CHIBOUGAMAU, Qc – The Nord-du-Québec region became one of the first Thursday to undertake a massive vaccination campaign against COVID-19. Since Thursday morning, most residents north of the 49th Parallel aged 40 and over have received or will receive their first dose in the next few days.
The socio-health region had until then been relatively spared from the pandemic. It was nonetheless classified as Level 4 by the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ), due to its isolation and remoteness.
“The health sector already requires good logistics without COVID,” explains the CEO of the James Bay Regional Health and Social Services Center, Nathalie Boisvert. For more serious cases, such as stroke, our residents have to travel several kilometers to a health center, often to be transferred thereafter to a facility in the south of the province. All of this brings additional pressure and concerns with COVID-19. This is why our vaccination was a priority. “
Outbreaks
Like the rest of the province, Nord-du-Québec has experienced episodes of outbreaks of the virus. Last November, 146 people were put in isolation after attending the Bolorama bowling alley in Chibougamau. The region’s Public Health also highlights two outbreaks in retirement homes over the holiday season.
“Our public health team has done a tremendous job upstream,” says the CEO of the CRSSSBJ. They worked hard to do preventive screening. ”
The vastness of the territory is also a logistical challenge, according to the assistant to the CEO, Julie Pelletier.
“We have agreements with other regions, for example in the sector north of La Sarre, which comes under our jurisdiction,” she explains. These regions are closer to Abitibi, even if they are in Jamésie. We will be going to vaccinate people in this area over the next few days. ”
Discussions with the Cree Health Board
Another puzzle: populations of Cree and non-Cree origin live side by side on the territory, but are not governed by the same organizations. The Crees are supported by the Cree Health Board (CHB), which has jurisdiction over these populations. Except that the virus does not make a distinction.
“We have constant discussions with the Cree Health Board,” says Nathalie Boisvert. We are aware that the virus circulates in both populations, so we need to work together to keep outbreaks under control. ”
Thus, every Thursday, representatives of the two entities sit down with political representatives to take stock of the situation. There is also mutual aid in everyday life.
“During the outbreak at the bowling alley, the CHB lent us two nurses to help with the screening,” says Ms. Boisvert. Recently, there have been several cases of COVID in the community of Oujé-Bougoumou (located less than 30 km from Chapais), and in Mistissini. Four of our nurses went to help out there. ”
After the age of 40 and over, it will be the turn of people aged 18 and over to be vaccinated in early February.
“The distance from large centers has its advantages, but from a health point of view, we are far from specialized services,” says Julie Pelletier. This is why we have as objective a rapid collective immunization. ”
–
