A statement from Tsawwassen First Nation Chief Ken Baird:
Before I begin, I want to take a moment to thank the Creator for another beautiful day on Mother Earth.
Although it is indeed a beautiful day, we are facing challenges right now. Challenges which I want to speak about with our Members.
I am speaking today on behalf of the Executive Council of Tsawwassen First Nation to address fears and concerns over the COVID-19 Coronavirus.
To my knowledge, nobody at TFN has contracted this virus.
But that does not mean we should not be vigilant and continue to take necessary steps to prevent infection.
We want our Members to know that we are taking this situation very seriously and we working to ensure the health and safety of all our Members and TFN employees.
I understand that some of you may be worried or scared about the situation. That’s natural. But by following social distancing techniques and avoiding crowds, we can help to stop the spread of this virus.
I wanted to tell you what we, your Executive Council, has been doing about this situation.
On Monday afternoon, it was determined that all TFN Staff who could work from home, would do so until further notice. This was to minimize the risk that people commuting into Tsawwassen would potentially risk those living here.
Since then, those Staff have been working with their managers and colleagues via video conferencing and email, to continue important work on behalf of TFN.
TFN’s managers met by video conference on both Monday and Tuesday, and have been developing strategies–under the leadership and guidance of Executive Council–to continue to provide services to Members.
Executive Council convened for our usual full meeting on Tuesday by video conference. The focus of our meeting was to ensure that No Member Is Left Behind during this crisis.
As you would imagine, the most important priorities right now are in health care and Elders care.
To that end, our hardworking Health and Social Services Team have been collecting food and medical supplies to distribute to Members in need.
Nobody will go hungry during this crisis and nobody will be left without the necessities.
We have been closely monitoring those most vulnerable Members at TFN and ensuring that we reach out and ensure they have all the supplies they need during this time.
We know that older people and people with weakened immune systems can be particularly vulnerable at this time. Our Elders are extremely important to us, and TFN began social distancing measures last week to ensure their safety.
Elders Lunches have since been cancelled and we are now delivering those lunches to Elders on a case-by-case basis,
For groceries, our Elders workers have been helping transport our Elders to Save-On-Foods in Tsawwassen in the early morning, so that they can shop without risk of exposure to the general population.
Those Elders who are unable to make the trip will have food delivered by our Staff.
We realize that practicing “social distancing” can be difficult for some people. That’s why TFN is offering phone counselling sessions for anyone needing somebody to talk to.
Our Nurse and Care Aide are working via telephone with clients who have ongoing medical needs and to ensure they have enough medications to last for an extended quarantine period. Our Nurse Practitioner will continue to have appointments with Members who need medical support via phone appointments.
All specific information regarding who to contact can be found on Facebook or the TFN website.
At this time, TFN is asking all healthy Members to cancel non-essential medical appointments to decrease your risk of exposure.
Members who are receiving social assistance will receive a crisis supplement for food and TFN Staff will be delivering Income Assistance cheques next Wednesday the 25th of March.
If you feel like you have COVID-19 related symptoms, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath, please call 8-1-1 and let them advise you, being aware that there may be considerable wait times. There is also a self assessment tool that can be accessed online and the link to this tool can be found on TFN’s Facebook page.
You can also contact our Health and Social Services staff directly.
Executive Council believes that these steps we’re taking today will prevent this community from being impacted by COVID-19.
And we will do everything possible to ensure that Members properly cared for during this time of crisis.
It is the official policy of this Executive Council that No Member will be Left Behind, and we will continue to work to ensure that is the case over the coming weeks.
Please continue to monitor our website and Facebook page for updates about this situation.
