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Updated Public Health Measures

For immediate release

(Kahnawake – 8, Enniskó:wa/March 2022) The Kateri Memorial Hospital Centre Public Health Department and the Public Safety Commission wish to update the community on the current Public Health Measures as per Directive #65 under the Kahnawà:ke Emergency Preparedness Law.

Current Public Health Measures as per Directive # 65

These measures are for the general population.  Each essential service organization may have their respective case and contact management strategies that differ from the general population.

CASE AND CONTACT MANAGEMENT:

The testing site in Kahnawake is only currently available to essential service workers and people who are being admitted for surgery and have been requested to provide a negative test result prior to admission. However, community members can access PCR testing at testing sites in surrounding communities (ex. Chateauguay, Kirkland, Lachine). 

If you have COVID-related symptoms, you must assume that you have COVID-19 and isolate according to the following guidelines: 

CASE MANAGEMENT:
 

If you have COVID related symptoms and/or are positive from a rapid test and you are vaccinated (2 doses or more) 

  • Isolate for 5 days 
  • On day 5, if you no longer have symptoms or your symptoms are lessening, and you have not had a fever for 24 hours, you are released from isolation but must take precautions for the 5 following days by: 
  • Continuously wearing a medical-grade mask in all areas 
  • Maintaining a 2-meter distance or more from others at all times 
  • Avoiding all vulnerable people 
  • If you are returning to work, you must work away from all others and not share any common spaces 

If you have COVID-related symptoms and/or are positive from a rapid test and not vaccinated or vaccinated with 1 dose: 

  • Isolation time remains at 10 days 

CONTACT MANAGEMENT: 

DEFINITIONS: 

High-Risk Contact: A household contact or a sexual partner 

Moderate Risk Contact:  A contact for more than 15 minutes, less than 2 meters, where one of the two people was not wearing a mask or both people were not wearing a mask. 

Low-Risk Contact: A contact for more than 15 minutes, less than 2 meters, both with medical-grade masks 

Adequately Protected:  a person who has, since December 20, 2021 had one of the following:

  • A positive PCR or rapid test result
  • A high-risk contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case

Adequately protected people do not need to isolate in the case of a high-risk contact except in the case of fever; a person with fever should isolate and only resume activities once 24 hours have passed with no fever.

Partially Protected: a person is vaccinated with 2 doses or more or COVID-19 positive prior to December 20th 2022

If you are a contact of a positive case: (isolation period starts on same day as positive case)

  • A high-risk contact must isolate for 5 days. If no symptoms develop – released from isolation but must self-monitor for symptoms from day 5-10.  If you develop COVID-related symptoms at any point, you must assume that you have COVID and begin the isolation period as described above in the CASE MANAGEMENT section. 
  • A moderate risk contact must self-monitor for symptoms for 10 days, must wear a mask continuously, maintain a 2-meter distance and remain away from vulnerable people. 
  • A low-risk contact must self-monitor for symptoms for 10 days and follow regular public health measures 

Masking:

Masking remains an effective way of preventing and/or limiting COVID-19 transmission.

• Masks are still mandatory in all indoor public settings (example: pharmacy or grocery store)

• Masking is recommended in outdoor, public and private settings (example: outdoor rink, small family gathering)

• Masking in office spaces of community organizations is recommended, especially when 2-meter distancing cannot be maintained or where there are no protective barriers (plexiglass, dividers).  Examples are: meeting/conference rooms in organizations such as MCK, KMHC or KSCS; group offices.  Masks remain mandatory in all common areas when moving from one area to another.

• Public Health recommends that individuals use their judgement, knowledge and education, and acceptable level of risk when deciding about masking in their personal indoor and outdoor home environment

Distancing:

  • 2-meter distancing is recommended in indoor and outdoor public settings
  • 2-meter distancing is recommended in common spaces of community organizations

•    2-meter distancing is recommended in outdoor public and private  

     settings and especially if you are a vulnerable person whether   

     vaccinated or not

  • Public Health recommends that individuals use their judgement, knowledge, education and acceptable level of risk when deciding about distancing in their personal indoor and outdoor home environment

Ventilation:

  • Ventilation is important. Air out rooms every two hours by opening all windows in private areas or your home when gathering with people outside your household.
  • Use of HEPA filters is beneficial

Hand-washing, distance, proper ventilation, masks, testing (rapid tests and PCR tests), staying home when sick, vaccination, isolation, limiting our contacts, taking care of the well-being of our loved ones and ourselves, are all ways to move towards a state of normalcy. 

