The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our lives in so many ways.

We spoke with David Hart who is an Innu singer from Sheshatshiu, Labrador.

He says he and his daughter had survived the virus two months ago and would like to spread awareness to keep our people and communities safe.

Hart also says that from his experience, it is important to be cautious where you are going, if you don’t need to travel don’t go anywhere, and stay in your community.

Stay tuned to our AtjiKangitut show today to hear more of what Hart has to say on COVID-19.

Please note that this will be aired only in English.

Today (Monday, February 22), Newfoundland and Labrador has 14 new confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The 14 new confirmed cases are as follows:

In the Eastern Health region:

• 4 under 20 years of age;
• 1 between 20-39 years of age;
• 2 between 40-49 years of age;
• 4 between 50-59 years of age; and,
• 1 between 60-69 years of age.

In the Western Health region:

• 1 between 60-69 years of age.

The case in the Western Health region is related to domestic travel.

In the Labrador-Grenfell Health region:

• 1 between 50-59 years of age.

The case in the Labrador-Grenfell Health region is related to international travel.

There are 3 females and 11 males.

Contact tracing by Public Health officials is underway. Anyone considered a close contact will be advised to quarantine.

Regarding the case in the Labrador-Grenfell Health region, this individual is military personnel who has been in self-isolation since arrival. Contact tracing is finished. There are no close contacts outside of the individual’s isolating work contacts. Public Health has determined there is no risk to the region as a result of this case.

There are 407 active cases of COVID-19.

The regional breakdown of the 407 active cases is as follows:

• Eastern Health – 398
• Central Health – 4
• Labrador-Grenfell Health – 1
• Western Health – 4

There have been 37 new recoveries in the Eastern Health region since yesterday. This means 526 people have recovered from the virus.

Five individuals are in hospital.

To date, 108,834 people have been tested.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the TaKuaKautik Food Bank will operate differently this month.

Volunteers will be delivering bags on Thursday, February 25, from 6-8 pm. A volunteer will knock on your door and leave the bag on your steps to avoid direct contact.

If you received a bag last month, we will be delivering to your home next week. If you did not receive a bag in January but need a bag now, please provide your street address to Megan Hudson through Facebook message, or comment on her Facebook post.

For special requests, (cake mix, sugar twin, baby food) please send a message.

If you have Food Bank bags, please return them to the yellow container on the steps at the warehouse.

Residents of Nunatsiavut are advised that, effective immediately, those that have full tanks of stove/furnace oil will not receive assistance under the Nunatsiavut COVID-19 Emergency Heat Subsidy Program until their tanks are empty.

Nunatsiavut Government staff will determine whether or not household oil tanks are full. Those deemed to be in need of oil will continue to receive assistance. Those whose tanks are full will be able to continue receiving assistance once their oil runs out.

These changes are necessary to ensure individuals are not stockpiling large amounts of heating fuel.

The purpose of the Nunatsiavut COVID-19 Emergency Heat Subsidy Program is to provide assistance to those most vulnerable and those economically impacted by the global pandemic in covering costs of home heating.

The coastal Community Freezers are offering deliveries for frozen meat during this pandemic.

The Nain Freezer you are to call 922-2380 on Monday’s and Tuesdays from 8:30am-12pm.

Food deliveries are every Thursday morning.

The Postville Community Freezer has Moose, Char, Cod, and Scallops.

If you would like any frozen food, you are to call 479-9793 ahead of time for pick up arrangements.

The Hopedale Community Freezer has Moose, Turbot, Scallops, Crab legs, Salt Cod fillets.

Deliveries are given to seniors 55+ years and older.

Everyone else should call 933-3864 ahead of time to receive frozen meat.

As of right now Makkovik does not have a full-time worker at their Community Freezer.

OK Radio will have Rigolet Community Freezer when it becomes available.

Public Health staff from the Nunatsiavut Department of Health and Social Development and Labrador-Grenfell Regional Health Authority are scheduled to be in Mud Lake on Wednesday, February 24 to administer the first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to all eligible residents, 18 years of age and older.

DHSD staff will arrange times for eligible individuals to receive the vaccine, which will be administered at the Community Centre.

The Moderna vaccine requires two doses to be effective. Residents will be advised when the second dose will be administered.

