Weekly Health Bulletin and Updates

Volume 31 | November 6, 2020

FNHMA Health Bulletin: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Welcome to your weekly dose of the FNHMA Health and Wellness Bulletin. Each issue, we do our best to provide relevant information, resources and supports to help you and your team navigate through COVID-19.

In this week's edition, we are highlighting:

FNHMA 2020 Virtual Celebration
FNHMA Virtual Town Hall returns November 12, 2020
Total Number of Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 ISC is aware of as of November 4, 2020
"More Than 20 Sask First Nations Schools Closed Due to COVID-19 Fears"
"Manitoba First Nation Community Closes Down Amid Province's Rising COVID-19 Cases"
"Concern Growing Among Northern Indigenous Leaders About COVID-19 Outbreak"
"Unemployed Indigenous Workers Disproportionately Suffering From COVID-19 Economy Compared to Non-Indigenous"
"Economic Recovery During Pandemic Slower For Indigenous People: Statistics Canada"

Scroll down for these stories and more!

FNHMA 2020 Virtual Celebration

and

Weekly Virtual Town Hall Update

FNHMA 2020 Virtual Celebration

Message from our CEO

Congratulations everyone and thank you again to the FNHMA family, our production team and our sponsors for your support and time in helping make our Virtual Celebration an incredible success.

For those of you who tuned into our special event, we sincerely appreciate your support and engagement.

To front line and health workers, we thank you.

Not just for your efforts during this unprecedented time but for being heroes every day.

For showing up for us in our most needed hour and for being the compassionate, committed and the dedicated people you are.

In Indigenous health, you are stewards of health, safety and quality. And you put the care back into caregiver.

It was our collective wish to let you know that you matter, you’re appreciated and we care for all that you do.

Continue to keep us and yourselves well. We salute and we hold you up.

We hope you felt the love being sent back to you during the Virtual Celebration and every day for that matter.

Hiy hiy and thank you again.

Marion Crowe, CFNHM, CAFM, CAPA

Chief Executive Officer

First Nations Health Managers Association

The FNHMA Virtual Town Hall returns November 12, 2020

We're back! We only took a week off but we're back to our regularly scheduled programming.

That means you can watch the next edition of our Town Hall live on November 12, 2020 @ 1pm ET.

Check our Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages for the live streams!

To view our archived Virtual Town Halls, prior to our return, Click Here.

National and First Nation COVID-19 News

Total Number Of Confirmed Cases Of COVID-19 ISC Is Aware Of As Of November 4, 2020

As of November 4, 2020, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) records indicate that there are 1673 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on First Nations reserves, in six provinces. There are also 84 hospitalizations, 1139 recovered cases, and 15 deaths.

For more information on these numbers and for more information on how to keep your family safe, please click here.

Click Here to see the full ISC Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Outbreak update page.

More Than 20 Sask First Nations Schools Closed Due to COVID-19 Fears

"Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations expects more closures as case counts rise

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the closure of at least 20 schools on Saskatchewan First Nations, according to the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations.

The FSIN says it expects that number to climb in the coming days."

Click here to read the full article.

Manitoba First Nation Community Closes Down Amid Province's Rising COVID-19 Cases

"One Manitoba First Nation has moved to Code Orange restrictions.

Sagkeeng First Nation announced on Oct. 26 that it will be closing down the community for a 14-day period due to the growing number of COVID-19 cases across Manitoba.

According to a public notice from the First Nation, Code Orange means community transmission of COVID-19 is at a medium level; new clusters are forming, but they can be controlled through self-isolation, testing and contact tracing; and the healthcare system can manage the case levels."

Click here to read the full article.

Concern Growing Among Northern Indigenous Leaders About COVID-19 Outbreak

"A COVID-19 outbreak in northern Manitoba is a growing concern for the MKO and other Indigenous leaders and they are calling on all levels of government to step in.

Manitoba Hydro said 23 workers in the Keeyask Generating Station have tested positive for COVID-19 and another eight workers have "unclear" results and are awaiting second test results.

There is a total of 55 workers that are in isolation.

"Our worst fears have come true and we need the Government of Canada to step in and help us ensure First Nations will be kept safe from the uncontrollable epidemic that is being allowed to continue at the Manitoba Hydro site," said Doreen Spence, who is the chief of Tataskweyak Cree Nation."

Click here to read the full article.

Unemployed Indigenous Workers Disproportionately Suffering From COVID-19 Economy Compared to Non-Indigenous

"A new report from Statistics Canada shows unemployed Indigenous people are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting job losses from businesses being forced to close.

Figures from December 2019 to February 2020 show the Indigenous unemployment rate at 10 per cent while it was just 5.5 per cent for non-Indigenous people.

That jumped more than six percentage points for both groups between February and May.

Indigenous unemployment shot up to 16.6 per cent while non-Indigenous sat at 11.7 per cent."