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Daily Bulletin Featured Bulletin Vaccination Main Article Vaccination News

Upcoming COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics at KMHC

Starting the week of February 21, KMHC will be giving COVID-19 vaccines at the hospital BY APPOINTMENT ONLY due to limited space and safety measures presently in place.

We will be taking names and planning clinics based on need, type of vaccine and dates recommended for the next dose. Do not hesitate to call weeks in advance.

You can call the hospital at 450-638-3930 ext. 2243 to speak to someone or leave a message.

Please leave the following information to help us better serve you:

  • Name on your Medicare card or legal name if you do not have a Medicare card
  • Your phone number
  • Date of your last vaccine or when you had COVID
  • Whether it is your 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or booster for immunocompromised patients

Appointments will be available for the following:

  • 5-11 years old – 1st and 2nd doses
  • 12-17 years old – 1st and 2nd doses
  • 18 years and older- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd doses.
  • Immunocompromised 5-17 years old- 3rd doses 4 weeks after 2nd dose.
  • Immunocompromised 18 years and older- 4th dose 3 months after their 3rd dose.
  • Those who had Covid-19- 8 weeks afterwards
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Suspension of COVID-19 daily stats

Posted Monday January 10th – 3:45pm

The Kateri Memorial Hospital Centre and Public Safety Commission wishes to advise the community that, due to the current priority for COVID-19 PCR testing in Kahnawà:ke (and the rest of Quebec), it is not possible to provide daily updates on positive cases and related statistics at this time. This is due to the fact that COVID-19 testing sites are no longer providing tests to the general population, and we are unable to determine the number of active cases in the community.

Please note, although one of the priorities listed by the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services is for First Nation communities, this priority is in reference to remote First Nations communities and not Kahnawà:ke.

For all the latest information on COVID-19 news, current measures and restrictions, please visit the Kahnawake 911 website.

We apologize for this inconvenience.

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Booking your COVID-19 Vaccine via Clic Sante

The Kateri Memorial Hospital Centre (KMHC) and Public Safety Commission would like to update Kahnawa’kehró:non regarding technical issues some people have been experiencing when trying to book an appointment for a COVID-19 Vaccine via the Clic Sante portal. Some users may get an error when trying to submit the completed form, which may be the result of not checking off certain medical information, or category you may fall under (see example below).

(Screen shot of website selection options)

If you DO NOT fall under any of the aforementioned categories, please select “I am an adult who has a chronic disease of health problem that increases the risk of complications from COVID-19.”

As communicated to the community previously, please book your appointment through Kahnawake911, which is the preferred method to secure you COVID-19 vaccine/booster.

We will continue to monitor the situation and update the community as required. Clic Sante is operated independently of the KMHC.

We would like to thank you for your patience and understanding.

Click here to view PDF

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Daily Bulletin Featured Bulletin News

Public Health and testing sites are overrun

Public Health and testing sites are overrun.  All COVID-19 services within Kahnawà:ke and outside of Kahnawà:ke are unable to respond to demand at the current time. Here is important information to assist you in making a decision about your response based on today’s most up-to-date Public Health information (this can change quickly):

If you have received a positive result using a rapid test:

  • You must isolate for ten (10) days from the first day of symptoms
  • All household members must also isolate for ten (10) days.
  • You must advise your contacts that they should also isolate for ten (10) days if you were not wearing masks during your contact and your contact was more than ten (10) minutes

If you are a contact of a positive case outside of your household:

  • A high-risk contact is someone who is within two (2) meters for more than ten (10) minutes without a mask
  • If you are a high-risk contact of someone who received a positive COVID-19 result by rapid test or PCR, you MUST self-isolate for ten (10) days.  If you develop symptoms only (do not test if you have no symptoms), please do a PCR test.  If you are unable to do a PCR, please do a rapid test.
  • You must remain in isolation for ten (10) days no matter the result of your test if you are a high-risk contact of a positive case

Click here for the Home Isolation Procedure. Our main goal at this time is to work together to protect the community, our most vulnerable loved ones, and our essential service organizations

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Daily Bulletin

A letter from Dr. Suzanne Jones, MD CM Director of Professional Services

March 18th, 2020

Dear community,

I would like to clear up a misunderstanding regarding contagiousness/ infectiousness of this new corona virus.

