The Nak’azdli Whut’en First Nation will shut down for two weeks and possibly longer as COVID-19 cases spike in the adjacent community of Fort St. James.
An Emergency Response Team was deployed to Fort St James yesterday (Wednesday) by the B.C. Emergency Health Services.
According to B.C. EHS, the district has reported 60 positive cases of COVID-19 and at least one death.
A female elder from Nak’azdli Whu’ten passed away from the virus in September.
“This will help the community get this event under control and get the infection rate down. Our healthcare system is being stretched to the max,” said Chief Aileen Prince in a statement.
“The BC-EHS will be sending help for ambulance services and patient transport to Fort St. James. This is good news. Our workers are getting very tired, they are community members too and we need to make sure they are ok. All they are asking is that you do your part.”
The statement urges residents in the area to wear a mask and to keep time in public places to 15 minutes or less.
Visiting with others in aisles is also discouraged, and residents are asked to go straight home after errands as well as diligent handwashing before and after errands.
“We are experiencing something we have never seen before, but our past generations have,” said Prince.
“They knew to isolate themselves and to sanitize everything, including themselves. We need to be as courageous and committed to our safety as they were. We don’t want to lose any more to this virus.”
Prince says some staff at the office will be working from home in the coming days but all essential services will continue.
Many staff are also on call, she added.
“Keep the prayers and healing energy flowing. Be kind to each other.”
Vista Radio has reached out to Northern Health and the Ministry of Health in regards to this issue, but have not received a response as of this publication.