From N.L. to Canada's North: Living COVID-free in Nunavut until recent rash of cases
Theresa Lee says the territory went into a two-week lockdown in November
While the rest of the world was dealing with a pandemic, a St. John's woman living in Iqaluit says residents in Nunavut were living COVID-free — until cases reached the territory last month.
Theresa Lee called the circumstances "a bit surreal."
"For eight months, we were heralded as one of the last places on Earth untouched by the pandemic. And then, in less than two weeks, it's sort of exploded," she said.
The first case struck in Nunavut's southernmost community, Sanikiluaq, in the Belcher Islands in Hudson Bay, on Nov. 6.
On Nov. 18, that number had climbed to 70 cases in communities throughout the territory, including Rankin Inlet, Whale Cove and Arviat, located on the western shore of Hudson Bay.
Nunavut went into lockdown that day, to try to help with contact tracing and contain the spread.
For two weeks, health centres and hospitals were open only for emergencies, stores had to follow strict protocols — and had special hours for elders to shop — and restaurants were open for takeout only.
"There's been some widespread use of masks, which hadn't been adopted … until [cases developed]," she said.
"We're back to where we were in March, when everybody was quite afraid and the pandemic was a big unknown."
Most restrictions were eased across the territory on Dec. 2 — though wearing masks in public is still strongly being encouraged.
As of Wednesday, there were 48 active cases in the territory, and 181 people have recovered.
Travel bubble closed
Before the recent rash of cases, Nunavut shared a travel bubble with the Northwest Territories. As a physician working in both Iqaluit and Inuvik, N.W.T., Lee flew back and forth between the two towns.
But after COVID-19 cases started to rise, that travel bubble was closed.
"We have no idea when it might open up again," said Lee, whose partner lives and works in Inuvik.
"I'm quite happy to stay in Nunavut and stay put until we know more about the situation. I certainly wouldn't want to risk or become a risk to others, but [I'm] pretty sad that I won't be able to see my partner."
The Northwest Territories are faring much better on the COVID-19 front: As of Tuesday, there had been 15 cases, and all have recovered.
Challenges for northerners
Lee says the recent rash of cases has highlighted some of the major health and social discrepancies within the territory.
"Housing and food insecurity is a huge social determinant that's been very challenging for northerners, given the distance that food has to travel to get to us and how reliant it is on air travel in order to be delivered," she said.
She says the outbreak has meant longer lines at the grocery stores and at the post office.
"The lineup at our local post office here has gotten longer and longer by the day," Lee said.
"A lot of people rely on and have always relied on online shopping for their daily essentials. And it's definitely been exacerbated by the pandemic."
The post office has extended its operating hours to help accommodate the demand.
Lee says there are also issues with the spread of the virus in crowded housing, and a lack of housing resources.
"You have entire extended families and multiple families living in quite cramped quarters … so it becomes an issue with them, infections spreading really rapidly throughout families and communities," she said.
'I miss the fog'
Lee says she enjoys living in a very different part of the country.
"It's amazing. It's a beautiful place [with] incredible, resilient people," she said.
"[It's] a beautiful part of Canada that very few people have experienced."
Lee says she does see some similarities to home: Iqaluit is a seaside town that also happens to have a lot of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians living there.
"So it feels very similar, but obviously quite a bit colder and a little bit less daylight," she said.
Lee says she hasn't visited Newfoundland and Labrador since June 2019 — and she's not sure when she's going to be able to get back again.
"I tried to go back in January, but ended up getting stuck in Toronto for a week and a half because of Snowmageddon, and ended up not being able to be rebooked until after my vacation was slated to be over," she said.
"[I] tried to go this past summer, but obviously wasn't able to enter. So maybe, hopefully next summer, I don't know, maybe 2022? I'm hopeful that things will turn the corner."
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Lee says she misses aspects of living in St. John's.
"I miss the fog, actually, most of all," she said. "I love it. It just makes me really nostalgic."
Staying put for the holidays
While she is feeling homesick, Lee says she's choosing to look at the positive side of things.
This winter, she's planning on getting into cross-country skiing, cooking with friends and walking her dog.
"I suppose normally I'd be thinking about [planning] a vacation, but thankfully, I guess in some ways, the pandemic has allowed us to slow our lives down and sort of reflect on what's important," she said.
"I'm really excited to get to explore more of Nunavut … and that's OK with me."
Far From Home is an ongoing series about Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who are living in other parts of the world during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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