New Year Begins with Old Safety Measures

by Kaniehtonkie

The new year began much like last year – with local governments issuing precautions to mitigate the constant threat of COVID. Akwesasne, Kahnawake, and Six Nations all closed out 2021 with renewed safety measures.

The Saint Regis Tribal Council’s Emergency Operation Center released on Monday ‘the highest total active COVID-19 cases recorded since the pandemic began.’

Their last report on Thursday, December 30th, the SRMT EOC and Health Services reported forty-six (46) new cases of COVID-19 in Akwesasne’s southern portion today. On Monday, they reported 119 total active cases under the Tribe’s jurisdiction.

The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne’s Community Health Program reported seven (7) new positive cases of COVID-19 in the northern portion of the community on Monday, January 3, 2022. They also reported 31 active cases.

Ontario Ministry of Health (OMH) revised their public health measures and advice on Wednesday, January 5. Some of the changes include indoor social gatherings must be limited to five people, outdoor social gathering limits will be reduced to 10 people, capacity limits at indoor weddings, funerals, and religious services, rites and ceremonies are limited to 50 per cent occupancy, and outdoor services are limited to the number of people that can maintain two meters of physical distance. OMH also made changes to testing guidelines, changes to isolation and students in Ontario will return to remote learning from January 5th to 17th.

Many will begin to work from home again. Indoor dining at restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments will not be permitted. Outdoor dining with restrictions is permitted (have fun with that right now).

Takeout, drive through and delivery is permitted at restaurants.

The return to ‘reduced capacity at certain businesses and events’ - capacity restrictions of 50% will be in place for retail settings (including shopping malls), certain personal care services (with additional restrictions) and libraries. In addition, indoor weddings, funerals, and religious services, rites and ceremonies will be limited to 50% capacity of the particular room. Outdoor services will be limited to the number of people that can maintain 2 meters of physical distance.

Temporary business and service closures include indoor concert venues, theatres, cinemas; rehearsals and recorded performances permitted with restrictions, indoor sport and recreational fitness facilities including gyms.

Temporary closures also include museums, galleries, zoos, science centers, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions, amusement parks and waterparks, tour and guide services and fairs, rural exhibitions, and festivals in Ontario.

Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke COVID-19 Task Force advised the community that new safety measures within Kahnawà:ke had been set into force effective on December 31st. This is to ensure the recent rising number of COVID-19 cases and its potential effects can be mitigated safely.

According the MCK Task Force, “The situation within the community and surrounding area is deemed critical at this time, and transmission is at its highest.”

As a result, the Task Force has put the following measures into force: Kahnawà:ke is for residents only between 10pm and 5am, with the exception of non-local essential service employees, local businesses to remain open on Sundays during regular hours, Kahnawà:ke Schools re-opening date extended to Monday, January 17th, funerals taking place in larger venues can accommodate up to a maximum of 25 persons or if taking place at Poissant’s Funeral Home, up to a maximum of 10 persons at a time. All recreation areas, such as the town rink, is limited to one household at a time.

Although there is no curfew for Kahnawa’kehró:non, they are subject to Quebec’s curfew should they leave the Territory.

MCK Task Force highly recommend that you remain in your family bubble at this time.

Local hospitals on both sides of Akwesasne have readjusted their services due to the strain COVID has placed on available beds and, more importantly, the nurses, doctors and hospital support staff. In response, Cornwall Community Hospital announced they will be temporarily slowing down services in its operating rooms and will be prioritizing urgent surgeries. This was a recommendation to all hospitals in Ontario from the provincial government so that staff can be redeployed to other areas.

St. Lawrence Health governs Canton-Potsdam Hospital, Gouverneur Hospital, and Massena Hospital.

According to every available science-based data - unvaccinated patients continue to suffer from the most severe form of COVID illness.