COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic this Saturday

This Saturday, July 17, from 10am to 12pm, the Nawash Health Centre is holding a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Kikendaasogamig Elementary School and it is by appointment ONLY. The clinic is open to all members of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation in the Grey Bruce area and their immediate family, 12 years and older.

To book an appointment, please call the Health Centre at 519-534-0373 or the Community Health Nurse at 519-378-6028.

Priority Group: All members of Chippewas of Nawash in the Grey Bruce area, and their immediate family, 12 years old or older
Dose: This is a first and second dose clinic
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Kikendaasogamig Elementary School at 45 Farm Road, Neyaashiinigmiing
Register: Please call the Nawash Health Centre at 519-534-0373 or the Community Health Nurse at 519-378-6028

If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, we look forward to seeing you at a vaccination clinic soon! Let’s work together to help bring this pandemic to an end. Your vaccination protects you, our youth, and those who can’t tolerate the vaccine for other medical reasons. Whether vaccinated or not, all community members are asked to continue to observe pandemic protocols to help keep the community safe.

  • Wear a mask outside your home.
  • Wash your hands frequently.
  • Watch your distance and stay 2 meters away from people you don’t live with.

Message to Residents Regarding COVID-19 in the Community

Under the leadership of the Chief and Band Council, the Grey Bruce Health Unit is working with community health services to assure residents that the COVID-19 cases identified in the community in the past few days do not present any additional risk to the general public. All active cases are contained in one residence/household.

The cases are in self-isolation and are doing all the right things in following direction from Public Health. As such, these individuals present no risk of transmission of COVID-19 to the wider community.

Everyone can prevent the spread of the virus by following the basic precautions of the three W’s –

  • Wash hands frequently,
  • Watch distance (ideally 6ft), and
  • Wear face covering correctly

Additionally, avoid crowds and arrange for outdoor activities instead of indoors whenever possible.

We would remind everyone, the long term defense against COVID-19 is to get vaccinated as soon as possible. If you have had your first dose, get your second. Check the Grey Bruce Health Unit website for vaccine clinic times and locations near you.

Be safe, get the vax!

 

Stay Safe on the National Holiday

Whatever you plan to do on the Canada Day national holiday, we want you to stay as safe as possible.

The Province of Ontario has moved to Step 2 of the reopening plan, but COVID-19 continues to mutate and infect new victims. Until we reach herd immunity provincially and locally there exists the possibility of a dangerous outbreak. Newer strains of the virus that have more negative qualities than the parent strain are known as “variants of concern”. One of those is the delta variant, and it poses a significantly greater threat to local residents than “regular” COVID-19. The delta variant is far more transmissible than earlier strains of COVID-19, incubates faster, seems to cause higher levels of serious illness, and causes serious illness in children more often.

As you plan your Canada Day activities, be aware that the COVID-19 delta variant is present in Grey Bruce, including our sister community of Saugeen First Nation. At the latest report, SFN has identified 37 cases of COVID-19 in their community, with more likely to come. Due to the speed of transmission and relatively sudden onset of symptoms, the medical community believes the COVID-19 delta variant is responsible. We all want to visit and comfort our friends and relations, especially as the province begins to reopen, but we must remain vigilant. You are advised to avoid unnecessary travel to SFN and other hotspots, and to avoid gathering with people you don’t live with.

Protect yourself, your family, and your community, by strictly observing simple pandemic safety protocols – even if you have been partially or fully vaccinated:

  • Wear a mask outside your home.
  • Remain at least two meters from people you do not live with.
  • Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face.

Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is the most effective way of protecting your community and helping to bring the pandemic to an end. The COVID-19 vaccines available are safe and effective and we ask that every community member who is 12 years or older and can tolerate the vaccine, schedule an appointment to be vaccinated. We are holding our next vaccination clinic on Saturday, July 17. Register online today, or call the Nawash Health Centre at 519-534-0373 to book an appointment.

It cannot be stressed enough that the delta variant is extremely infectious. One lapse of your safety protocol may be all it takes to bring COVID-19 into your home. Enjoy the holiday, but whatever you do, we urge you to take every precaution to keep yourself and your household healthy and free of COVID-19.

Kikendaasogamig and Nshiime Closed as New COVID-19 Case Discovered

Board of Education officials have announced that an additional case of COVID-19 has been identified in Kikendaasogamig Elementary School. To protect community safety, the Board of Education, with the support of the Council, has closed Kikendaasogamig for the remainder of the school year. Nshiime Child and Family Centre will close for one week, June 28 to July 2, as we monitor the situation in the community. We apologize for the inconvenience to families as we respond to the evolving circumstances.

The Chief and Council stress that there is no cause for alarm.  Grey Bruce Public Health, with the assistance of our Community Health Nurse, is conducting contact tracing for the identified cases. The needs of the affected individuals and families are being met by the Health Centre and volunteers. Neyaashiinigmiing remains safe and we have no plans to close the community.

Case counts are on the rise in Grey Bruce however, and more infectious mutations of the virus, known as “variants of concern”, are spreading. This includes the currently infamous Delta variant that has received recent media attention. The Community Emergency Response Group and the Council assess the state of the pandemic in Grey Bruce daily. If the situation changes dramatically, be assured that we are prepared to respond as necessary.

