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Vaccinations begin in remote First Nations communities on Island

The Ehattesaht Nation near Zeballos is one of at least eight remote First Nations communities on Vancouver Island that has received the COVID-19 vaccine and is already putting needles in arms.
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Chief Simon John gets the first COVID-19 vaccine in Ehattesaht on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. D. SMITH PHOTO

The Ehattesaht Nation near Zeballos is one of at least eight remote First Nations communities on Vancouver Island that has received the COVID-19 vaccine and is already putting needles in arms.

To date, almost half the 10,700 doses of Moderna vaccine earmarked for rural and remote First Nations communities in B.C. have been distributed to 18 rural and remote First Nations communities, including eight on the Island. The doses are to be delivered this week.

Ehattesaht Chief Simon John and three councillors were vaccinated Monday in a demonstration to any vaccine-averse members in the community that the product is safe and encouraged. The vaccinations are expected to wrap up Tuesday.

“The membership is kind of nervous about the vaccine, which we expected,” said John. “For me this feels a bit historic. I know as First Nations in remote communities, we have been asking to be first for a long time and I think this gives us some comfort. We are a long way from a hospital.”

Accessible only by air and logging road, Ehatis is one of several First Nations communities on the Island — including Cowichan Tribes and Snuneymuxw — that has been trying to contain outbreaks. Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, representing 14 First Nations on the Island, is urging all of its 10,000 members to be vaccinated.

On Nov. 20, the first person in Ehatis tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, out of 100 people, there were 28 positive cases affecting half the community’s 20 households. The outbreak was brought under control between Christmas and New Year’s, said band manager and COVID response co-ordinator Darlene Smith on Tuesday, noting the last person to test positive for COVID-19 has quarantined for 10 days. There were no deaths or hospitalizations, she said.

“We were pretty lucky when you think about how much worse it could have been, and thankfully, our elders and those with compromised health stayed safe and it didn’t spread outside of our village,” said John. “But now we have to head into a new phase and have our people vaccinated to prevent another outbreak, because no one wants to go through this again.”

With the help of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council nurses, First Nations Health Authority and Island Health, the chief, council and administration acquired resources to keep people in their homes and physically distanced leading up to Christmas, said Smith.

Individuals are being asked to book appointments Tuesday with the nurses in the band office’s health wing. Two nurses will be administering first doses, a third nurse is monitoring those vaccinated, a fourth outreach nurse navigator is going door to door in the community, and two local ambassadors are assisting with appointment reception and check in.

“I think there are a lot of people very nervous about the vaccine, but they are here to save lives and we have to make sure we are doing this responsibly,” said band councillor Cory Hanson in a statement. “I know first-hand what it is like to have COVID-19, but I am lucky because I am young and pretty healthy. I don’t want anyone else having this, so I think we have a responsibility to make sure it doesn’t come back.”

The Moderna vaccine was chosen for rural and remote communities because it is easier to transport than the Pfizer vaccine, which needs to be kept at about -80 C and must be used within six hours of thawing, while the Moderna vaccine can be kept in standard freezers.

ceharnett@timescolonist.com