While 'tough' without public health order, Sask. First Nation's lockdown led to drop in COVID-19: official
A First Nation in northern Saskatchewan hit hard by a COVID-19 outbreak is emerging from a two-week voluntary lockdown in better shape.
That's according to an Athabasca Health Authority (AHA) report authored by primary healthcare executive director Taiwo Olubanwo.
As the temporary lockdown lifts, Black Lake First Nation has 19 active cases of COVID-19. During the outbreak's peak in late July, the community had over 40 active cases according to the report.
The outbreak was first declared on June 23.
During the lockdown period, access to facilities was strictly limited, travel was discouraged and community members were advised to stay at home.
While there was some inital resistance to the measures, Olubanwo writes that the community's response was "promising" a week into the lockdown.
Olubanwo had floated the idea of an emergency public health order (PHO) from the province to help enforce the measures.
Even without the order, Olubanwo says it appears the lockdown was also succesful in preventing the spread of COVID-19 to nearby communities.
"Evidence shows that the lockdown is effective, although tough to enforce without PHO," Olubanwo writes in the report.
Vaccination rates are still lagging in the community of more than 1,600, according to the report. Just 14 per cent of people there are fully vaccinated, Olubanwo says.
"With the number of efforts put in by the AHA primary health care team, our partners, and the community stakeholders, there is an increased chance that the vaccinated individual(s) may increase in the coming week in the face of a potential surge in COVID-19 active cases following the lockdown discontinuation."
While COVID-19 poses a signifigant risk in the community due to the lower rates of vaccination, Olubanwo says extending the lockdown would potentially be "challenging" without an emergency PHO in place.
"It is summertime, many people want to go on vacation, visit friends and family and have fun," Olubanwo says.
"In all fairness, lifting the lockdown is not the issue. Adherence to the COVID-19 preventive measures is indeed essential."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
2 teens charged in Halifax homicide: police
Two teenagers have been charged with second-degree murder in connection to an alleged homicide near the Halifax Shopping Centre earlier this week.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in U.S. if legal options fail, Reuters sources say
TikTok owner ByteDance would prefer to shut down its loss-making app rather than sell it if the Chinese company exhausts all legal options to fight legislation to ban the platform from app stores in the U.S., four sources said.
12-year-old hippo in Japan raised as a male discovered to be a female
When Gen-chan arrived at a zoo in Japan in 2017, no one questioned whether the then-five-year-old hippopotamus was a boy. Seven years later, zoo staff made a surprising discovery: Gen-chan, now 12, was female.
Here's why Harvey Weinstein's New York rape conviction was tossed and what happens next
Here's what you need to know about why movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction was thrown out and what happens next.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole dies at 90: CBC
Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90. Cole died Wednesday night in St. John's, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.