The GNWT urged NWT residents to Finish Strong, as part of a new COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
The campaign teases a future beyond COVID-19, but tells residents to keep following COVID-19 guidelines.
“As we watch the pandemic ravage areas to the south of us, this is no time to take our foot off the pedal,” the statement read. “We are so fortunate to be able to experience the accelerated vaccine roll out which will mean all of our residents will be protected.”
“As experts on their respective communities, our Mayors and Chiefs appreciated the collaborative and respectful way they were treated throughout the pandemic as the response has evolved,” Fort Smith Mayor Lynn Napier, who is also President of the NWT Association of Communities said in a statement.
“It takes a unique insight to treat the community governments and our association as important collaborators, partners and leaders.”
There are seven active cases of COVID-19 in the community, three NWT residents and four non-NWT residents. The territory’s total number of COVID-190 cases is 42 with 5 NWT residents being treated for COVID-19 outside the territory.
The GNWT recently announced they would be pushing back the timeline of fully vaccinating 75 percent of the eligible adult population by the end of April.
Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Kami Kandola says 75 per cent of adults are still expected to receive the first dose by the end of March.
Kandola says the territory will be receiving another 30,000 plus doses of the vaccine by the end of March in two separate shipments.
Approximately 42 percent of adults in the NWT have so far received their first dose.
Premier Caroline Cochrane says working with Indigenous and community governments has ensured information about the vaccine gets to people in rural communities throughout the territory.
“We would not want to be living anywhere else during these challenging times!” the statement concludes. “We ARE the North.”
