YELLOWKNIFE November 7, 2021 – The Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO) is ordering that the East Three Elementary School in Inuvik close to in-person learning for 10 days starting today (Nov. 7, 2021) at 7:00 pm. At the time of this advisory, 11 cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Inuvik. Nine cases are in school-aged children.
Under the Public Health Order INUVIK TEMPORARY COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS (EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 7, 2021), all extracurricular activities in Inuvik (including all activities unrelated to school) involving youth under 12 will be canceled for the duration of the order.
Persons may direct inquiries about public health orders to Protect NWT at protectNWT@gov.nt.ca or call 8-1-1 (in the Northwest Territories) or 1-833-378-8297. Full details and copies of the order will be available on the GNWT COVID-19 website under the Current Public Health Orders.
All East Three elementary staff and students are required to isolate, regardless of vaccination status.
- Staff and students who are isolating must be tested on or around Day 10 and return to school with an assessment card. Public Health can provide further direction on testing requirements.
- All household members of a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 or is symptomatic are required to isolate regardless of vaccination status. They must also be tested as per public health guidance before ending isolation.
- All close contacts of individuals with COVID-19 are currently being contacted by public health for testing and isolation guidance.
- Close contacts are people who had interactions with a person with a COVID-19 infection. This puts them at higher risk of acquiring COVID-19 themselves. Currently all staff and students at East Three Elementary School are considered close contacts. Public health officials will notify you if you are not a staff or student but are considered a close contact for any other reason.
- Anyone in Inuvik who experiences symptoms must immediately isolate and arrange testing.
- Public Health and the OCPHO continue to investigate and monitor the situation and will update the public with any public exposures and further advice as the situation develops.
About Household Transmission
Household transmission is one of the highest risk exposures in NWT due to close and prolonged contact. General COVID-19 case and contact management encourages household members to safely isolate in a separate location, away from positive cases if possible.
- Public Health can assist families with safe isolation advice, guidance, and alternatives for isolation.
- Public Health can provide families with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
The NWT has reported a very high risk of developing COVID-19 during household transmission, even to fully vaccinated household contacts. However, being fully vaccinated significantly reduces any severe outcomes from COVID-19 for all individuals.
COVID-19 and Children
National data continues to show that children remain at low risk of severe symptoms of COVID-19. However, children are experiencing impacts of the current COVID-19 outbreak in the NWT. There have been more than 200 cases in children under 12 since the beginning of August. These children are not yet eligible for the vaccine.
Individualized Guidance
The information included in this advisory is to inform the public. Any guidance provided directly to people with COVID-19 and contacts of COVID-19 by public health and the CPHO supersedes the guidance found in the public health advisory.
Attribution
All commentary is attributable to Dr. James Talbot, Acting Deputy Chief Public Health Officer for the Northwest Territories.
Relevant links
- NWT COVID-19 Dashboard
- Travel Hotspots
- Delta Variant FAQs
- GWNT COVID-19 website
- Vaccination Bookings
- Story: Sometimes I Don't Feel Well
- Story: Getting Tested is Easy
Media Contact
Dawn Ostrem
Manager, COVID Communications
COVID-19 Coordinating Secretariat
Department of Health and Social Services
Government of the Northwest Territories