NU Government: COVID-19 Department of Health Services update

Press Release

July 27, 2020

Unless you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call your health centre first before going in. Describe your symptoms, and health care providers can conduct a telephone assessment and may schedule in-person appointments for appropriate care.

Wearing Masks at Health Centres

If you are presenting at a health centre with respiratory symptoms like coughing, sneezing, or a runny nose, please wear a mask. If you do not have a mask, please tell whoever receives you at the health centre of your symptoms, and they can provide you with one.

New Email for Travellers

A new email address has been established for Nunavummiut planning travel outside of the territory. All travellers must submit an Isolation Reservation Request Form to NUisolationreservations@nunavutcare.ca as soon as travel plans are known to ensure that the travel team can identify room availability and reserve stays in a designated isolation facility. More information can be found on the Department of Health website.

Isolation sites concern inbox

A new email address has been established to better address concerns and comments from clients completing 14-day isolation in the Isolation Sites in Southern Canada. The new email will take pressure off the COVID toll free line, patient relations and the CPHOtravelrequests inbox. The new email address is isolationrelations@gov.nu.ca.

Volumes

Total (All Isolation Locations)
Traveler Type	Guests in Isolation as of July 24
Medical Travel	1621
Public	1151
Total	2832

Traveller repatriation summary:

Departure Date	# of Travellers from Isolation Sites
July 25	1
July 26	15
July 27	58
July 28	19
July 29	48

Critical Worker Requests

As of July 26, there are 3000 requests, 1850 of which are critical worker requests.

Request Status	#	%
Approved (includes critical and non-critical)	2461	83%
Denied	213	7.1%
Pending	11	.4%
Common Travel Area Approved	315	10.5%
Total	3000	100%

Ongoing services:

Access to health care services will remain available in all communities 7 days a week. All non-urgent requests will be triaged daily. Immediate access to urgent and emergent health care services are and will continue to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All clients are asked to call before presenting at a health facility.

Beginning June 8, there will be an increased availability of in-person health assessments at health centres across the territory.

In Iqaluit, public health, the emergency room and inpatient unit will remain open.
Well baby clinics, prenatal visits and immunizations are continuing across Nunavut.
Physicians will continue community visits. If this is not possible, the visits will be conducted by telehealth or by phone.
Lab and Diagnostic Imaging services at QGH have resumed regular services

Adjusted services:

Appointments at health facilities are being triaged, this means the appointment may be over the phone or in person.

Medical travel services have been reduced to urgent medical travel only. Clients will be advised of these changes and involved in discussions.

In Iqaluit, outpatient clinics and rehab are triaging all appointments and conducting appointments. All upcoming appointments are being triaged.

The inpatient ward at QGH is allowing limited visitors to the inpatient ward following a questionnaire.

MHA has moved to telephone check in and support for some clients. Scheduled appointments for medication pick up and administration remain the same. If you are in crisis, present to the health centre. Home visits to administer medications will be treated on a case by case basis.

Beginning June 15, normal dental services are permitted to resume, though this service may not be available in all communities immediately. For communities where normal service resumption is delayed, emergency services are still available.

Beginning June 29, Nunavut – Continuing Care Centres (CCCs) and Elders’ Homes will accept visitors on a limited basis. Each resident or inpatient may have no more than two visitors at once, and visitors shall be restricted to immediate family members only (which includes grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Closed /Cancelled/Suspended services:

Speciality clinics have been cancelled. Work is underway to determine which clients can be seen by phone/virtual care.

All non-essential travel for mental health clients and families are cancelled. All non-essential travel for families visiting clients in care is cancelled.

Department of Health Services, July 20, 2020

Minister of Health update:

I want to take an opportunity to address the rumours and misinformation currently going around about our isolation hubs.

The Government of Nunavut is managing several hubs, and dealing with a large number of requests from both medical and non-essential travellers. In an attempt to help clear up some of the delays to get into the hubs, Iqaluit is being looked at as one of several options to help relieve the wait time for medical travellers in Winnipeg.

This has not been finalized and we are actively looking at the possibility of creating a second hub in Winnipeg, specifically for medical travellers. Our commitment is to ensure our medical travellers are well cared for and we are prioritizing their stays above non-essential travellers.

We understand the concerns raised on social media over the weekend. However, nothing has been confirmed about an Iqaluit or additional Winnipeg hub. We recognize the fear and uncertainty that comes with COVID-19. However, we need to balance that fear with facts, the best possible care for Nunavummiut and our commitment to public health and safety.

When there is an official course of action on this, we will announce it with all the relevant information. As we work to relieve this backlog, we thank those waiting for a spot in the isolation hubs for their patience and understanding. We are working around the clock to keep our territory and Nunavummiut safe. Thanks to all the staff who have worked so hard to keep everyone well during COVID-19.

Department of Health Services

Calling Ahead at Health Centres