Starting today, January 11, 2021, Listuguj residents will benefit from the Listuguj COVID Hotline for quick and easy access to information on Listuguj’s Pandemic Response. The hotline is a new resource that will be available through our government to help increase community awareness of the measures we are taking to protect our community against the spread of COVID-19.

Ways you can use the hotline:

• To access accurate up-to-date information related to Listuguj’s COVID Response.
• To access information related to supports and services available to Listuguj Residents (e.g. mental health services, health contacts, etc.).
• To provide information about potential breaches of our measures.

The Listuguj COVID Hotline number is 581-884-2771. The hotline is available Monday to Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. When calling after hours, please leave a detailed message including your phone number.

Three (3) New Cases in Listuguj

Today we are announcing three (3) new cases of COVID-19 in Listuguj, bringing our total number of active cases to sixteen. The three new cases are related to the outbreak that took place in late December. Unfortunately, due to a handling error at the test site, a number of community members were asked to seek re-testing, which resulted in a delay in official results.

Despite the testing difficulties, this is positive news for Listuguj. We are pleased to report that there has been no community spread due to our community’s on-going efforts in helping us keep our community safe.

 

Update to Listuguj COVID Response

Today we are announcing the following changes to Listuguj’s COVID Response, which will come into effect on Saturday, January 9th, 2021, until February 8th, 2021.

• Listuguj will not be mandating a curfew within Listuguj Lands.
• Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government will remain closed to walk-ins. Staff will remain available by telephone and will see clients by appointment only.
• We are asking essential retail businesses (e.g. convenience stores, food services, gas stations and cannabis stores) and independent delivery services in Listuguj to modify their business hours and close at 8:30 p.m. Atlantic Time each day.

The decision to complement Quebec’s decision in closing all business operations is to avoid a potential influx of non-community members from entering our community – potentially exposing us to the virus.

 

Important Dates
January 11, 2021	January 14, 2021	January 18, 2021
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Community Studies program will commence online learning.	Alaqsite’w Gitpu School and Mi’gmaq Immersion students resume in-person classes.	Adult Mi’gmaq Immersion resume in-person classes.   The Learning Hub students resume in-person classes at the Listuguj Mi’gmaq Development Centre (LMDC).

 

Listuguj COVID Hotline

Starting Monday, January 11, 2021, residents of Listuguj will benefit from the Listuguj COVID Hotline for quick and easy access to information on Listuguj’s Pandemic Response. The hotline is a new resource that will be available through our government to help increase community awareness of the measures we are taking to protect our community against the spread of COVID-19.

Ways you can use the hotline:

• To access accurate up-to-date information related to Listuguj’s COVID Response;
• To access information related to supports and services available to Listuguj residents (e.g. mental health services, health contacts, etc.); and
• To provide information about potential breaches of our measures.

“I’m excited about the rollout of the Listuguj COVID Hotline. The hotline will be an excellent offline resource to our residents – especially our Elders – providing them with more ways to access our COVID Response and the available programs and services to our community members. The Listuguj hotline, website and social media pages, are the only sources for up-to-date accurate information.” – Councillor Ali Barnaby

The Listuguj COVID Hotline number will be announced Monday, January 11, 2021.

As a result of yesterday’s quick response by Chief and Council and the Unified Command, the Listuguj Police Department now has a sufficient mandate to enforce quarantine and self-isolation directives in Listuguj. The LPD will be working closely with the Listuguj Community Health Services (LCHS) to ensure individuals respect quarantine and self-isolation orders.

As a self-determining nation, Listuguj maintains that we are the sole governing body within Listuguj Lands to enforce these directives.

In accordance with OIC #2549 (as amended), individuals who fail to respect the Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government’s self-isolation and quarantine requirements can face enforcement measures.

 

Listuguj Self-Isolation and Quarantine Measures

The following self-isolation and quarantine measures will be enforced.

Self-isolation is a preventative measure to those who may have been exposed to the virus.

Self-Isolation is mandatory if:

1. You OR a member of your household is awaiting COVID-19 test results.
2. You OR a member of your household OR a guest staying in your household have come from a ‘Red Zone’ or high-risk area for non-medical or non-essential purposes and have stayed in that area for one or more nights. You are required to self-isolate for a duration of 14 days upon return to Listuguj.
3. You OR a member of your household have COVID related symptoms (e.g. cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, new loss of smell or taste, gastrointestinal symptoms, etc.). AND have been in contact with a person who recently tested positive for COVID.

Quarantine is ordered when someone or someone within your household has been tested and received a positive COVID test result.

Quarantine measures are mandatory if:

1. You or a member of your household has obtained a positive result following a COVID-19 test. The household MUST follow direction of Quebec Public Health. Quebec Public Health will release the household when it is safe to do so.

Please note, additional precautions must be taken to prevent the spread of the virus in your household especially if individuals residing in your household are considered high-risk (e.g. diabetics, etc.).

Weli gisgug Listugujawag,

As the Director of Health, I believe it is important to share with you some key information now that COVID-19 is here.

Over the last 11 months, the Health Center, along with the LMG, has implemented and shared with you a number of precautionary measures aimed at keeping COVID-19 out of our community. Our actions are rooted in a detailed Pandemic Plan that we created for our community based on our experience with H1N1 and SARS. This plan is in line with the overall Emergency Pandemic Plan developed with the Listuguj Unified Command. Everything we do, every day at the Health Center is grounded in our goal of ensuring the health and well-being of our community and its members and residents.

Our community has become complacent about COVID-19. Our community believed that this was happening somewhere else. Our community sacrificed our students’ graduation, our Pow Wow, and the many, many special occasions we each have with our own families. Or so we thought. Our community is now facing the consequences of the many social gatherings that took place as a result of this complacency.

Around the world, others have used the ‘concept’ of bubbles in their battle against this terrible disease; and around the world, it has taken the lives of over 1.8 million people.  COVID-19 is here. It’s in Listuguj, and it was completely preventable.

These ‘bubbles’ are the reason for our troubles now. Community members have family bubbles, work bubbles, social bubbles. That is us. That is the Mi’gmaq way. We are a collective of individuals who look out for each other, who ‘trust’ that the other person is looking out for us as well. We are not strangers to each other like the rest of the world. Our bubble is Listuguj. That bubble has been broken. There is no other way of saying it.

We need to forget ‘bubbles’ and begin focusing on our ‘households’. Focusing on those individuals who reside under our roof. Focusing on what we need to do over the next few weeks.

We know the possibility of the number of cases in Listuguj will go up. We need to prepare ourselves. We need to prepare our households. Our families’ health depends on it. All of us, the ‘collective’ of Listuguj, means individuals who are parents, grandparents, children, grand-children, nieces, nephews, cousins, neighbors, and friends. Together, by taking care of ourselves, we take care of each other. Take care of yourself, your household, and collectively your community will get to the other side of this crisis.

As I said earlier, we have been aware of COVID-19 since last January. By now, everyone should have cleaning supplies, hand soap and bleach in their household. It’s important that you have these supplies, and at least 2 weeks of food in your cupboards and fridges. A positive test result changes your lifestyle immediately.

Once COVID-19 hits your household, it will not wait for you to get ready, it will spread, quickly, to others under your roof. It will spread to those who enter your house to help you. It will spread. The incubation and self-isolation period for your household is 14 days from the date of your positive test results. Quebec Public Health will monitor your individual case.

I do not expect that the number of cases will be going ‘down’ in the next few weeks. I expect that this number, in spite of the great efforts by so many of us here in Listuguj, will go up. I ask that you take this seriously. I ask that you prepare your household. I ask that you stay safe. For all of us.