Residents who have specific questions about the vaccine or who aren’t sure it’s right for them, are encouraged to speak with their primary care provider ahead of Wednesday’s clinic.

The Nunatsiavut Government continues to work with all relevant authorities to ensure the vaccine is administered as quickly as possible in a safe and efficient manner.

For more information, please contact Kelly Jacobs, the Community Health Worker at 709-896-4055 or 709-899 4151.

On Monday, February 22, 2021, the 12th Council of Happy Valley-Goose Bay submitted a letter to the Province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, calling for Point of Entry COVID-19 Rapid Testing for all travel into Labrador, including essential travel.

“As you may know, Happy Valley-Goose Bay is known to be the Hub of Labrador. Anyone traveling from the Island of Newfoundland and beyond coming to Labrador will ultimately enter via our community” stated the letter.

The 12th Council of the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay calls upon the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, to implement a special measures order with immediate effect that provides for point of entry rapid testing for COVID-19 for all travel, including essential travel.

The view of the Town that the rapid test would give a result within an hour of administering the test. Although the result would be presumptive, it would still be beneficial in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and indeed all of Labrador.

The Council’s position is that the Point of Entry COVID-19 Rapid Testing occurs at the St. John’s International Airport, Deer Lake Regional Airport, Gander International Airport, and the Quebec/Labrador border in Labrador West, and the Strait of Belle Isle Ferry Service.

The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay is encouraging all leaders of Labrador’s communities to join in this call to action to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our region’s remote communities.

President of Nunatsiavut Government Johannes Lampe says that the presumptive COVID-19 case that was in Makkovik last week was a wakeup call and we cannot take any chances.

He says that the Labrador Grenfell Health and the Department of Health and Social Development worked closely together to respond to this situation.

Residents of Makkovik took swab tests and all samples came out negative.

Lampe encourages everyone to continue to adhere to Alert Level 5 protocols that are in place, including no travelling to other Nunatsiavut communities either by air or snowmobile.

We will be speaking with President Johannes Lampe later in our AtjiKangitut program to get an update from the Nunatsiavut Government.

Nunatsiavut Electoral Officer Nannette Blake late last evening released the following official results of the February 17 by-election for Ordinary Member in the Constituency of Canada.

Darlene Gear-White 178
Sabina Jung 8
Selina Legge 34
Zippie Nochasak 186
Susan Sonya Onalik 218
Patricia Kay Voisey 60

The Official vote count will be conducted on Monday, February 22, at which time a winner will be declared.

The Nunatsiavut Assembly meets at least four times a year in Hopedale. Ordinary Members represent Inuit from their respective constituencies in the Nunatsiavut Assembly.

TODAY, Thursday, February 18th, Newfoundland and Labrador has 48 new confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The 48 new confirmed cases are as follows:
In the Eastern Health region:
• 12 under 20 years of age;
• 11 between 20-39 years of age;
• 10 between 40-49 years of age;
• 12 between 50-59 years of age; and,
• 3 over 70 years of age.

There are 21 females and 27 males.
Contact tracing by Public Health officials is underway. Anyone considered a close contact will be advised to quarantine.

There are a total of 6 new presumptive positive cases in the Eastern Health and Labrador-Grenfell Health regions since yesterday. This is in addition to the 21 presumptive positive cases reported yesterday.

Presumptive positive cases are not added to the province’s total active case count until they are confirmed positive by the laboratory. It may take several days for confirmatory testing to be completed. As of this public update, there are 46 presumptive positive cases awaiting confirmatory testing.

Once presumptive positive cases are confirmed positive, they are reported in public updates as new confirmed cases. For example, 17 of today’s 48 new confirmed cases are previous presumptive positive cases.

Presumptive positive cases are treated the same way as confirmed positive cases. These individuals are advised to self-isolate. Anyone considered a close contact is advised to quarantine. Public Health starts contact tracing for these cases.

The department is reminding people that they can check their COVID-19 test results online here.

There are 380 active cases of COVID-19.

The regional breakdown of the 380 active cases is as follows:
• Eastern Health – 372
• Central Health – 5
• Labrador-Grenfell Health – 0
• Western Health – 3

There have been five new recoveries in the Eastern Health region and one new recovery in the Central Health region.

This means 416 people have recovered from the virus.
Two individuals are in hospital.

To date, 100,639 people have been tested.