February 24, 2021

Shelter in Place Order on Tsawout First Nation

The Chief and Council have ordered the Shelter in Place Order until Tuesday, March 9, 2021.

This order is issued, with careful consideration, in response to 2 positive cases in Tsawout. The Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) and the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) are managing the cases, in close collaboration with Tsawout Health.

What does Shelter in Place mean?

Only Tsawout residents and essential workers/contractors are allowed on Tsawout Reserve #2 lands.

  • Essential workers, such as, Health staff, contractors hired by Tsawout Administration, mail and package delivery and other essential service providers.
  • If you have questions around essential workers, contractors or service providers, please see the contact information for Tsawout First Nation below.

It is requested that all Tsawout residents must stay within their home.

  • No visiting family, friends, or neighbours outside or your household. No giving rides to individuals outside of your household. No gathering with people outside of your household. No in person interaction with those outside of your household.

Tsawout residents are asked to stay in community whenever possible.

  • Acceptable reasons for leaving community include employment, picking up groceries, and other essential supplies, individual exercise, activity or essential appointments.
  • We ask that students attending school outside of community to do so remotely. If not possible, Tsawout residents are still permitted to attend school off reserve.

Tsawout will consider setting up check points in the community if the number of positive diagnosis continue to increase. Tsawout First Nation Health will continue to closely monitor the situation.

We would like to thank those adhering to the order as our efforts are to stop the transmission of additional COVID-19 cases within the community.

Please continue to follow all of the recommendations of the Provincial Health Authority. We will revisit the Shelter in Place on March 9, 2021 and update the community again.

Sincerely


Chief Nick Claxton

What exactly is ‘essential?’

The shelter-in-place order has exemptions for health, work, food and even exercise.

The Chief and Council ordered residents to remain in place at their homes except for essential activities, essential business and essential government functions, including:

  • Tasks essential to maintain health and safety, such as obtaining medicine or seeing a doctor.
  • Getting necessary services or supplies for themselves or their family or household members, such as getting food and supplies, pet food and supplies necessary for staying at home.
  • Engaging in outdoor activity, such as walking, hiking or running provided that they maintain at least 6 feet of social distancing.
  • Caring for a family member in another household.
  • Caring for elderly, minors, dependents, people with disabilities or other vulnerable persons.

The shelter-in-place order also does not apply to those going to work in an essential business or essential government function. That includes:

  • Health care operations, including home health workers.
  • Essential Infrastructure, including construction of housing and operation of public transportation and utilities.
  • Grocery stores, farmers’ markets, food banks, convenience stores.
  • Businesses that provide necessities of life for economically disadvantaged individuals and shelter facilities.
  • Pharmacies, health care supply stores and health care facilities.
  • Gas stations and auto repair facilities.
  • Banks.
  • Garbage collection.
  • Hardware stores, plumbers, electricians and other service providers necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operation of residences and other essential businesses.
  • Educational institutions, for the purposes of facilitating distance learning.
  • Laundromats, dry cleaners and laundry service providers.
  • Businesses that ship or deliver groceries, food and goods directly to residences.
  • Child care facilities providing services that enable essential employees to go to work.
  • Roles required for any essential business to “maintain basic operations,” which include security, payroll and similar activities.

Contact List

Name Title Number
Mavis Underwood Councillor 250-896-6166
Wayne Helgason, Band Manager 778-678-7101
Lois Williams, Health Manager  778-584-0344

Please keep posted here and on our Facebook page for further updates.