Requirements for COVID immunization

An elevated overdose tally continues during the COVID-19 pandemic, with First Nations at fi ve times the risk

By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor

As the death toll from B.C.’s overdose crisis continues, those who work closely with First Nations are urging people to look beyond the disturbing numbers and into the complexities of treating drug addiction. On Aug. 31 the B.C. Coroners Service reported 1,011 deaths due to illicit drug use over the fi rst six months of the year, making overdose the leading cause of death for adults under 40, with eighty per cent of these fatalities aff ecting males. Fentanyl was detected in 85 per cent of the cases, with cocaine methamphetamine and etizolam present in a signifi cant number of deaths. First Nations people have been aff ected by the crisis on a scale several times that of the general population. For last year, the First Nations Health Authority reported a fatality rate 5.3 times greater than others in B.C., a 119 per cent increase in overdose deaths over 2019, pointing to the hazards of the COVID-19 pandemic on those who use illicit drugs. “Poisoned drugs are circulating,” warned Sheila Malcolmson, B.C.’s minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “More people are dying from inhaling illicit drugs than injecting, so please be careful.” When the numbers were announced for the fi st half of 2021, Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe stressed the need for a “wide scale response.” “This includes removing barriers to safe supply, ensuring timely access to evidence-based aff ordable treatment and providing those experiencing problematic substance use with compassionate and viable options to reduce risks and save lives.” The recognition of substance use as a disorder requiring treatment rather than criminal activity in need of enforcement has guided a shift in government policy. B.C. is working on decriminalizing possession of illicit drugs with an application to Ottawa for an exemption from Section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Meanwhile the Solicitor General sent a letter to police chiefs asking authorities to “focus on more serious crimes and align with more harm reduction principles,” according to the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions. A new emphasis has also been placed on prescribing less harmful alternatives to replace street drugs, something that registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses can now off er with the appropriate training. By June the number of doctors in B.C. who off er opioid agonist treatment increased to 1,671, with a 475 per cent increase in hydromorphone prescriptions over a year. But this is not necessarily reaching those who need the help most, cautions Mariah Charleson, vice-president of the Nuuchah-nulth Tribal Council. “We know it’s very diffi cult for margin-

Province of B.C. video still On Aug. 31 Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe announced that 1,011 people died from illicit drug use over the fi rst six months of 2021. alized people to even have a physician, to even see a physician,” she commented. “There’s one individual in Port Alberni, they’re banned from drug dealers. So they give their money to other people to go get the drugs and it leads to all sorts of things.” “For people who use substances, accessing opioid agonist therapy, or prescribed opioid alternatives (“safer supply”) – this is particularly a challenge in rural/remote/ isolated communities where getting to a prescriber and then being able to access prescriptions in a timely, regular manner can be challenging,” noted Dr. Nel Wieman, the FNHA’s senior medical offi cer, in an email to Ha-Shilth-Sa. While the First Nations Health Authority is working to get more nurses trained to prescribe safer opioid alternatives, a historic distrust of the health care system among many Aboriginal people remains a concern. In November the long-standing aff ects of negative experiences in hospitals and with doctors was highlighted by In Plain Sight, a report from an independent investigation commissioned by the Ministry of Health. “We can’t ignore the role that racism and a lack of cultural safety in health/ medical services plays,” said Wieman. “[T]here is also signifi cant stigma in play for people who use substances – so all of these create an unsafe, unwelcoming environment that people are reluctant to access in the fi rst place out of fear for how they will be treated.” As B.C.’s health authorities grapple with a rate of fi ve overdose fatalities a day, Wieman stressed that the aff ects of trauma on First Nations people cannot be understated. Causes range from residential schools and the Sixties Scoop to evacuations due to wildfi res and intimate partner violence. “When people are living with trauma/ intergenerational trauma, they are distressed – and sometimes people make choices to reduce that distress that involve using substances – substances change how we feel,” explained Wieman. “Unfortunately, with the increased toxicity of the illicit/ ‘street’ drug supply, the contamination of the current drug supply makes it increasingly lethal.” The province has reported that measures imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic have disrupted the normal pathways of illicit drugs, causing dealers to increase the toxicity of what can be bought on the street. This dynamic has brought fatalities to communities across the province, despite their remoteness. Charleson spoke of two overdose deaths in Hot Springs Cove over the pandemic. “Hot Springs Cove is a community of less than 60 people,” she said. “Everybody knows each other, everybody plays an integral role in that community.” “We’ve lost people who aren’t homeless, who aren’t visually addicts, who are simply members of the community,” added Charleson.

