Northern Health

Dr. Nadine Caron on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy Dr. Nadine Caron says she is looking forward to getting that jab in her arm. Find out more at www.fnha.ca/coronavirus

Until March 12, you can have your say on how to help reduce poverty in Prince George. Take the City of Prince George ’s survey now to share your feedback: www.princegeorge.ca/getinvolved .

For more details on the COVID-19 vaccine, including group phases and immunization dates, visit the BCCDC vaccine page: http://www.bccdc.ca//diseases-co/covid-19/covid-19-vaccine

Mask exemption People who cannot wear a mask or who cannot put on or remove a mask on their own are exempt from wearing one. Some people cannot wear a mask for psychological, behavioural or health conditions. Some people may also need to remove their masks to communicate due to a hearing impairment. ... Please be respectful of people who can't wear a mask. More here: http://www.bccdc.ca//disea/covid-19/prevention-risks/masks

Interested in bringing local foods to your school while providing students with positive food experiences and building community connections? Farm to School BC grants are open now until January 10, 2021! Previous projects include school gardens, food foraging and preserving projects, cooking programs, indoor growing, and much more. Grants are valued at up to $3000 for new projects, and up to $1000 for scaling up existing projects. Learn more and apply here: https://farmtoschoolbc.ca/grants/.

Huddles have moved from the sports field to the hospital! Interprofessional team huddles in Fort Nelson improve patient care and ensure patients have the supports they need when they leave the hospital. https://stories.northernhealth.ca//daily-huddles-fort-nels

Quality Award winners are innovative leaders with passion for improving care. Know someone who fits the bill? @BCPSQC is now accepting nominations for its 2021 Quality Awards: http://ow.ly/uQNX50uo5Eg

NH Connections motor vehicle incident - Quesnel At approximately 5:45pm January 5, 2021, an NH Connections highway coach carrying one passenger was involved in a single vehicle incident on Highway 97, approximately 15 kilometres north of Quesnel. The incident is under investigation, but at this time it appears the incident was weather-related. There were no life-threatening injuries to either occupant of the bus; the passenger was unharmed, and the driver is receiving care ...at GR Baker Memorial Hospital in Quesnel. The NH Connections bus was on a regular short-haul route between Prince George Quesnel, at the time. Arrangements are being made to safely recover the disabled coach on Wednesday, January 6. No service disruptions are expected as a result of the incident, with the next scheduled Prince George-Quesnel route set for Tuesday, January 12, 2021.

Kindness is a superpower. Your kind words and actions can increase happiness, health and connection to your community. Check out First Nations Health Authority post for ideas to practice kindness: https://www.fnha.ca//practise-lateral-kindness-to-help-red

Grant funding available! If you are part of a local government or municipality in northern BC, check out the following funding opportunities: COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream This grant supports projects that focus on retrofits, rehabilitation, and upgrades to existing local government and indigenous community buildings, COVID-19 response infrastructure, active transportation, and disaster mitigation. Deadline: Jan 11, 2021 for Emergency Management BC fund applicati...ons; all other applications due January 27, 2021. https://www.ubcm.ca//covid-19-resilience-infrastructure-st New Flood Hazard Mitigation Fund This one-time funding program, the Adaptation, Resilience & Disaster Mitigation (ARDM) Program (https://www2.gov.bc.ca//flood-mitigation-funding-pro/ardmp), funds structural and natural infrastructure projects that address the risk of flooding and flood-related hazards up to a value $10 million. Deadline: January 11, 2021. https://www.ubcm.ca//new-flood-hazard-mitigation-funding.h Small and Medium Sized Business Recovery This Small and Medium-Sized Business Recovery Grant program (https://www2.gov.bc.ca//economic-r/business-recovery-grant) will invest up to $300 million in targeted financial support for some of the hardest hit businesses in BC. Deadline: March 31, 2021 or until the funds are fully allocated. https://www.ubcm.ca//small-and-medium-sized-business-recov

Northern Health Medical Health Officers have declared a COVID-19 outbreak on the Rehabilitation Unit at the University Hospital of Northern BC (UHNBC) in Prince George, following a single, lab-confirmed, patient case of COVID-19. Monitoring and testing is underway to identify any additional cases, and at this point there is no evidence of ongoing transmission on the unit. Read more: https://stories.northernhealth.ca//covid-19-outbreak-decla

Northern Health is urging caution as we see COVID-19 activity surging across the province. NH is concerned with the upward trend and frequency of new cases and clusters in the region. Recent orders in the Fraser Valley issued by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry to address cases in the Lower Mainland are not currently directed at Northern Health; however, we need your support to avoid more stringent measures. We are encouraging against non-essential travel and are asking people to ensure they are following all of the current orders, guidance, and advice. Read more here: https://stories.northernhealth.ca//northern-health-urges-c

Social interaction with others is important for our wellbeing, but with record-high case counts we all need to limit in-person gatherings right now. Live in th...e Lower Mainland or Fraser Valley? Socialize with those in your immediate household No gatherings or household visitors are allowed Live in the Interior Health, Island Health or Northern Health Regions? Limit your gatherings to no more than your immediate household plus a maximum of six others Learn more: https://www2.gov.bc.ca//covid-/gatherings-at-private-homes

Don't be that personcover your cough and stop the spread of flu!

