many residents if community transmission were to occur.[2] MLA John Main showed particular concerns towards elders, residents of overcrowded homes, government staff, and residents receiving income support, and suggested that the concept of "social distancing" was relatively unknown to the culture of Nunavut, since "we’re always inviting people and we’re always getting invited to go eat. It is not our culture at all to not visit".[3]

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami warned that the Inuit population could be disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 due to "long standing social and economic inequities".[3]

March 2020

By mid-March, the government of Nunavut had begun to reduce non-essential travel by its employees. The capital of Iqaluit instituted similar measures, while the hamlets of Cambridge Bay, Coral Harbour, and Igloolik issued recommendations against outside visitors.[3]

On March 17, all schools and daycares in Nunavut, as well as Nunavut Arctic College, were closed for at least three weeks. Some educational institutions transitioned to online courses.[4] Nunavut declared a public health emergency the next day; this included orders for anyone entering the territory to immediately self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival, and recommendations against non-essential travel to the territory. Restaurants and bars were restricted to takeout service only.[5][6][7]

Patterson stated that testing of suspected cases was being conducted by health care professionals at patients' homes. They are in turn shipped to a laboratory in Winnipeg for processing. Premier Joe Savikataaq stated that at least half of the 50-60 tests conducted at that point had been processed, and had all come back negative.[6][7]

On March 19, residents of Rankin Inlet set up a blockade on the road leading to Agnico Eagle's Meliadine gold mine, protesting the possibility that workers who fly in via the hamlet's airport could spread COVID-19 among residents. In response, the company announced that the Nunavut-based workforces of its Meliadine and Meadowbank mines would be sent home for four weeks with pay. The company stated that "we value our relationship with the people of Nunavut and are committed to do what is best for the health, safety and well-being of all our employees and the communities."[8] During the day's briefing, Minister of Economic Development and Transportation David Akeeagok stated that the company had already taken steps to alleviate potential spread, including screening employees for symptoms before they are allowed to take the flight, and having them depart immediately onto a bus on arrival (rather than go through the airport) to prevent community contact.[8]

On March 23, it was announced that travel into Nunavut would be significantly restricted beginning March 25, with only residents of the territory and essential medical workers allowed to enter the region. All travellers are required to quarantine for 14 days at a hotel in one of four "hub" cities before they allowed to fly into Nunavut.[9] Premier Savikataaq stressed that "social distancing and staying home as much as possible is not a recommendation. It is necessary to keep our Nunavut healthy. Do it for you. Do it for our elders. Do it for the children."[9]

April 2020

In early April, 23 inmates were released from local corrections facilities as a precautionary measure in order to prevent crowding.[10] On April 3, the government and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated announced a combined, $2 million investment in food security, to be allocated to individual hamlets.[11] On April 14, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the federal government would provide $30.9 million in financial aid to Nunavut (as part of a $129.9 million package for Canada's territories) to support health care, businesses, and northern airlines transporting essential goods.[12]

On April 21, following calls by the Nunavut Teachers' Association,[13] it was announced that the remainder of the school year would be cancelled.[14][15] All out-of-territory teachers were asked to return home.[16]

On April 27, Nunavut issued revisions to its social distancing rules, barring all gatherings of more than five people (regardless of location, excluding immediate family in a household), and clarifying restrictions on commerce (with businesses only allowed to remain open if customers are able to practice appropriate social distancing).[17] On April 29, Patterson that the territory would only consider lifting restrictions once there is sufficient testing capacity within Nunavut, there are "significant" decreases in new cases in neighbouring provinces often visited by residents, and there are no active cases in the territory. The state of emergency was also extended to May 14.[18]

On April 30, Nunavut announced its first confirmed case, a resident of Pond Inlet. A rapid response team was dispatched to the community.[19][20][21] Following the announcement, most Kivalliq Region hamlets began imposing local curfews and other measures.[22] On May 4, however, Patterson reported that the case was a false positive, and that a second test of the same patient had come back negative.[1][23][24]

May 2020

On May 5, when asked about the possibility of staffing shortages when classes resumed, Premier Savikataaq remarked that "September is still quite a few months away, and there was an announcement earlier in the year that Ontario was going to lay off a whole bunch of teachers, so maybe these teachers would want to come work in Nunavut". The Nunavut Teachers' Association criticized the comments, stating that "teachers are in high demand across the country, and the idea that more will simply move in as others move out is false", and that shortages were also the result of a "chronic lack of support in schools for students and educators", and not just the pandemic.[25] Premier Savikataaq apologized for the comments, explaining that his choice of words was "careless and dismissive". Acknowledging the increased stress teachers face in the region, he stated that "we do value our teachers and we have a recruitment and retention problem in Nunavut."[26]

On May 8, Patterson stated that a GeneXPert machine had been used to process swabs in Iqaluit, but were still being sent south for secondary tests. As of May 11, 553 residents have tested negative.[27]

On May 14, the state of emergency was extended through May 28. Premier Savikataaq stated that the health department was preparing plans to begin lifting some restrictions.[28][29]

On May 18, Patterson stated that a resident of Nunavut had tested positive for COVID-19 while outside of the territory for unrelated medical treatments. He stated that the patient "is receiving care in the South and is doing well", they posed minimal risk due to mandatory self-isolation before returning to Nunavut, and that no other information would be released for patient confidentiality reasons. There have still been no cases inside of Nunavut to-date.[30]

