Statement from the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation On COVID-19 January 27th 2022
Press Release
January 27th, 2022
At this time, we have 5 active cases in the Community, 4 people are in self-isolation, with 117 total resolved cases and 2 deaths. 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 and to our COVID-19 Working Group, who have been working very hard through this pandemic to help keep our Community safe.
Current Programming
As of January 6th, Chief and Council approved a “hard pause” on all MCFN programming and returned to essential services only. During this period, please note the following:
- Lifelong Learning programs, including Ekwaamjigenang Children’s Centre, EarlyON and Lloyd S. King Elementary School are remote;
- 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.
Chief and Council are currently looking at resuming regular in-office programming. Information will be shared as soon as an official date is determined. Chief and Council are also currently discussing the return to in-person programming for all Lifelong Learning programs, including Ekwaamjigenang Children’s Centre, EarlyON and Lloyd S. King Elementary School. A formal date for in-person learning will be announced as soon as possible.
COVID-19 Precautions and Restrictions
Effective January 31, 2022 at 12:01 a.m. Chief and Council have approved that the following precautions will be in place for the MCFN:
- Social gathering limits are 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors (currently 5 indoors and 10 outdoors)
- Capacity limits are 50 per cent in indoor public settings, including but not limited to restaurants and other food or drink establishments, retailers, recreational fitness facilities, including gyms and religious services, rites, or ceremonies.
Council is permitting OPP to answer reports of violations of the above precautions.
Vaccine Clinic
Health Canada has approved the use of Pfizer-BioNTech also known as Comirnaty COVID Vaccine in Children 5 – 11 years of age.
We will be having a Children’s Clinic on Thursday February 3rd from 9 – 2 pm at the MCFN Community Centre. To register, call Social & Health at 905-768-0141 ext 240 or email vaccine@mncfn.ca by Wednesday February 2nd by 4pm. Any calls after the deadline will be placed on a stand-by list.
We are currently planning for our next 12+ Vaccine Clinic; in the meantime, if you have the opportunity to get the COVID-19 Vaccine elsewhere we highly recommend you do so.
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.
COVID-19 Symptoms – When to seek Testing
Symptoms include any of the following:
- fever or chills
- cough
- shortness of breath
- decreased or loss of taste or smell
OR any two (2) or more of the following:
- runny nose or nasal congestion
- headache
- extreme fatigue
- sore throat
- muscle aches or joint pain
- gastrointestinal symptoms (such as vomiting or diarrhea)
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.
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.
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