An uptick in recent COVID-19 cases will lead to a community lockdown for Pelican Narrows, starting this weekend.
The lockdown order was first announced August 13, going into effect Sunday evening.
"For the safety of our community and our children and grandchildren... a lockdown will take effect August 15 at 6 p.m." reads an online statement from Brian McCallum, Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN) official and recreation director for Pelican Narrows.
Under the terms of the lockdown order, only medical and emergency personnel will be allowed to travel into and out of the community, along with Pelican Narrows residents leaving for essential services. Vehicles will be searched by community safety officers for drugs and alcohol upon arrival. Travellers from Sandy Bay heading south through Pelican Narrows will be able to pass through, but will be escorted through town without stopping anywhere.
Several community events planned for the near future have either been postponed or shelved altogehter. The Pelican Narrows Summerfest, originally planned for next week, has been postponed, while the Torch Trail Bible Camp from August 16-20 was cancelled.
According to the Angelique Canada Health Centre, people who later tested positive for COVID-19 had attended two events in the community at times when they may have been infectious - a wedding ceremony, dinner and reception July 24 and an anniversary celebration August 7.
"Anyone who attended the events during the specified dates listed above should immediately call the Angelique Canada Health Centre to book a COVID-19 test if they have COVID-19 symptoms," reads an August 11 statement from the centre, which also advised people to receive COVID-19 vaccinations if they haven't already and to self-monitor for symptoms.
As of August 12, over 200 people in the community are in isolation, with 19 confirmed active cases of COVID-19 reported and eight new cases discovered Thursday. Out of the community's 2,700 people, only 707 people are fully vaccinated according to the centre.
Since the pandemic began, 485 people in Pelican Narrows have tested positive for COVID-19, most of whom were infected during a months-long community outbreak during the second and early third waves from fall 2020 to spring 2021.
Entry checkpoints remain in place for several PBCN communities, including the Amisk Lake reserve at Denare Beach.
