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Almost all the services and programs the Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC) offers have been shut down due to positive COVID-19 tests among staff.
According to Tribal Chief Mark Arcand, four staff members tested positive for the virus, with another staff member presumed to be positive. Because of the multiple staff members unable to work, the only program continuing currently is the needle exchange.
“Every other service that we have right now is unfortunately shut down due to COVID,” Arcand said Monday. “It has been a tough time at the health centre.”
A COVID outbreak was declared Friday at the STC Health Centre by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).
The needle exchange program is considered an essential service.
Arcand shared some of the STC programs that were affected by the shutdown.
“It’s all of our counselling services if people want to come in and talk to an elder, or a nurse or check on their underlying issues … All of those in-person services have been shut down,” he explained.
When it comes to Saskatoon’s vulnerable and homeless population, Arcand had an ask to prevent the further spread of COVID.
“There has got to be an effort put into getting every one of the vulnerable people tested because I’m probably 100 per cent sure that somebody’s walking around with COVID right now and they don’t even know it,” he said.
“A lot of the people that are homeless or are living on the street, they may not have access or know where to go … There should be a higher emphasis on getting them tested. They probably have underlying health issues that could potentially turn into a negative situation.”
When asked what was needed from the community, he had one simple request: Compassion.
“The compassion of the clients that are going through this difficult time. We’re seeing probably 150-plus clients per day in just the harm reduction piece,” he said.
Arcand stressed the seriousness of COVID-19 but offered hope with a light at the end of the tunnel in the form of a vaccine.
He added that as many start to figure out their own holiday plans, remember the less fortunate are in a much different place— facing the threat of the virus that continues to spread on Saskatoon’s streets.
