Nunavut has suspended its side of the Common Travel Area with the NWT, effective immediately.
Nunavut’s Deputy Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Anne Huang made the decision following the increased risk of COVID-19 in the NWT as the territory received an influx of cases in the Sahtu region over the weekend.
There are now 31 confirmed cases in the territory connected to the outbreak at the traditional hand games tournament in Fort Good Hope.
“Individuals who are not fully-vaccinated must isolate at the designated isolation hub in Yellowknife for 14 days before travelling home to Nunavut,” she adds.
The exceptions to this isolation requirement include travellers with a same-ticket layover through Yellowknife; vaccinated travellers with unvaccinated children 12 years old or under; critical workers with an authorized travel letter; or those granted compassionate exemption.
Huang says the current public health orders dictate when one traveller of a household is required to isolate, all unvaccinated members of that household must isolate as well.
“Those isolating must remain in their home for 14 days, must follow all in-territory isolation rules and should have groceries delivered. If delivery is not possible, one isolating member of the household may shop for food once per week,” she adds .
Anyone who believes they have been exposed to COVID-19 is asked to call the COVID hotline at 1-888-975-8601 between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., or notify their community health centre right away, and immediately isolate at home for 14 days.
