Press Release

Statement from the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation On COVID-19

January 13th 2022

Tracking of active cases in the community has become increasingly difficult due to the lack of PCR testing and delayed reporting. In order to accurately report cases, and to assist with self-isolation and contact tracing; we are asking residents to please inform our Community Health Nurse Maggie Copeland if you have tested positive on a rapid test. Maggie can be reached at 905-516-7300 from 8 am – 8pm.

We want to say chi-miigwech to our Community Health professionals who have been working very hard through this pandemic to help keep our Community safe.

Public Health Measures

MCFN have implemented the following measures as a means of ensuring our community’s safety.

  • Reducing social gathering limits to five (5) people indoors and ten (10) people outdoors.
  • Limiting capacity at organized public events to five (5) people indoors.
  • Requiring businesses and organizations to ensure employees work remotely unless the nature of their work requires them to be on-site.
  • Limiting capacity at indoor weddings, funerals, and religious services, rites and ceremonies to 50 per cent capacity of the particular room. Outdoor services are limited to the number of people that can maintain 2 metres of physical distance. Social gatherings associated with these services must adhere to the social gathering limits.
  • Retail settings, including shopping malls, permitted at 50 per cent capacity.
  • Closing indoor dining at restaurant. Outdoor dining with restrictions, takeout, drive through and delivery is permitted.
  • Closing indoor sport and recreational fitness facilities including gyms.

Council is permitting OPP to answer reports of violations of the above precautions.

Due to rapid increase in active COVID-19 cases in and around our community, Chief and Council are highly recommending everyone refrain from gathering with anyone outside of their immediate households. This includes extended family and close friends. The Omicron is highly transmissible and we need to be proactive to slow the spread.

Upcoming Vaccine Clinic

We will be having an Adult 18+ Booster Clinic Date: Saturday January 22nd from 9am – 1pm at the MCFN Community Centre.

To register, call Social & Health at 905-768-0141 ext 240, or email vaccine@mncfn.ca by Friday, January 21st at 3 pm. Any calls after this will be placed on a stand-by list.

The 3rd Booster is available for First Nations, Inuit and Metis adults 18 + years and their non-Indigenous household members 3 months (84 days)  after the second dose. For the upcoming clinic, the Moderna vaccine will be offered to adults 30 + years. Both mRNA vaccines (Moderna & Pfizer) showed similar vaccine efficacy, similar safety profiles & side effects.

If you have any questions about the vaccine please reach out to vaccine@mncfn.ca and a Member of our Community Health team will follow-up. Please ensure you are always receiving information on the Vaccine from a reliable source to avoid the spread of misinformation. If you have received the Vaccine, you still must follow public health measures, which includes social distancing, masking, handwashing and staying within your own social bubble.

Please note, due to data entry staffing shortages, there may be a delay in getting your booster uploaded. If you have previously provided consent and the information is still not reflected on the Provincial data base, please email the vaccine@mncfn.ca email and provide your name, address, date of birth and date your vaccine was administered. We apologize for any inconvenience, but please know we are working hard to address this.

Testing and Isolation Periods

Due to the increased demand with testing, there is a delay for testing and results. We do however, encourage you to self-identify as a First Nation person, in order to speed up the process. If you test positive on a Rapid Antigen Test, we encourage you to reach out to the above Public Health Units for a PCR test, and to follow up with our Community Health Nurse for information on isolation requirements.

Please contact the following Public Health Offices and follow their instructions:

  • Haldimand Norfolk Public Health – 519-426-6170, ext. 9999
  • Six Nations COVID-19 Assessment Centre – 1-855-977-7737 or 226-446-9909
  • Brant County Public Health – 519-751-5818 or at assessment@bchsys.org

You can also reach out to the West Haldimand General Hospital COVID-19 Assessment Centre at 905-768-3311, extension 1113, to arrange testing.

Those who are required to self-monitor, and who are fully immunized should:

  • Wear a mask and maintain physical distancing when outside of the home to reduce the risk of transmission to others in the event they become a case;
  • Self-monitor for symptoms daily and self-isolate immediately if symptoms develop.

If you have not received the vaccine and have come in contact with a positive case, you still must self-isolate for 14 days. Please note, the MCFN Community Health Office is not a Public Health Office, although it does assist with contact tracing and wellness checks for those who reside on MCFN.

The MCFN Chief and Council have approved that effectively immediately, individuals who are positive with COVID-19 and who are fully vaccinated (at least 2 doses) and are not immunocompromised, as well as children under 12 years of age, will be required to self-isolate for at least 5 days after the days their symptoms begin. Individuals may come out of isolation after this period and once they are symptom free for a period of 24 hours. To note, this 5-day isolation period does not apply to those who are unvaccinated or work in the highest risk settings.

COVID-19 symptoms include:

  • fever or chills
  • cough
  • shortness of breath
  • decreased or loss of taste or smell

two or more of:

  • runny nose or nasal congestion
  • headache
  • extreme fatigue
  • sore throat
  • muscle aches or joint pain
  • gastrointestinal symptoms (such as vomiting or diarrhea)

MCFN Return to the Office

As a means of being proactive and keeping the staff, the organization and the community safe during this time, Council has approved that MCFN will do a “hard pause” in programming, and will return to essential services only, effective January 3rd, 2022 with a reassessment taking place prior to February 7th, 2022.

During this period, please note the following:

  • Lifelong Learning programs, including Ekwaamjigenang Children’s Centre, EarlyON and Lloyd S. King Elementary School will be remote. All LSK Classes will resume online, effective January 6th, 2022. Additional information will be forthcoming from the LSK regrading iPad pick up in the new year;
  • Necessary Social and Health Services programming, such as the Flu Shot and Immunization Clinics will continue, with enhanced COVID-19 precautions in place;
  • LMR will be deemed essential for Community Wellness applications and on-reserve status cards;
  • Payments to MCFN will continue to be made online or in person at the Administration building (front desk only).
  • All offices will be manned by a Receptionist between the hours of 8:30 – 4:30. Please note, the phones will go to voice mail during the lunch period of 12:00-1:00.

If you require emergency assistance relating to Social and Health Programs, you can contact their land line at 905-768-1181. The Receptionist will direct your call accordingly.

If you require emergency Administrative support, please contact Kerri L. King, Acting Chief Operating Officer / Executive Director of Operations, at 289-527-0364.

If you require other information or supports, we encourage you to look to our website and social media for relevant contact numbers and resources.

The MCFN Chief and Council are responsible for making decisions that affect the Membership. If you have any concerns, please contact any member of the table.