The Executive Director of Homelessness in St. John’s says a significant investment needs to be made into housing to help people transition from the Waterford Hospital into the community.

Doug Pawson says housing is healthcare, and healthcare is housing.

He was responding to comments from mental health advocate Kristi Allen who wants more detail on how that will work.

Pawson says the current options available “are very limited” and they don’t people to be discharged from the Waterford into emergency housing, which is something that they have been seeing.

The Department of Health says the government is actively working with health authorities, community partners and family members and people living with mental illness and substance use disorders to support the replacement of the Waterford and further expansion of community-based programs and services.

The Department says that work is already on the way to support the transition of people from the Waterford to the community with housing and wrap supports in place.

The Nunatsiavut Government’s Department of Health and Social Development is advising residents of the five Labrador Inuit communities to take measures to protect themselves and other from respiratory illnesses including colds, influenza, and COVID-19.

Protecting yourself and other involves taking simple, effective steps such as:

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and put the used tissue in a wastebasket. If you do not have tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Try to maintain physical distance of at least 6 feet from others when possible since respiratory droplets can spread to a person 6 feet or closer after someone with a virus coughs, sneezes or talks.

When physical distancing is not possible, wearing a homemade non-medical mask or face covering is recommended in public settings such as stores or crowded places. This can help reduce the spread of infectious respiratory droplets to others.

Germs that are on hands can enter the body through touching of the face – especially the eyes, nose and mouth.

If you experience symptoms of a cold, influenza, COVID-19 or other respiratory illnesses, stay home until you do not have a fever and symptoms have mostly gone away.

Vaccination is effective in preventing and/or lessening symptoms of respiratory illnesses such as influenza and COVID-19.

For more information, please visit the gov.nl.ca website.

The provincial government is making some changes to the frequency of updates regarding COVID-19.

After Wednesday’s numbers are released, the province will move to bi-weekly reporting of numbers, instead of weekly.

There will be no update to the COVID-19 dashboard next week, with the next lot of numbers being released in the new year.

Newfoundland and Labrador recorded 214 confirmed cases of influenza between December 4-10, with 54 hospitalizations and two deaths.

The latest influenza report, published on the provincial government’s website on Friday afternoon, shows numbers are still spiking but could be showing signs of slowing.

The 214 confirmed cases is the most the province has recorded in a single week, according to publicly available data, which goes back to 2011. That breaks a record set the previous week, which was 148.

Health officials have said it’s more helpful to pay attention to the number of hospitalizations, which increased from the previous week’s tally of 43, but by a slower rate.

“Influenza activity across Canada remains above expected levels for this time of year,” the report reads. “However, activity is showing signs of decrease.”

There have been 432 confirmed cases in the province, with 117 hospitalizations and seven deaths.

About 61 per cent of cases have been in people under 45 years of age. More than six per cent of total emergency rooms visits in the province during the report period were due to influenza.

There has been a lot of concerns on the gas prices along the North coast communities.

Lela Evans is the MHA for the Torngat Mountains District.

She says she’s been speaking with the Public Utility Board, and says the price of gas went down a little bit but is not enough.

She also says that she is worried about the people who has to buy stove oil to keep their families warm throughout the winter months.

Evans also speaks about the changes to the health care in Goose Bay.

Click here to hear the Inuttitut translations on her concerns for the North coast.

Good News Before Christmas! On behalf of all the local union members in Voisey’s Bay with ASCI Security, TSI, VALE and Labrador Catering, they fundraised and donated a total of $4,500 to go towards children in need during Christmas.

That’s about 200 toys for boys and girls. They randomized a draw and the lucky community selected is Nain.

They are very grateful to be a part of this worthy cause and would like to thank everyone who donated and helped out.

Happy Holidays from VALE’s USW Local 9508.

There was another fundraiser for Nain with a total of $57,326.06 that was donated to the Late Isabella Lyall Sewing group from the Moravian Church Sewing Circle.

