COVID-19 FUNDING GUIDES – Last Updated August 7, 2020

Temporary Village Closure – COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

Attention: All Non, Full-time Residents of Gwa’yas’dums Village

March 23, 2020

To our community:

On behalf of Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis leadership, we would like to assure you that we are monitoring the impacts of COVID-19 outbreak as it progresses and are taking steps for safety precautions with the Village of Gwa’yasdam’s. We are acutely aware that Indigenous communities, including Gwa’yasdam’s, are especially vulnerable to viruses, in the recent past H1N1, and other diseases historically. After a call today between chief and council and those living in the community, we have prepared more information for you and will continue to do so.

For the safety of all, travel should be limited to essential travel only. There will be room on the Haliwud for spaced alternate seating from one another. By community request, the Village will be continuing with “Grub Day” March 27th. One person per family will be accepted on the Haliwud. Shop for an Elder, and those with compromised health if you, can and we can arrange to pick up online orders from IGA. To support, there will be two runs. We recommend practicing social distancing (download the PDF on social distancing). Additional steps include washing your hands immediately upon returning from Port McNeill, followed by washing your clothes and showering.

The Chief and Council will be limiting travel by cancelling all face-to-face meetings until further notice and will be meeting by conference call instead.

The band office is open with modified hours. It will be kept open as a necessary service to the community, please limit visiting the band office for coffee, please wash your hands upon entry and stay 6 feet away from each other if you do visit (see flyer on handwashing). While we are social people, group gatherings, including cultural events and public meetings will be postponed until further notice.

The Village of Gwa’yasda?m’s is closing our borders to non-residents effective immediately. Anyone who has recently returned to the Village from populated areas (Vancouver Island and Vancouver, etc.) are asked to self-monitor, and self-isolate themselves. Current visitors are not being removed from the Village, but are being asked to self-monitor and self isolate themselves for health symptoms (see flyer on self-monitoring and self-isolation).

We advise you to stay up to date with informed webpages, as the situation is evolving daily:

COVID-19 and Indigenous Communities: https://bit.ly/2QGxV1P

BC COVID-19 Symptom Self- Assessment tool: https://bit.ly/2QDvLQs

Many changes are happening quickly, and we thank-you for your patience and respectfulness to one another.

G? ilakas’la,

Chief Rick Johnson