Our current understanding is that people are infectious just before and during the time that they have symptoms like cough, sore throat, fever and or shortness of breath. This is our current understanding of its behavior.

To clear up the misunderstanding surrounding the 14 day self-isolation vs the 24-48 hours period of contagion, the issue is the difference between incubation period and contagious period:

INCUBATION PERIOD: Yes, we self-isolate or quarantine for 14 days as that is our best evidence guess on how long it takes for someone to develop symptoms from coronaviruses in general

(See CDC FAQ: For COVID-19, the period of quarantine is 14 days from the last date of exposure, because 14 days is the longest incubation period seen for similar coronaviruses. Someone who has been released from COVID-19 quarantine is not considered a risk for spreading the virus to others because they have not developed illness during the incubation period)

CONTAGIOUS PERIOD: 24-28 hours before they develop symptoms to when symptoms resolve and test negative

Good resources: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html#basics

https://www.jwatch.org/na51083/2020/03/13/covid-19-incubation-period-update

In this particular case, immediately after informing us of a positive result from this non-community healthcare worker, we contacted various experts including Public Health personnel. We reviewed time lines of travel, time of exposure, a 36 hour stay in New York City, dates of return and the development of symptoms.

This healthcare worker took all the appropriate measures when a spouse started having symptoms. This individual did not take any risks. The time line from exposure in New York City to the development of her symptoms, very mild by the way, and self-isolation resulted in NO RISK to employees nor community members.

During the analysis, the Public Health Authorities as well Infectious Disease experts at the MUHC presented us a “worst case scenario”. Some other known viruses do shed 24 to 48 hours before symptoms. Remember this is a brand new virus and we still do not know it well. Even with this “worst case scenario”, the time lines demonstrate that she was not in any way contagious on the day she worked in the clinic. They, a world-renowned department of Infectious diseases reassured us repeatedly, because we too were worried, there was absolutely no indication to do contact tracing.

This individual acted appropriately at the appropriate time and kept the community safe of any potential exposure both within and outside KMHC walls.

I have to commend her for quick action and keeping us all safe. From one of our physicians “Perfectly done by our physician, partner and hospital.”

Due to these events, we are reviewing our manners of practice regarding staff and indications to self-isolate.

I want to reassure the community that we are working tirelessly both in front and behind the scenes to keep you the community safe and as well informed as possible.

As this pandemic evolves, we will be continually changing and adjusting our manners of practice and messages to the community. There is no looking back because what was the right decision yesterday may no longer apply tomorrow. We all have to stay in the present and look to the future. We have no choice in the matter.

On a final note, we do have a choice in following all the decisions and recommendations made by the Kahnawake COVID-19 Pandemic Task Force. My greatest worry is that many community members have or are returning after travelling outside Quebec since March 12 and are not choosing to self-isolate. I see this as one of the biggest threats because many more community members will be needlessly exposed to the Pandemic virus the COVID-19. The consequence is loss of Elders, Mohawk speakers and traditional healers.

Practice good respiratory etiquette; wash your hands, stay at home and no gathering.

Dr. Suzanne Jones, MD CM Director of Professional Services

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Daily Bulletin

COVID-19 Screening Process at KMHC

The Kateri Memorial Hospital Centre would like to inform the community that effective immediately, the number of exterior entrances to the hospital will be reduced as part of the COVID-19 screening process put in place today, March 11, 2020.

As part of this precautionary measure, the exterior entrance to the pharmacy will be closed. This decision was made to protect our most vulnerable clients and our staff. To access the pharmacy, KMHC asks that clients use the main entrance of the hospital and follow the screening process with security.

All client traffic will be screened in the two existing entrances to KMHC. Clients not in distress but meeting criteria for screening will be instructed to go home with written documentation on self-isolation and to call Info-Santé 8-1-1. A log will be kept of these clients and a follow-up phone call will be made by our Infection Prevention and Control nurse.

For more information Services Québec has setup a hotline at 1 877 644-4545 for anyone that may have inquiries about COVID-19.

We still urge those who suspect they may have any symptoms such as cough, fever and/or breathing problems and any recent travel outside Canada in the last 14 days to dial Info Sante 811 to speak with a nurse. Info-Santé has many nurses on staff specifically for COVID-19. They will provide you with immediate information and directions.

KMHC appreciates your continued patience and understanding during this situation.