Options for Sexual Health Clinical Practice Director, Nicole Pasquino, and Education Director, Kristen Gilbert, share their thoughts with CBC to reinforce the importance of sexual health during the pandemic. Listen to the interview here: https://www.cbc.ca///clip/15788385-lets-talk-sex-pandemic

To keep you informed about the changing information about COVID-19, we’re producing an update for residents and families of long-term care homes and assisted living facilities twice a month. This issue of the update provides information about new masking guidelines, Christmas and holiday plans, outbreak guidelines in long-term care homes, and the fall flu campaign. https://www.northernhealth.ca//long-term-care-assisted-liv

New orders mandate mask wearing in all indoor public and retail settings like grocery stores and coffee shops. Masks are also mandatory in workplace areas like shared work spaces, kitchens, and elevators. Learn more: https://gov.bc.ca/COVID19restrictions

When out on the ice and snow this winter, keep these tips in mind! Have 3 points of contact when getting in and out of vehicles ( e.g., two feet and one hand). Get out first and get stabilized before retrieving items. Walk like a penguin point your toes out, keep your knees loose and don't let them lock. If you can, let them bend a bit. This will keep your centre of gravity lower to the ground which further stabilizes the body.... Drag or shuffle your feet Remember to place your whole foot on the ice at once and keep your base of support approximately one foot wide. Wear proper footwear

"My family and I used the NH Check In app when we got our flu shots this past weekend. It was an incredibly smooth experience! We went to the clinic at the Coast Inn of the North, checked in on the app and waited outside until we received a text saying it was our turn." Read more about one Prince George family's experience using the new NH Check In app.

Buddy Up & download the Lifeguard App. Toxic drugs are circulating. If you use drugs, stay safer. Buddy up so you're not alone. Download the Lifeguard app. Learn more: StopOverdoseBC.ca #StopOverdose

COVID-19: Northern Numbers Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers from the BCCDC Dashboard. (As of September 23, 4:30pm) Confirmed cases: 273 Recovered: 238 Patients currently hospitalized: 6 Current ICU patients: 1... Deaths: 2 Total tests: 18,141 Source: https://experience.arcgis.com//a6f23959a8b14bfa989e3cda292 See more

Initiated by former Grand Chief Herb Norweigian and documentary filmmaker, Geoff Bowie, the two set off to invite Lawrence Nayally to be a part of a journey recreating a traditional Dene voyage down the Nahanni River in a mooseskin boat. Despite a tough journey that resulted in many holes in their canoe by the end, the group were successful and likened the hard journey to the relationship First Peoples have had with colonialism and Canada.

Don't forget to take the Northern Pediatric Wellness (NPW) survey! The University of British Columbia and the Northern Pediatric Wellness team are looking at how COVID-19 and physical distancing measures have impacted child wellness in the Northern Health region. Take the short survey here: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8erYywJrZpzeeX3

Do you know someone who is taking the initiative to improve health in his or her community? If you do, tell us their story so we can share it with the north! Nominate a Community Health Star today!

Children's health care Canada is hosting a free webinar on Sept 22 for parents to discuss the challenges of parenting during the pandemic with special emphasis on parenting children with neurodiversity. Register here: https://keltymentalhealth.ca///parenting-covid-19-pandemic

Don't forget to share your input! Last year over 1,600 "Grand Challenges" were identified by youth, families and providers for child and youth mental health and substance use in the North. These challenges have been grouped into the 20 most common challenges and now we are asking YOU to rate the potential impact of the top challenges to guide priority setting based on your experience and perspectives. Take the short survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.ca/r/CYMHSU_phase3

Indigenous communities across Canada are making the decision to assert their sovereignty to protect their people by blocking visitor access. Pandemic responses by community are culturally relevant and responsive to the needs of the people who live there. Some decisions have included blocking visitation to island communities such as Haida Gwaii in Canada and internationally within Maori communities.

Did you know support from the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation and its donors have provided health care professionals in the North with state-of-the-art training equipment through Northern Clinical Simulation?

Harm reduction sites have great resources for overdose prevention and awareness. Find the one nearest you here! https://towardtheheart.com/site-finder

NH phone services has been restored and the NH COVID-19 Online Clinic and Info Line is taking calls again. Thank you for your patience!

Fort St. John's Roxanne Chmelyk combines her years as a recreational therapist with personal experiences in the health care system to help with Northern Health projects!

1:20pm update: Phone services has been restored and the NH COVID-19 Online Clinic and Info Line is taking calls again. Thank you for your patience. *** Please be advised that the NH Online Clinic and Info Line is currently unavailable, and NH external phone lines are down in some cities, including Prince George, Dawson Creek, Smithers, and Quesnel. Our IT team is aware and working on restoring service as quickly as possible, although we do not have an ETA. We apologize for the inconvenience and will update as we can.

