Amid the recent outbreak of COVID-19 in Inuvik, residents in Fort McPherson have grown concerned for their safety – leading community governments to issue a travel advisory.
Gary McBride is the senior administrative officer for the Hamlet and he’s concerned for residents, especially Elders.
“A lot of our population does travel back and forth into Inuvik on a regular basis,” he says.
He’s worried that this trend in travel could carry the virus into the community.
“If we were to have (a COVID case) in the community, we’re very concerned about how we’re able to handle it.”
The status of the travel advisory depends on how the situation develops in Inuvik, he adds.
If the situation in Inuvik does worsen, residents in Fort McPherson can expect some tighter lockdown measures.
Although the advisory is precautionary, he says, “it’s trying to be proactive and trying to identify the possible risk and what we can do to help to mitigate those risks.”
The Hamlet, the band and the Designated Gwich’in Office (DGO) will be meeting again tomorrow morning to determine if they will put check-points in and out of the community to mitigate further spread.
McBride urges the community to maintain COVID-19 protocols at this time.
