Nunavut's COVID-19 situation improving, but restrictions remain, says top doctor

The COVID-19 situation in Iqaluit "continues to improve," but as of now, there are no plans to loosen restrictions, Nunavut's chief public health officer said. 

In a press conference on Thursday, Dr. Michael Patterson said no cases have come from possible exposures at the Iqaluit hospital and medical boarding home.

One person is still in the hospital in Ottawa, after being medevaced south, and 40 people remain in isolation in Iqaluit, he said. As of Thursday, there were eight active cases territory-wide, all in Iqaluit. 

Current isolation protocols for those who report COVID-19 symptoms require the person to have two tests 72 hours apart to rule out an infection before they can leave isolation. 

So far, all testing for COVID-19 variants in Iqaluit has found only the B117 or Alpha variant — no cases of the more contagious Delta variant found at the Baffinland mine outbreak have been confirmed.  

More than 600 vaccine doses given to teens this week 

Premier Joe Savikataaq said at the press conference that he was encouraged by the long lines at the walk-in clinic in Iqaluit, as many in the line were young people getting the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. 

Patterson said since distribution of Pfizer vaccines began in the territory this week, 639 doses have been given out — most of them in Iqaluit. 

Teens in other communities are asked to make an appointment at their local health centre to get vaccinated. 

The Pfizer vaccine has already been distributed to many Nunavut communities and should be in all communities by Monday, Patterson said.

According to the territory's latest numbers, 60 per cent of eligible residents 18 years old and up have had their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 69 per cent have had both doses.

Since Nunavut began vaccinating its residents, two or three per cent of Moderna doses have been wasted — meaning for some reason, the dose had to be thrown out before it could be administered.

Patterson said the nationally accepted standard is five per cent so the territory is operating efficiently. He did not know if any Pfizer vaccines had been wasted.

Miss the press conference? Watch it here: 

Nunavut miners to return to work 

Miners can return to all three of Agnico Eagle's mine sites: Meadowbank, Meliadine and Hope Bay, though none have as of yet, Patterson said. 

This is because the mining company has just begun work to familiarize Nunavut staff with the new COVID-19 protocols and refresh any necessary job training. 

Miners who work at Baffinland will have to wait until after the outbreak at the Mary River site is declared over before return-to-work processes can begin.

While Patterson hopes miners do get vaccinated before returning to work, he says it's not a requirement.