CAFN and Village of Haines Junction Message on COVID-19 Safety

January 28, 2022

Joint Message on COVID-19 Safety during the State of Emergency

Dear community members,

The Champagne and Aishihik First Nations (CAFN) and Village of Haines Junction (VoHJ) Councils ask all residents and visitors to Dakwäkäda/Haines Junction and the CAFN Traditional Territory to uphold all measures under the current Yukon state of emergency and public health guidance.

At this time, we ask that everyone avoid non-essential travel between communities.  Please do not visit Dakwäkäda/Haines Junction and the CAFN Traditional Territory unless it is essential.  Our CAFN communities also include Takhini River Subdivision, Champagne, Canyon, Klukshu and other seasonal villages.  We also ask that community members avoid travelling to Whitehorse for non-essential purposes.

Please prevent the spread of COVID-19.  Every day it’s important to:

• Check yourself for symptoms.
• If you are sick or test positive, stay home.
• Please self-isolate as required by Yukon health guidance.
• Wear a mask in all indoor public settings, and outside where you can’t safely distance.
• Keep your gatherings very small (10 or fewer people from 2 households if vaccinated, or stick to your own household if anyone is not vaccinated).
• Avoid travel to other Yukon communities.
• Show your proof of vaccination where required: https://yukon.ca/en/vaccine-proof.
• Please follow CAFN’s Safe 6 on page 3

Please be kind.  The ongoing pandemic and rapid changes with the Omicron variant can be worrisome.  Please be calm, kind and respectful to each other as we continue to face these changes together.

What are symptoms of COVID-19?

Fever   ·   Chills  ·   Cough  ·   Shortness of breath  ·   Runny nose or nasal congestion

Sore throat  ·   Headache  ·   Loss of sense of taste or smell ·   Fatigue

Loss of appetite  ·   Nausea and vomiting  ·   Diarrhea

Muscle aches or joint pain  ·   Pink eye

Please get the COVID-19 vaccine when you can.

Nda sägǟl yè dän ghātsʼungwät äyèt kwäka Dádän shäwghāduchʼe ni – Iʼm getting the medicine needle because I care about our people

COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective and save lives.

Getting the vaccine helps us protect ourselves and also helps us protect each other, especially our most vulnerable, which includes our Elders, people with other health issues, and kids and others who are not vaccinated yet.

We encourage you to get the COVID-19 vaccine and booster as soon as you are able.

• Vaccines are available for kids ages 5-11 and 12-17; and
• Vaccines and boosters are available for adults 18+.

Please learn more and book at Yukon.ca/thisisourshot and call the health centre (634-4444) if you have questions.

Proof of vaccination is now required under Yukon and Canada law in many locations.  Please get your Yukon proof of vaccination and show it when required: https://yukon.ca/en/vaccine-proof.

Please reach out if you need information

Champagne and Aishihik First Nations has also declared a state of emergency and will implement new measures as needed.  For details on CAFN’s COVID response, please visit:  https://cafn.ca/covid-19.

For full details on measures in the Village of Haines Junction, please visit http://www.hainesjunctionyukon.com.

The current guidance from the Government of Yukon is available here https://yukon.ca/en/health-and-wellness/covid-19-information

Shäw nithän – thank you to everyone who lives in this very special community. 

We especially thank all our local health care workers who continue to work extra hard to keep us all safe and healthy.

Gunałchish.                                                    

Kaaxnox, Dän nätthe äda, Steve Smith, Chief, Champagne and Aishihik First Nations

Thank you.

Bruce Tomlin, Mayor, Village of Haines Junction