On May 28, the state of emergency was extended through June 11.[31]

June 2020, lifting of restrictions

On May 25, Patterson released "Nunavut's Path"—a framework for the gradual lifting of current restrictions. Measures to be lifted are classified by their risk, and the impact of the reopening process will be reevaluated every two weeks by the territorial health department, which will determine whether further restrictions (including those designated as medium- and high risk) can be lifted, or if they must be reintroduced.[32] Existing restrictions on travel into the territory will remain in place indefinitely, likely until a vaccine or proven therapy is discovered.[33][34]

On June 1, parks and daycares were allowed to reopen, and outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people would be permitted. That day, Patterson also announced that an advisory against domestic travel within the territory had been lifted, and that on June 8, government employees would be allowed to return to their offices (subject to social distancing and health protocols, after having been re-classified as a low-risk opening), and that libraries, museums, and galleries would be allowed to reopen to individual browsing only.[33][34]

On June 11, the state of emergency was extended through June 25, and it was announced that recreation centres would be allowed to re-open on June 15 (although Iqaluit is holding off on immediately reopening its aquatic centre, due to needs to adapt the facility for compliance with social distancing guidelines, and to perform repairs on equipment that had failed during the closure).[35][36]

On June 22, bars, restaurants, and personal care facilities were allowed to re-open, subject to social distancing, and a last call of 9 p.m. for bars. Personal care facilities must offer protective equipment to customers and employees who request them. Cabs can pick up people from multiple households at once, provided they wear masks.[37][38]

July 2020

On July 2, Nunavut announced it was monitoring a presumptive case from an employee of the Mary River Mine. The Department of Health stated that the employee was "doing well" and had "no contact between Mary River workers and any of the surrounding communities", and that the employee and all contacts were in quarantine. The mine had been operated solely by outside workers since March.[39] On July 10, it was reported that the patient had tested negative on follow-up tests.[40] On July 13, it was announced that licensed establishments would be allowed to resume operating at normal business hours beginning July 20.[41]

On July 20, the federal government announced that up to $18.9 million in funding would be provided to cover PPE, testing, and paid sick leave.[42]

Response

Travel restrictions

On March 13, Patterson issued an advisory requesting residents to reduce domestic travel, and avoid international travel.[3] Transport Canada announced the same day that cruise ship traffic to Nunavut would be suspended for the remainder of the season.[3]

As of March 25, air entry into Nunavut by non-residents is prohibited, with exemptions granted for critical medical workers. Residents returning to the territory must quarantine for 14 days at a hotel in either Edmonton, Ottawa, Winnipeg, or Yellowknife before flying back. They are monitored by security guards enforcing the quarantine, and are provided with meals.[9] These services are paid for by the government; on May 6, Premier Savikataaq backpedalled on a proposal to require these hotel stays be covered by the traveller (at a cost of $2,100 per-person), as "travel at this time is a risk and we don't want to undo all the hard work we have done".[43] Exceptions were later made for those receiving medical treatment in Yellowknife.[44] The travel advisory against in-territory travel ended June 1, but existing restrictions remain.[34]

On June 4, Patterson stated that he was in discussions with officials from the Northwest Territories, over the possibility of removing restrictions on travel between Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. He noted that such an arrangement would have to be designed so that it would not be usable as a loophole to bypass Nunavut's quarantine requirements.[45]

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association issued a letter to Minister of Justice Jeannie Ehaloak, questioning whether the territory's travel restrictions were in compliance with Section 6 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. On June 11, after the Northwest Territories partly loosened its travel restrictions (which previously contained a similar quarantine hub requirement and restriction to residents, in favour of allowing unrestricted travel — subject to self-isolation on arrival) under similar concerns, Patterson stated that based on the opinion of lawyers, the decision to suspend freedom of movement was allowable under the Charter due to their emergency declaration. He argued that the measure was needed due to the stronger impact that an outbreak could have in Nunavut than in other parts of the country. In regards to the decision's impact on the proposed "travel bubble", Patterson stated that they were "still interested in it but we want to understand how this will impact potential risks before we make a firm decision one way or another".[35][36]

On June 15, it was announced that travellers from the Northwest Territories would be allowed to enter Nunavut, provided they have been in the region for at least 14 days prior to entering, and have received approval from Nunavut health officials.[38] On June 22, medical travel to Churchill, Manitoba was exempted from Nunavut's quarantine requirements, citing a low risk because there have been no cases in the town.[37] On July 13, it was announced that restrictions on travel to Churchill would be lifted, but subject to approval by health officials.[41]

By hamlets

On April 30, Chesterfield Inlet passed a notion prohibiting any outside visitors from entering the hamlet. It is also requiring residents returning to self-isolate for 14 days.[22]

In May 2020, to reinforce social distancing laws by discouraging gatherings, a number of hamlets began to institute temporary restrictions on any consumption, possession, or distribution of alcohol.[46]

Impact

The pandemic is projected to have a major impact on the territory's $300 million tourism industry.[47] The cruise line industry could potentially be severely affected. Previous years saw 55 ships with over 10,000 visitors.[3][48]

References
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