Multi-year project retains its UNESCO connection

Continued from page 1. “Our chiefs, our council and our community agree: it was carved here, and it should stay here,” said Watts. “For the valley here, this isn’t just about raising a First Nations piece of art; it actually tells a story. Like many other poles, it has a name and it has a life of its own.” Modern technology is also playing a role in telling the story of naasnaasʔaqsa. QR codes, which open up information on smartphones and tablets, will be in place on plaques by the pole for people to learn about the project’s development and importance, explained Jeary. “They’ll get all that information from the pole laying in the forest to its fi nal resting place there,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to show our culture at a high traffi c area,” added Watts. “Tourists and others will be able to visit and read - not just about languages - but about women and other things that Tim wants to honour on the pole.” Although it’s being raised two years after it was originally planned, Jeary stressed that the project has retained a vital connection to the United Nations. “That’s where it all started, we wanted to get patronage from [Canadian Commission for] UNESCO,” he said, noting the importance of the project to First Nation’s culture and language revitalization. “We’ll continue to use that vehicle to promote globally.” Nuu-chah-nulth songs have been composed to mark the pole’s raising on Sept. 18, a date when Watts expects that many in attendance will think of Willard Gallic, a fl uent Tseshaht speaker who recently passed. “I think for Tseshaht Willard Gallic is going to be on our minds for a long time,” said Watts. “He was one of our last remaining speakers. This is really, from our perspective, connected to what Tim originally started out this project as.”

Stats show most of infected are unvaccinated, but cases of Delta variant are still found in those with both doses

