The Labrador Aboriginal Training Partnership office is now open.

Keith Jacque is the Executive Director with the LATP.

He says the offices are not open to the public yet, however, depending on which program, they are recruiting people to attend some training sessions from April to June.

Jacque adds that due to Alert Level 3, there’s a lot of procedures and protocols in place to ensure a safe trip when individuals return from their training.

Click here to hear more from Jacque on the upcoming training with LATP.

The Department of Language, Culture and Tourism with the Nunatsiavut Government will be giving away an iPhone SE.

For every person who does an Inuktitut recording for the IlinniaKatigennik Contest will have their name put into a draw until April 30th, 2021.

Any recordings are done over the phone due to COVID-19 restrictions and will be aired on OKâlaKatiget Society.

You will be compensated for your time for $50 for adults and promo for children.

Please note that it must be your own Inuktitut story to get the $50, and if you are reading someone else’s story or reading a book you will get $25.

This is for anyone along the North Coast and in the Canadian constituency.

For more information, you can contact Robyn Martin at (709) 922-2051 or email her at robyn.martin@nunatsiavut.com

The Easter Bunny is soon coming to town.

The Jeremias Sillitt Community Center will be having an Easter Bunny Visit on Sunday, April 4, 2021.

Lisa Ivany is the Recreation Director with the Nain Inuit Community Government.

She says the Easter Bunny will visit outside your house and give a treat to your child/children.

If you would like your child/children registered for a visit from the Easter Bunny please call 922-2691 or 922-2690.

Pictures can also be taken outside during the visit.

For more information, please contact the Recreation Department at 922-2691.

Today, Friday, March 19th, Newfoundland and Labrador has NO new confirmed cases of COVID-19.

There are 26 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

The regional breakdown of the 26 active cases is as follows:

• Eastern Health – 26
• Central Health – 0
• Labrador-Grenfell Health – 0
• Western Health – 0

There have been 8 new recoveries in the Eastern Health region meaning 978 people have recovered.

There is ONE person in hospital due to COVID-19 and to date, 121,549 people have been tested.

The Aboriginal Family Friendship Centre, First Light in St. John’s is still closed to the public where the region is in Alert Level 4.

Susan Onalik is the President of First Light board of Directors.

She says due to restrictions the staff are working at home, but the building is being checked on daily.

Onalik says the Nunatsiavut Van drivers are working and picking up patients from the airport and drive them to where they must go for an appointment, by taking a bubble at a time.

She says some of their programs are going on and its only run through online or Facebook.

Onalik added at this point and time the vice-president is overlooking or taking care of the businesses to be ready if or when the Alert change.

The Labrador Creative Arts Festival has extended its deadline for submissions to March 31st, 2021.

This year’s event will be held virtually.

Sandra Broomfield is the Coordinator for the Labrador Creative Arts Festival she says that this is the 45th annual event.

Broomfield adds that all the schools in northern, southern and central Labrador are participating and that this year’s theme is called “Respect”.

Broomfield also adds that the schools have until end of this month to complete a video or a slide show of their communities to share with the other communities.

The deadline has been extended because we entered Alert Level 4 on February 12th and this caused the schools to close.

The Nunatsiavut Government today released the latest data on the number of residents in each Labrador Inuit community that have received the COVID-19 Moderna vaccine.

The numbers below show residents 18 years of age and older who were eligible to receive the vaccine, along with the numbers of doses administered and the overall percentage in each community.

In the community of Makkovik there is a population of 221 people, and 194 people received the first dose while 179 people received the second dose.

In the community of Hopedale there is a population of 443 people, and 389 people received the first dose while 344 people received the second dose.

The community of Nain with the population of 775 people, 603 people received the first while 562 people received the second dose.

The town of Rigolet with a population of 221 people, 219 received the first dose, while 212 people received their second dose.

In the community of Postville there is a population of 147 people, and 111 received the first dose while 112 people received the second dose.

The total Nunatsiavut Beneficiaries of 1807 people, 1516 people received the first dose, while 1409 people received the second dose.

The Moderna vaccine requires two doses. The administration of the second dose is ongoing.

The Nunatsiavut Government is pleased with the high percentage of doses administered thus far and continues to work with all relevant authorities to deliver the vaccine as quickly as possible in a safe and efficient manner to all eligible residents within the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area.

The province went Alert Level 3 last Saturday, March 13th, 2021.

We spoke with each of the AngajukKât along the north coast to see what changes have been made as we moved to Alert Level 3.

Charlotte Wolfrey is the AngajukKâk of Rigolet.

She says the Rigolet Inuit Community Government are back to full staff but is asked to call ahead of time before entering the building.

Their radio bingo has started up again, with a limit of 3-4 people at a time entering the building.

Glenn Sheppard is the AngajukKâk of Postville.

He says the Postville Inuit Community Government is open to the public but would have to call in ahead to make an appointment with the clerk or assistant clerk.

Radio bingo is closed due to Policies put in place.

Work room is available to 2-4 persons at a time, maximum amount of people at the gym are 5-6 persons at a time.

Barry Andersen is the AngajukKâk of Makkovik.

He says the Makkovik Inuit Community Government is open only for paying bills, but he also adds that the doors will open once alert level 2.

The Arena is open for public skating with a maximum of 20 persons at a time.

Click here to hear more from the AngajukKât of Rigolet, Postville and Makkovik.

Today, (Thursday, March 18), Newfoundland and Labrador have one new confirmed case of COVID-19 in the Eastern Health region.

The one new confirmed case is a male between 20-39 years of age. The case is related to international travel.

The individual is self-isolating and contact tracing is underway. Anyone considered a close contact has been advised to quarantine.

There are 34 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

The regional breakdown of the 34 active cases is as follows:

• Eastern Health – 34
• Central Health – 0
• Labrador-Grenfell Health – 0
• Western Health – 0

There have been three new recoveries in the Eastern Health region meaning 970 people have recovered.

There are two people in the hospital, and one is in intensive care.

To date, 121,348 people have been tested.

There are no new presumptive positive cases.

The Council of Atlantic Premiers have agreed to reopen the Atlantic Bubble by April 19th.

This is “conditional upon COVID-19 case numbers remaining low in the region” and depending on the ongoing advice of the four Atlantic Chief Medical Officers of Health.

Like the other Atlantic provinces, Newfoundland and Labrador’s participation is conditional on the continued progress in easing the provincial alert-level restrictions.

If the Bubble reopens, it will allow Atlantic residents to move within the region without self-isolating for 14 days.

It is critical that provinces and territories prioritize cancer patients and their caregivers during the second phase of COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

The pandemic response has inadvertently negatively impacted the lives of cancer patients and survivors. This applies to all cancer patients, and particularly to those with lung cancer, who are uniquely vulnerable to complications if they contract COVID-19 due to their diminished lung function and immunocompromised systems.

The ability of cancer patients to access healthcare and cancer care remains in doubt, and may lead to worse outcomes, including later diagnoses and postponed or missed appointments, tests, or treatments. The anxiety and fear that cancer patients and caregivers are experiencing about contracting COVID-19 can be assuaged by the prioritization of COVID-19 vaccinations of cancer patients and their caregivers so that they feel safe when they go to cancer care appointments.

The Canadian Cancer Survivor Network therefore calls on the National Advisory Committee on Immunization as well as the provinces and territories to explicitly include cancer patients and caregivers in Phase 2 immunization plans.