Showing support: This Harbour Breton resident explains why she got tested for COVID-19
'You want to be safe for everyone,' says Wanda Langdon
The town of Harbour Breton is undergoing a huge COVID-19 testing effort in an attempt to locate the still undetermined source of the community's three cases and keep the population of seniors safe.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, the province's chief medical officer of health, even posted a heartfelt video on Thursday addressing the community directly, urging residents to "do what needs to be done" to protect their community.
"Stand beside each other and support each other as I know you've done so many times in the past," she said in the video.
There is still anxiety in the town of about 1,600 people, as the source of the infection remained unknown as of Friday.
Also as of Friday, roughly 500 people in the town had turned up to receive a COVID-19 test. Resident Wanda Langdon, who was tested Thursday, told CBC News she wanted to do her part.
"When you got family, and there's lots of seniors and children in this community, you want to be safe for everyone," she said.
"So I figured we'd do our part and we'd go and get tested."
Langdon's test result came back negative, as did the results of the six other family members who were tested with her.
But, she said, a lot of people in the community are feeling scared and are too afraid to leave home even when they have to.
"Everyone is thinking about everybody else and just hoping that this will go faster than it came," she said.
"That's all you can hope for, hope that the seniors and the children don't get it."
The first case in Harbour Breton was reported a week ago, and while schools stayed open throughout the week, attendance was low as residents tucked into isolation.
Mayor Georgina Ollerhead called for a shutdown of non-essential businesses and pleaded with people to stay home.
'It could have been worse'
Langdon said the testing process was quick and easy. She said she called 811, received her appointment time and went to the mobile testing site.
"Within like five seconds it was all done," she said. "It wasn't hard. It wasn't what you'd call [comfortable]. It could have been worse."
Throughout the pandemic, Fitzgerald and Health Minister John Haggie have been preaching kindness and compassion toward people who have tested positive for COVID-19, and toward people who need to seek a test in general. Officials have been worried about a stigma to getting tested resulting in fewer people seeking a test when they need one.
Langdon said that hasn't been the case in Harbour Breton.
"A small town like Harbour Breton, ever since I can remember, we've been there helping people from Day 1. [It] doesn't matter what it is," she said.
"The kind of people that Harbour Bretoners is, we'll go and get the test to show our support. That's just what Harbour Breton is like."
With files from Garrett Barry