Weekly Update for March 28-April 1 |
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Health Career Camp Now Accepting Applications |
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NSHC's IÑUA program is co-hosting a new regionwide health career camp along with Northwest AHEC called Camp Mamittuq.
The camp is open to 9-12 grade students, and will be held from June 13-17 at NSHC’s beautiful Camp Nuuk, located on Safety Sound, east of Nome. Mamittuq means "heals" in Inupiaq. This camp will be a positive, safe, and most importantly, fun experience for all who come! At this camp students will receive:
-Wilderness First Aid certification from Desert Mountain Medicine
-QPR suicide prevention certificate
-Learn valuable knowledge from local cultural bearers
-Connect with NSHC’s CAMP, IÑUA, and Native Connections program and many others
Students who complete the one-week long camp will also earn college credit! All costs including travel, lodging, and food will be covered. Students will be required to stay at the camp for the duration of the time, unless in the case of an emergency. Solar showers, latrines, cots and/or bunks, as well as fresh water hauled from Nome will be available.
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Margaret “Sister” Olson retired from NSHC on Friday after nearly 17 years of service. Originally from Golovin, Olson’s first experiences with NSHC were filling in as a community health aide for a week or two at a time. She began working for NSHC as a permanent hire in June 2005. She served as administrative assistant for the medical staff department before joining the human resources team as a file analyst in 2018. A beloved fixture in the community, Sister’s friendly face will be missed at the hospital. Her retirement plan consists of traveling between Nome and Minnesota, where she has family.
Happy retirement, Sister Olson!
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In Remembrance: Gabriel Ercolino |
It is with great sadness that Norton Sound Health Corporation reports the untimely passing of one of the Air Ambulance department’s flight crew members, Gabriel (Gabe) Ercolino on March 21, 2022. Gabe became a member of the flight crew family in April 2016. In his duties as a Flight Paramedic, Gabe helped countless individuals in the region and across the state of Alaska. Gabe was an excellent paramedic and a great friend to the flight crew members. He will be forever missed by the flight crew and by everyone he worked with and encountered throughout the region. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Gabe’s family in this time of sorrow. |
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Alaska Dental Therapy Educational Program Recruits Students |
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Situation Report: COVID-19 News in the Norton Sound/Bering Strait Region |
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From Dec. 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, NSHC has reported 3,771 cases of COVID-19. This count represents all COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the highly contagious Omicron variant outbreak. |
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Quarantine and Isolation Guidelines |
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The CDC has recently updated its guidance for quarantining and isolation.
Close contacts who are not fully vaccinated (including a booster shot if they are eligible) are instructed to quarantine for five days since their last contact with a positive individual. After quarantining, they should continue to wear a mask around others for five days.
If someone who is fully vaccinated (including a booster shot if they are eligible) is identified as a close contact, they do not need to quarantine, but they should wear a mask and get tested five days after their last contact with the infectious individual.
As a reminder, a close contact is defined as someone who spends 15 or more minutes within six feet of an infectious individual. If both individuals are masked, they are not considered close contacts.
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Requesting Proof of Recovery |
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Patients who test positive for COVID-19 may be requested to provide proof of recovery in order to return to work or for other reasons. If a patient needs a copy of their recovery letter, they should ask their provider to send them one or request one through the NSHC Quarantine Team by calling (907) 434-0654.
The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention recently updated its guidelines so that COVID-19-positive patients are instructed to isolate for five days (starting from the beginning of their infectious period), followed by five days of wearing a face mask around other people.
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COVID-19 Vaccination Information with NSHC |
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Everyone in the region who is 5 years and older is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination.
In Nome, vaccinations are available by walk-in appointment at the NSHC Pharmacy
9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m., Monday-Friday. Patients in regional villages may contact their local clinic to arrange a booster vaccination.
A second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine is now available to people aged 50 and older, if desired. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a second booster shot for the 50-plus age range, as long as individuals received their first booster shot at least four months ago. Those most at risk for severe COVID-19 remain people aged 65 and older and people over 50 years, who have underlying medical conditions.
In a village, residents may contact their local clinic to arrange a vaccination.
The CDC reminder cards that are provided at the time of your vaccination are widely accepted as proof. To get a replacement CDC card, please contact your local clinic or stop by the pharmacy. To request your full vaccination record, complete the NSHC email authorization form (https://bit.ly/vaccineauthorizationform) and email the completed form to HIM-distribution@nshcorp.org.
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Getting Tested for COVID-19 |
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NSHC’s Nome COVID-19 testing locations will be changing in the coming days. The last day of testing at the Nome Airport will be Sunday, April 3, and the last day of testing at the NSHC Operations Building will be Thursday, April 7.
Testing will remain available at the Cough and Cold Clinic, located at the hospital, open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. The Cough and Cold Clinic is open on holidays. You can call the direct line to the clinic at (907) 443-3231.
To schedule an appointment, visit picktime.com/NSHC. In regional villages, residents can contact their local clinic to get tested.
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Are you experiencing a crisis? Please call Behavioral Health Services.
For Urgent Care Services, call 907-443-3344 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.
For After Hours emergencies, call 907-443-6411 and ask for a Behavioral Health Services consultant.
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