Click here to read the full article.

Economic Recovery During Pandemic Slower For Indigenous People: Statistics Canada

"Indigenous people are not recovering from loss of employment during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as non-Indigenous Canadians, according to new data from Statistics Canada.

The new study released Monday by the government agency compared the employment experience of Indigenous people off-reserve and non-Indigenous Canadians during the first six months of the pandemic using data from the Labour Force Survey.

Though both groups were “similarly impacted” during the spring months of the pandemic as widespread health precautions led to business closures and job losses, the experiences began to diverge in the summer months."

To read the full article, click here:

Flu And COVID-19 #StopTheSpread

Stop the spread of the flu and COVID-19

This year, it's especially important to help keep our communities healthy. Protect yourself and those around you.

It can be hard to tell the difference between symptoms of the flu and COVID-19. If you have symptoms, isolate yourself from others, and call your healthcare provider or local public health.

To learn more visit Canada.ca/flu and Canada.ca/coronavirus

Launch of Canadian Contact Tracing Training

The Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada are pleased to announce the release of the three new courses to support training of Canadian contact tracers:

1) Introduction to Contact Tracing

This introductory course looks at the who, what, when, why, and how of contact tracing. This course is intended for public health volunteers and professionals who will support contact tracing activities and who have no previous training in contact tracing.

Estimated time to complete: 60-90 minutes

2) Introduction to Case Interviewing

This course provides a general introduction to interviewing best practices and aims to leave participants comfortable with conducting public health interviews.

Estimated time to complete: 60-90 minutes

3) Introduction to Public Health in Canada

This module provides an overview of public health in Canada, including key roles and functions, history, scope, and jurisdictional considerations. The course may be used to provide public health context for training on other topics.

Estimated time to complete: 40 minutes

To register for any of these courses as part of the Contract Tracing Learning Path, please visit https://training-formation.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ and click on “Health Emergency Management”.

COVID Alert App

Download the COVID Alert App today!

To learn more, click here for a short 35 second video.

Download the app here.

COVID Alert helps us break the cycle of infection. The app can let people know of possible exposures before any symptoms appear. That way, we can take care of ourselves and protect our communities.

If you test positive for COVID-19 you will receive a one-time key with your diagnosis to enter into COVID Alert. The app asks permission to share your random codes from the last 14 days in order to notify others that they may have been exposed.

Accessing Additional Funding

Canadian Institutes Of Health Research(CIHR) Announces New Funding Opportunity On Harm Reduction

"On October 9, CIHR launched a new funding opportunity:

Operating Grant- Evaluation of Harm Reduction Approaches to Address the Opioid Crisis in the Context of COVID-19.

This evaluation-focused funding opportunity aims to address harm reduction approaches to the opioid crisis and to better understand its compounding intersection with the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses on two key components: Safe Supply Pilot Projects (SSPPs) and supervised consumption site (SCS).

CIHR is accepting applications until November 12, 2020, with funding set to begin by January 1, 2021."

Click here to review the funding opportunity details.

Call For Proposals: Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities Project (Heritage Canada)

The application period for Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities Projects is now open through Heritage Canada.

The deadline to apply for Stream 1 Funding is November 20, 2020.

Sport for social development is defined as the use of sport for social development for the purpose of achieving targeted social outcomes.

Click here to see more information

Indigenous Peoples And COVID-19 Knowledge Synthesis, Evaluation And Assessment Grants Rapid Research Funding Opportunity Is Now Live!

This funding opportunity will support projects relevant to one or more of the following research areas:

Indigenous Peoples’ Understanding and Experience with Respect to COVID-19, including cultural responses grounded in Indigenous Knowledges and self-determination; intersections with, and impact on, on-going health, social, economic and climate crises; and/or perspectives of (or participation in) vaccine research, sero-surveillance studies, and clinical trials.
Delivering COVID-19 Testing, Contact Tracing, Self-Isolation and Other Management Practices, and Policies Related to Indigenous Peoples and the COVID-19 Pandemic, including culturally safe approaches and challenges.
Culturally Safe COVID-19 Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Recovery for Indigenous Peoples, including design and delivery of programs and services that are grounded in Indigenous Knowledges, self-determination, and local community context.

For more information and to apply, please click here.

First Nations Webinars

A number of Partner and National Indigenous Organizations are and have been producing webinars in order to continue supporting First Nations in a changing landscape.

To view more please follow the links below and be directed to that organization's webinar page.

Supports & Regularly Updated Resources

FIRST NATIONS PANDEMIC PLANNING TOOL from FNHMA

FNHMA is pleased to announce the Pandemic Planning Tool for First Nations Communities. This tool is available to all First Nations communities, free of charge, in order to help them create their very own pandemic plan efficiently and effectively.

Click here to access your free copy.