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Volume 61 • Issue 17

All northern residents and workers Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in ChurchillBY IAN GRAHAM EDITOR@@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET 18 and over now eligible for COVID vaccines, province announces April 26

All residents of the Northern Regional Health Authority and Churchill 18 and over are eligible to book appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations as of 11:45 a.m. April 26, Manitoba vaccine task force medical lead Dr. Joss Reimer announced Monday.

Vaccination eligibility is also expanded to include anyone who regularly works in the region, regardless of their job. Residents of the Seven Oaks West neighbourhood in Winnipeg who are 18 and older are now eligible for vaccination as well.

“This recognizes the increased risk faced by many people in the north,” Reimer said at an April 26 technical briefing, which include barriers to health care such as remote geography and the need to travel long distances to access medical care. “We’ve very clearly seen that they have had higher rate of transmission throughout waves two and three. All of those factors combined put them near the top of the list when we thought about the priority communities.”

Northern residents have also seen a higher rate of severe outcomes related to COVID-19, Reimer said.

Staffing at the Thompson vaccination super site and at pop-up sites in Flin Flon and The Pas will need to be ramped up to ensure that they can accommodate increased demand, Reimer said.

“All other communities are already being reached through our northern priority approach," said Reimer. "People who are now eligible should make their appointment as soon as possible."

Vaccine appointments can be booked by calling 1-844-626-8222 or online at protectmb.ca.

Province bans gatherings at Possible public exposures Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. to a COVID variant at Thompson McDonald’s home as COVID cases rise BY IAN GRAHAM BY IAN GRAHAM to write things that you have taurants is limited to groups of ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ region, 15 in the north, 12 in was not a very safe thing last set of strict public health swallow when people say For all the harsh weather announced April 21EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET to fi gure out. It’s pretty clear four people or less. Day camps I have all these stories and the Interlake-Eastern health re- to do but I jumped at it. I orders, Roussin said. that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar

Though she’s now written Manitoba’s government when I get through.” can have a maximum of 10 I need to capture them for gion and seven in the southern thought that was exciting Premier Brian Pallister said should just fi nd somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it a book about her experienmade some adjustments April DeMeulles said she wrote children, whether indoors or my grandchildren really health region. One addition- until the plane landed and previous generations of Manieasier to live. had been viable she would ces growing up in Churchill, 26 to public health orders in her book, titled Whispers in outdoors, and retail stores are because they will be lost if al death was announced, the they started throwing the tobans made far greater sacri- “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to ChurchAddictions Foundation of response to rising COVID-19 the Wind: Stories from the limited to 25 per cent capacity I don’t.” 968th Manitoban to die from fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy fices than current residents are choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. Manitoba northern director case numbers, test positivity North - Life in Churchill for or 250 people, whichever is She also has a reputation COVID-19, and the five-day cats, I was probably sitting being asked to. should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, I Gisele deMeulles said writand hospitalizations. a couple of reasons. lower. as a storyteller herself. test positivity rate was 7.6 per on a bomb.’”“These are small sacri- simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss the ing wasn’t something she Effective April 28 at 12:01 “I just sort of thought, “Right now we’re essential“I had such a varied his-cent. Another thing that fices to make to protect the spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though always thought she would a.m. for four weeks until May you know what, this hisly where we were at the end of tory and I would tell people There were 148 Mani- spurred her on was the well-being of your family and same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and do. 26, the orders forbid indoor or tory, this stuff that’s in my October,” said chief provincial stories and they would go, tobans in the hospital, includ- hard times facing Churchill friends,” said the premier. I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson “In my youth I never outdoor gatherings at private head, it’s going to be gone public health officer Dr. Brent ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, ing 83 with active infections. since the Hudson Bay RailThe new northern cases about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go felt good at writing,” she residences, gatherings of more if I don’t write it down,” she Roussin at a press conference ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, Thirty-seven people were in way suspended operations included five in the Island have the option to do that? back home, standing on the said. “But when I moved than 10 people in outdoor pub- said. “My kids are not goon Monday. “We’re in a very ‘You didn’t do all that, did intensive care, 21 of them with north of Gillam last spring. Lake health district and I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on to Thompson to get into the school of social work, lic places and cap attendance at religious services at a maxing to get it if I don’t do it and it’s something I’ve alprecarious place right now.” The average age of patients you? You’ve got to be really old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually active infections. These hospitalization numbers include “It used to be a really thriving large community three in the Gillam/Fox Lake health district. On Sunday, feeling like they’re pawns in a political game and that’s BY IAN GRAHAM EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET the bay, it just gives you an incredible sense. You feel so at that point I had to write imum of 10 people or 25 per ways wanted my mom to in intensive care is going down I did all that before I was 17 northerners, nine of whom and it’s just dwindled down the province announced that really sad for them because I small and you feel great.” The provincial government announced April 21 that for university and realized, cent of a building’s capacity, do. My mom’s an elder and and the number of cases is 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” have active infections. There to such a small population Chemawawin Cree Nation think the people of Church- Now that she’s got there had been possible public exposures to the B.1.1.7 ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, whichever is lower. Masks she’s an artist, she’s got so rapidly advancing among Looking back, some of are six northern residents in now,” deMeulles says. had banned public gatherings ill really want to thrive. one book under her belt, COVID-19 variant at the Thompson McDonald’s on April right?’ I certainly developed must be worn at all time dur- many wonderful stories bepeople in their 20s and 30s, those experiences are things intensive care, including four Though she’s not there and asked residents to stay They’ve built their worlds 8, 10,11, 13 and 14. deMeulles says she may try a lot of skill in university ing religious services. cause she always tells her Roussin said. she might not do again. with active infections. any longer, her parents and home unless they are essential there. How would we feel to produce another. The potential exposures to the United Kingdom variant and came out of there with Gyms and fitness centres stories at Parks Canada in There were 210 new cases “I did some pretty bizarre If the orders are followed her sister and other family workers, seeking medical care if someone came to you and “I have another book in of concern took place from 4 p.m. to midnight April 8, 6 a very strong skill in my must ensure three metres of Churchill and I’ve always of the virus announced in the stuff like fuel hauls into the and Manitoba meets its goal members still are. or testing or shopping for es- said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to me,” she says. “It’s a darker a.m. to 2 p.m. April 10 and 11, and 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. April writing and confi dence in distance between patrons, food hounded her, ‘Please, just province on Monday, includ- high Arctic at -35,” said of administering 300,000 “My cousin owns the sential supplies. Non-medical leave your home community story, more about person13 and 14. Anyone who was there at those times and feels my writing. I write very courts in malls must close put it on tape, I will write it ing 157 in Winnipeg, 19 in deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn vaccine doses over the next hardware store there,” she masks must be worn outside and we’re going to displace al growth and struggles. cold- or flu-like symptoms should isolate immediately clear and that’s it. It’s there. down and patio dining at res- for you because your story the Prairie Mountain health on me until after. That was a four weeks, these could be the says. the home. you somewhere else and all and get tested. Maybe in the next fi ve years Some people say it’s kind of is going to be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing to do. Because of that, your loved ones and your it’s something I’ll focus on blunt or direct. I don’t tend never done it and I thought, Being on a plane full of fuel deMeulles fi nds it hard to history is gone?’” doing.”