During the Nain Moravian Church meeting last week, there were two issues that were discussed.

One was that on Children’s Traditional Day at Love Feast 3pm, that they will serve boxed juice or jammers with a biscuit to each child, instead of tea, because some of the children do not or cannot drink tea.

The other was when single parents baptize their baby the father cannot go up to the table. This has been a Tradition for many, many years and it says in the Nain Moravian Document Book where it has been followed year after year.

Also, depending on the COVID-19 situation, the church services would be changed to virtual services like last years.

First, my apologies for the delay and lack of updates. Since the last information update, the exchange for a different size woodstove has been completed, with the Blaze King Princess PE32 model being selected for the program. You can visit the Blaze King website for further details and specs. Home inspections were also re-assessed to order chimney parts for those homes approved for the program. Having a complete install with new chimneys will ensure safety and maximize efficiency.

The new stoves and parts arrived in Goose Bay in early November. Since then, we’ve organized, separated and prepared materials for shipment to each community. All stoves and materials made it on the last Kamutik W trip up the coast and are now in storage in each community. A request for tenders was released mid-November to hire an installer and we are in the final stages of securing a contractor to do the installs.

Everyone who is receiving a woodstove for this round of the program has been contacted. We will reach out to everyone to schedule a time for installation when contractor is secured. We will arrange installs as weather allows between now and spring.

For the residents contributing 25% to the install, if you are not able to pay the total up front, we will discuss an option to pay in installments. Once the full balance is paid, we will add you to the installation schedule.

If you have questions, comments, or concerns please contact the Nunatsiavut Government. As this is a learning process for everybody, feedback, whether good or bad, is appreciated. This will assist in improving the program and fixing any problems that arise.

These high efficiency woodstoves are very different to operate than conventional woodstoves and require extra effort to run efficiently. We will share tips and provide info to make it easier on our Facebook page. If you need assistance with operation or if it is not working properly, please contact us so that we can address the issue.

We will be releasing another round of applications in the coming months, with plans to install an additional 100 woodstoves. We will inform everyone through our communication channels when these are available. As you consider applying, please keep in mind that this program specifically supplies high efficiency woodstoves, funded for reducing emissions and cutting down on the amount of wood needed. If this type of woodstove is not for you or if you are in urge need of a new woodstove, I recommend applying to other programs within NG such as the home repair program.

This program has been delayed much longer than anticipated, but these major issues needed to be resolved appropriately to ensure a safe and quality install to the homeowner.

The Nunatsiavut Government is working with Labrador-Grenfell Regional Health Authority in an effort to alleviate the impacts of reduced service delivery at the Labrador Health Centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

LGH announced on Friday, December 16 that due to the available number of Registered Nurses, temporary service delivery changes are required at the LHC.

Effective immediately, all obstetrical services will be diverted from the LHC to the Labrador West Health Centre in Labrador City. This diversion is expected to last until January 13, 2023. Expectant mothers will be contacted to discuss birth plans options.

All coastal medevac patients will be diverted to a LGH facility, other than the LHC.

With respect to transitioning to home and community care, early discharge is being arranged for patients who do not require acute services at the LHC. The health authority is working with patients and their families to coordinate home and community placements that best meet their care needs.

There are no changes to emergency services at the LHC.

“It is very unfortunate that these measures have to be put in place,” says Nunatsiavut President Johannes Lampe. “Staff with the Nunatsiavut Department of Health and Social Development are keeping a close eye on these developments, and will assist as much as possible during this temporary interruption in health services.”

There has been a lot of concerns on the gas prices along the North coast communities.

Lela Evans is the MHA for the Torngat Mountains District.

She says she’s been speaking with the Public Utility Board, and says the price of gas went down a little bit but is not enough.

She also says that she is worried about the people who has to buy stove oil to keep their families warm throughout the winter months.

Evans also speaks about the changes to the health care in Goose Bay.

Click here to hear her concerns for the North coast.