By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter

Victoria, BC – With the fourth wave of COVID-19 sweeping across the continents, new provincial health orders are now in eff ect and new ones will be in place by mid-September. Beginning Sept. 13, B.C.’s provincial health offi cer has ordered that people 12 and over attending certain social and recreational settings will need to show proof of at least partial vaccination for COVID-19. This means that people will need to carry their paper vaccination cards that were issued when they received vaccine with them to enter certain spaces. By Oct. 24, people will have to show proof that they are fully vaccinated (at least seven days after receiving the second dose) to enter certain public spaces. In addition, mask requirements for public spaces were reinstated Aug. 24 in an eff ort to slow the transmission of COVID-19. According to the PHO, people will need to show proof of vaccination at shopping centers, grocery stores, restaurants, bars, taxis, public transportation, swimming pools, weddings, conferences, sports events, fi tness centers, public services buildings and schools, for example. “The province is making these changes to its pandemic plans as the fourth wave of COVID-19 moves throughout the province, mainly infecting unvaccinated people,” stated the Provincial Health Offi ce. Dr. Nel Wieman, acting deputy chief medical offi cer at FNHA, urges people to get vaccinated, continue to wear masks, frequently and thoroughly wash their hands and leave six feet of space between people outside of your household. “The COVID-19 virus has proven itself to be stealthy and it is still spreading,” Wieman wrote in a public statement, acknowledging concern and disappointment that the virus is still circulating. “However we may feel, we know that if we want the pandemic to end, we will have to set aside our disappointment, square on our shoulders, and continue working together against it.” To make things easier, the province has created a digital vaccination card that people may present using their mobile devices. The BC Health Gateway provides users a digital immunization card that can be shown at public events. You may get your BC Vaccine Card online at gov.bc.ca/vaccinecard. Once verifi ed, a person will be able to save a digital copy to their mobile device or print a hard copy to present along with their government-issued photo identifi cation when entering designated businesses and events. People without access to a computer and printer can get their card by calling 1-833-838-2323 at the Get Vaccinated call centre and for a printed copy to be mailed to them. They can have a trusted friend, family member or support person print their card for them. Or they can visit a Service BC Centre to get one. Once downloaded, the app will prompt you to scan or enter codes from your BC Services Card, entering your birthdate and an email address. Once your email address is validated you will be prompted to make a video to confi rm your identity. Alternatively, you can bring your identifi cation and health apps to a designated location to activate your digital immunization card in person if that is your preference. Once all information is entered online, it can take from a few hours to two business days to verify your information and get your digital card activated. The BC Vaccine Card will include a secure, individualized QR code and image showing either “vaccinated” or “partially vaccinated.” Businesses can either scan the QR code using a reader like a smartphone or visually verify the person’s proof of vaccination. A mobile QR code reader app will be released in app stores closer to Sept. 13 for businesses that choose to scan the QR code. “Getting vaccinated is the proven choice to protect ourselves and the people around us. The requirement for proof of vaccine will make our communities safer and ensure that events and gatherings are safer for all of us,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health offi cer. “I encourage everyone to get their BC Vaccine Card to protect their community, support their local businesses and each other.” The PHO recommends everyone over the age of 12 be vaccinated against COVID-19, because statistics show that it is the unvaccinated who are most commonly getting sick. From Aug. 20-26, the unvaccinated accounted for 72 per cent of infections, while those with both doses comprised 18 per cent of cases, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. Those without any shots made up 81 per cent of hospitalizations, while the fully vaccinated accounted for 11 per cent. According to FNHA, Delta is the main COVID-19 variant circulating and it is moving more easily through the population than the original virus. “(It can make) unvaccinated people even more sick than the original virus. People who have had only one shot are also getting sick more often than they did with previous variant,” states FNHA. They went on to say that there are some “breakthrough” cases in fully vaccinated people. “A breakthrough infection is an infection that happens after your body has had a chance to develop full protection from the COVID-19 vaccine, in other words, more than two weeks after the second dose,” states FNHA. So, even if you are fully vaccinated, there is a small chance you may still get COVID-19. The good news is that the vaccine still off ers protection, in that the illness will be less severe and provides excellent protection against hospitalization and death. Drop-in vaccination clinics are available in communities throughout the province and appointments are not required. But if clinic hours don’t work for you, you may schedule a vaccination appointment by visiting https://www.getvaccinated.gov. bc.ca/s/ or call 1-833-838-2323. Is your child feeling ill? People showing symptoms of illness are advised to stay home from school or work. In general, if you have fever, are coughing, have shortness of breath, you should stay home. When in doubt, check the province’s symptom checker guidelines at https://www.k12dailycheck.gov.bc.ca/ healthcheck?execution=e2s1 There, you will fi nd a checklist of symptoms for different age groups to watch for. “Getting vaccinated means, we can bring people back together and do more, safely, and with confi dence that we’re not putting those who aren’t fully vaccinated at risk,” said Premier John Horgan. “We have made the BC Vaccine Card easy for people to get, and easy for businesses to check at a glance.” By getting vaccinated prior to Sept. 13, British Columbians can continue to access the events and settings that will be outlined in the PHO orders. To learn more about the vaccine card and how to access yours, visit: gov.bc.ca/ vaccinecard Information for businesses, including step-by-step instructions can be found at gov.bc.ca/ (http://www.gov.bc.ca/vaccinecard-businesses)vaccinecard The proof of vaccination provincial health order will remain in place until Jan. 21, 2022 and is subject to extension.

Photo by Don Craig/Province of B.C. photo With Premier John Horgan standing by, Dr. Bonny Henry, B.C.’s provincial health offi cer, gives information on the requirements for proof of COVID-19 vaccination on Sept. 7.