Squamish Nation: COVID-19 Community Update for Aug. 31, 2020

Press Release

“It is really important you know we are here for you… We are in this together and we are going to get through this together. I know that it is scary, but we will get through this.” —Kristen Rivers, Tiyáltelut, Council Co-Chair

Monday, August 31, 2020

COVID-19 has reached our communities. As of Sunday, August 30, we had 19 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on-reserve (both on the North Shore and in the Squamish Valley), with others awaiting test results. Now is the time for all of us to recommit to stopping the spread.

We want to reassure our members that we are working closely with Vancouver Coastal Health and FNHA to stay up-to-date on confirmed cases, and will continue to share updates as they become available to us.

Those who have tested positive or live in a household with someone who has tested positive, as well as those awaiting test results, are currently self-isolating. Those who have confirmed cases are in daily contact with public health officials and receiving clear guidance on health and safety protocols.

Public Health is leading the contact tracing work and reaching out to everyone who is reported to have had close contact with confirmed cases.

Our Member Support Services team is ready to help any members in isolation who need assistance

We do not receive names of those who have been instructed to self-isolate due to COVID-19, so we require impacted individuals and families to reach out to us. Please call 604-982-7610 during business hours, or 604-505-3776 after-hours.

We have already begun providing deliveries of hand sanitizer, cleaning products, masks, gloves, toilet paper, and food vouchers to families who are self-isolating, and are ready to help more families in need. We can also assist with grocery shopping and prescription pick-up/drop-off for families who need it, and will provide masks and gloves upon request to Elders and immunocompromised members.

You are not alone. Please reach out.

Member Services & Ayas Men Men are working together to prepare Community Care Packages for all member households

More information will be coming soon, but we can confirm at this time that the packages will include food items and cleaning supplies for on-reserve delivery and pick-up by off-reserve members.

Is the stress of COVID-19 negatively impacting you? Are you having difficulty coping? Support is available

During regular business hours, please call the Yúustway Health & Wellness office at

604-982-0332 to request a counselling appointment.

If you are in crisis or require after-hours support, please call the Kuu-Us Crisis Line at

250-723-4050 (Adults/Elders), 250-723-2040 (Children/Youth), or toll-free at 1-800-588-8717.

How to protect yourself and others from COVID-19:

We must continue doing what we’ve been asked to do all along:

• keep your “bubble” small
• stay home as much as possible
• maintain six feet of distance between yourself and others
• wear a mask when physical distancing isn’t possible
• wash your hands frequently, don’t touch your face
• stay home if you feel even the slightest bit sick.

What to do if you have symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has symptoms:

If you believe you may have symptoms of COVID-19, call 8-1-1.

The symptoms most commonly found with COVID-19 infection include: fever, sore throat, loss of appetite, chills, loss of sense of smell or taste, nausea and vomiting, cough or exacerbation of chronic cough, headache, muscle aches, shortness of breath, fatigue, runny nose, diarrhea.

Feel sick? Get tested. There are two testing sites on the North Shore for anyone showing symptoms: one at the Primary Care Centre on Esplanade, and another in the Centennial Theatre parking lot. In Squamish, testing is done at the Squamish General Hospital and in the parking lot of the Shady Tree Pub.

If you live in the same household, or have had close contact with a person with confirmed or clinical COVID-19 symptoms who is self-isolating, you should self-isolate and contact 8-1-1 and follow medical professionals’ guidance related to symptoms, testing and self-isolation.

If you have been in close contact with a person who has exhibited COVID-19 symptoms, you should self-monitor and take extra precautions to minimize the risk of transmission.

DID YOU KNOW?  Failing to comply with the Provincial Health Orders can now cost you up to $2,000

Law enforcement officers in BC (police and RCMP) now have the authority to issue fines for failing to comply with Provincial Health Orders, including gatherings over 50 people, as well as smaller gatherings of under 50 people where physical distancing is not enforced and/or other precautions are not being taken. Event/party hosts can be fined up to $2,000, and attendees may also be issued smaller fines.

Help keep our communities safe. Report parties where physical distancing is not being observed by calling your local police or RCMP non-emergency line.

Isolation Support available through FNHA

The FNHA Health Benefits Isolation Support team is available to support your self-isolation travel needs seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call 1-888-305-1505.

At any time, if you have severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, or are losing consciousness, call 9-1-1.

If you find yourself with self-isolation needs or concerns due to COVID-19, the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) can support you. The FNHA is following the provincial criteria for self-isolation set by the BC Centre for Disease Control.

Individuals may be eligible for isolation support if they are unable to obtain their own accommodations and:

• ​are returning to Canada from international travel including the United States;
• are confirmed as having COVID-19 or have been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19;
• are returning to community from a high-risk location or environment including work camps/care facilities/communities experiencing an outbreak;
• belong to vulnerable population groups identified below that would have difficulties self-isolating due to issues around transportation, food delivery, medical requirements, or where COVID-19 is present in the community;
• have symptoms of COVID-19 but no confirmed testing; or
• have a positive COVID-19 test and live more than 2 hours from a hospital.

Vulnerable population groups include:

• Elders (60+);
• those with pre-existing chronic conditions (such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, asthma, renal disease, heart disease);
• individuals with compromised immune systems due to disease and/or due to treatment (treatment of cancer or organ transplantation, with their associated increasing range of chronic illnesses and inflammatory conditions);
• young children (under 5 years of age) and infants; and
• ​pregnant women

The FNHA Health Benefits Isolation Support team can help you with accommodation, travel and meals if you need to self-isolate. If you think you are eligible, or have any self-isolation transportation questions, please call

1-888-305-1505.

For general information about COVID-19, please visit www.fnha.ca.

IHT5