The presence of the Indian variant in Newfoundland and Labrador worries the North Coast

Direction de la Santa Public de la Cote-Nord asked the municipality of Canyapisca, which shares borders with the Lower North Shore and Newfoundland and Labrador, to avoid travel to the area as much as possible. Province.

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Interprovincial crossings are frequent in this area. Many services such as airport and ferry are located in Blanc-Sublon. The same thing happens with Fermont and Wabush, which share services. Lower North Shore people are treated on the island of Newfoundland due to their proximity.

“We cannot have this variant. When it comes to our small villages, this is the beginning of the end for us, ”Randy Jones, mayor of Gross-Macatina and prefect of golf-du-Saint-Laurent MRC, told TVA Novelles.

The upcoming fishing season will also increase the chances of infecting the Indian variant, Jones said.

“For the people of Blanc-Sablon and Bonne-Esperance, the time is coming for capelin, herring and mackerel fishing, and they will all be shipped to Newfoundland (to be transformed there).

However, Richard Fachehoun, director of public health for Coat-Nord, assured that most of the people living on the lower north coast have received their second dose of the vaccine. This implies effective protection against variants.

“We are taking a number of steps. We are monitoring the situation very closely to see if we need to go further now. So far, everything seems right. We ask the population two things: vigilance and two doses of vaccines,” Mr Fachehoun said.

According to Cot-Nord Public Health, vaccination is also a problem in the municipality of Canyapiska: only 62% of residents aged 12 and over received the first dose and this percentage drops to 33% for the second dose, TVA News learned.