We need the community’s help in keeping us all safe. The virus spreads when we stop being vigilant, let our guard down, and stop taking the reasonable precautions that have worked to protect us. The situation still demands that we remain focused on safety fundamentals, even as the number of new cases falls provincially and Ontario proceeds with the 3-step reopening plan. Remember to:

  • Wear a facemask outside your home, even when you are with friends and extended family.
  • Keep your distance from people you don’t live with, even when you are with friends and extended family.
  • Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face.

The Saugeen First Nation has locked down to halt the spread of a growing number of cases in their community. We are all alarmed and concerned for our sister community, and all of our close friends and relations there. To help their able leadership and very competent health staff deal with the outbreak, we advise CNUFN members to respect their lockdown and avoid all unnecessary travel in and out of SFN.

To protect our community, for the long term, and bring this pandemic to an end, we need to reach “herd immunity”. Herd immunity simply means that with enough immune people in the herd (that’s us), the virus has no new victims to infect and eventually dies out or poses no threat of widespread outbreak. The vaccinated herd immunity strategy has worked against diseases like polio, measles, mumps, rubella, small pox and more. These are diseases that used to be a constant threat, but we don’t need to fear any more because enough people have been vaccinated.

To reach herd immunity in the Neyaashiinigmiing, we need to vaccinate 75% of every man, woman and child who is normally in the community (including non-members, staff, etc). Children under 12 can’t yet be vaccinated, and some people with medical conditions can’t tolerate the vaccine. That means to reach herd immunity we need to vaccinate almost everybody 12 years and older, who can tolerate the vaccine. Your vaccination doesn’t just protect you from serious illness or death, it protects our children, our vulnerable, and our elders.

The most important thing you can do today, to help our families, our communities and our nation, is to make an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccination. It is proven safe and very effective, including against variants of concern that have arisen so far. Our next vaccination clinic is scheduled for Saturday, July 17. To make an appointment, you can book online, or call the Health Centre at 519-534-0373 during normal business hours.

Chief Nadjiwon Calls for Renewed Vigilance to Pandemic Safety Protocols

This is a difficult time for the Saugeen Ojibway Nation. Even as the pandemic is seemingly receding, our communities are being challenged with COVID-19 cases that we have been able to avoid until now. We have an active case in CNUFN and in a video statement to the membership, Chief Lester Anoquot shared that SFN has also identified 13 active cases in the community. The SFN Council has decided to lock down their community to keep residents safe until the outbreak is under control.

In this delicate period, Chief Greg Nadjiwon asks that all community members remain vigilant and strictly adhere to pandemic safety protocols. Wear a facemask outside your home; wash your hands frequently; and keep your physical distance from people you don’t live with. Chief  Nadjiwon asks that all community members avoid gathering unless absolutely necessary. Plans for Canada Day gatherings should be put on hold, especially those involving Saugeen First Nation at this time. We do not want to jeopardize our sister community by encouraging gatherings with SFN residents while they are in lockdown.

We know this is unwelcome news, but we need your help to keep our communities safe. If you haven’t been vaccinated against COVID-19 yet, please schedule your vaccination now. It is simply the best way to protect all our relations. Our next vaccination clinic will be Saturday, July 17.

Chief Greg Nadjiwon is dismayed, as are we all, by the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in SFN. Our hearts go out to the Saugeen First Nation, and to our own members that have been impacted. Our sincere hope is that the outbreaks in our communities are quickly and safely contained. Thank you for your constant strength and patience.

Miigwetch.

July 17 COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic

The Nawash Health Centre is holding a COVID-19 vaccination clinic Saturday, July 17, from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM at the Kikendaasogamig Elementary School, by appointment ONLY. This clinic is open to all members of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation in the Grey Bruce area, and their immediate families, 12 years old or older.

Call the Nawash Health Centre at 519-534-0373 to make your vaccination appointment, or register online.

Priority Group: All members of Chippewas of Nawash in the Grey Bruce area, and their immediate family, 12 years old or older.
Dose: This is a first dose and second dose clinic.
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: Kikendaasogamig Elementary School, Neyaashiinigmiing
Register: Please call the Nawash Health Centre at 519-534-0373, or register online

If you have not been vaccinated yet, we look forward to seeing you at a vaccination clinic soon! Let’s work together to help bring this pandemic to and end. Your vaccination protects you, our youth, and those who can’t tolerate the vaccine for other medical reasons. Whether vaccinated or not, all community members are asked to continue to observe pandemic protocols to help keep the community safe.

  • Wear a mask outside your home.
  • Wash your hands frequently.
  • Watch your distance and stay 2 meters away from people you don’t live with.

Video: Chief Greg Nadjiwon Addresses the Community

The Chief has prepared a video statement for members as we respond to a COVID-19 case in Neyaashiinigmiing.

While the Health Centre and Grey Bruce Public Health manage the small outbreak, there is no immediate cause for alarm. The community remains safe. Residents are reminded to follow all pandemic protocols as rigorously as always.

Everybody is also asked to receive a COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible, as the surest and easiest way to protect our families, relations, friends and neighbours.

English subtitles are available on this video. Enable closed captions or subtitles on your device.