Singing, dancing to resume as Nunavut winds down public health measures
CBC
Singing and dancing at bars, restaurants and places of worship will return to most of Nunavut next week as the territory gradually eases public health measures put in place as a result of the public health emergency declared almost two years ago.
That state of emergency is set to be lifted by April 11.
Nunavut Health Minister John Main and Chief Public Health Officer Michael Patterson made the announcement Wednesday morning.
"It is time to move away from life under public health measures," Patterson said in a news release. "These changes will allow the Government of Nunavut to shift resources to integrating COVID-19 response into the regular health care system."
Nunavut first declared a state of public health emergency on March 18, 2020. That gave the government special powers to require people to self-isolate if entering the territory, close businesses and take other extraordinary measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The plan to lift the state of emergency is based on the assumption there are no further challenges related to the virus and there is evidence that the health system can cope with COVID-19 as it would any other condition.
As of March 9, the territory reported 472 known active cases.
The territory will start by gradually easing measures next week, with the exception of the communities of Gjoa Haven, Kugaaruk, Igloolik and Taloyoak.
Elsewhere, the following changes are in effect as of Monday, March 14:
In Gjoa Haven, Kugaaruk, Igloolik and Taloyoak, team sports will resume and gatherings will increase somewhat. These are the measures for those communities as of March 14:
Also starting March 14, Nunavut will reduce its COVID-19 case reporting to once per week.
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