B.C. is rolling out a new COVID-19 testing option for school-aged students in kindergarten through grade 12. This new method involves swishing and gargling sterile salt water and spitting it into a collection tube. It is an alternative to the swab test for children and can determine whether a person has COVID-19. This is an important development for B.C.s back-to-school plan. This year, we are asking families and students to do daily health checks and to stay home and get t...ested if they have symptoms of COVID-19 as an important measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in schools. This new way to test will make it easier for children and youth to get tested. Families and students are encouraged to look at the testing information for children and youth on the BCCDC website to find information about the testing process, watch a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvqjkbD-moA&feature=youtu.be) about what to expect and find information on how to get test results (http://www.bccdc.ca//disease/covid-19/testing/test-results). The video and instructions are especially important for younger students who should practice the mouth rinse and gargle technique at home with water at least two hours before going for a test. Learn more: BCCDC COVID-19 testing information for youth and children at http://www.bccdc.ca//disea/covid-19/testing/children-youth

Northern Healths Online COVID-19 Clinic and Information Line has experienced a significant increase in call volumes in recent weeks, leading to an increase in wait times for assessment and information. We are working to increase the size of the Clinic staffing pool, in order to increase call capacity and hours of operation, and to reduce current wait times for assessment. Read more: https://stories.northernhealth.ca//update-nh-online-covid-

Did you know that the Northern Clinical Simulation is a partnership between Northern Health, University of Northern British Columbia School of Nursing and the Northern Medical Program with four centres in Prince George, Quesnel, Terrace, and Fort St. John? Check them out here! Northern Clinical Simulation - https://www.northernhealth.ca//northern-clinical-simulation ... UNBC School of Nursing - https://www.unbc.ca/nursing Northern Medical Program - https://www.unbc.ca/northern-medical-program See more

Fresh to You is a unique fundraising opportunity for schools that also encourages students and their families to eat more fruits and vegetables. This fundraiser allows schools to sell bundles of locally grown fruit and vegetables to family and friends at a 40% profit. This year, schools will also receive an additional complimentary bundle for ever bundle sold to support more families with accessing fresh produce during these challenging times. Fall fundraiser applications are due Sept 21! Learn more: https://www.bcaitc.ca/fresh-you-fundraiser

Did you know that the Northern Clinical Simulation has been using simulators to provide hands-on training for undergraduate and post-graduate health care teams for eight years?

Let "petal power" add pops of colour to your fall family meals with flower petals from your garden!

Check out BC Children's Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre's webinar on "Setting Children & Youth up for a Successful Return to School in the Era of COVID-19".

Did you know that Sim Man, a human patient simulator, is available to support health care team-training for Northern BC healthcare centres?

In honour of Orange Shirt Day, First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) and Indigenous Health have partnered to host a t-shirt decorating challenge! Orange Shirt Day is September 30, 2020 and commemorates the residential school experience, to witness and honour the healing journey of the survivors and their families, and to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation. Take part in the t-shirt decorating challenge by decorating a t-shirt of your choice and reflect on what O...range Shirt Day means to you. Make sure that you include the phrase Every Child Matters in your design. Well be drawing one winner from each of the Northeast, Northwest, and Interior of the Northern Health region. Get full challenge details here: https://stories.northernhealth.ca//what-does-orange-shirt-

Very heavy smoke from the United States is continuing to have extensive impacts across the southern third of the province with lesser impacts extending into the mid-regions of the province. Smoky conditions are expected to be variable, but persist until September 17. More info here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca//a/2020-09-14_smoky-skies_issue.pdf

It's Healthcare Simulation week! Did you know Northern Clinical Simulation has been supporting COVID-19 healthcare training for paramedics, registered nurses, and doctors? Check out these two resources for more info:... https://www.northernhealth.ca//northern-clinical-simulation https://stories.northernhealth.ca//northern-clinical-simul

BC Children's Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre has some tips for a successful return to school!

Northern Health is developing two new patient portals that will let you access health care information securely and online! Learn more.

Familiarizing yourself with the steps to help someone in an overdose situation can be a lifesaver. Literally. #endoverdose #overdoseaware #iod2020

Compassion makes a difference. See a person for who they are, not what drugs they use.

Its extra risky to mix drugs. You might not mean to mix drugs can be cut with other drugs youre not aware of. Prevent overdoses, learn how to stay safer: https://bit.ly/2vspzjq #StopOverdose

The Office of the Seniors Advocate has released a survey, inviting family members and residents of long-term care and assisted living facilities to tell their story related to the impacts of visitor restrictions that have been required in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit www.carehomevisits.ca to complete the survey, or call 1-877-952-3181 to speak with a trained volunteer. The survey closes September 30/2020!

It's electric! Learn more about the Northern Health fleet vehicle that "vroom vrooms" greener!

Do you know how to help someone in an overdose situation? Learn more on our overdose prevention page. #endoverdose #overdoseaware https://www.northernhealth.ca/health-to/overdose-prevention

Next week is Health Care Simulation Week! Help the Northern Clinical Simulation program recognize the people and impact who've made simulation a critical part of training in the North!

Toxic drugs are circulating. If you use drugs, stay safer. Call 8-1-1 to access medication that can help, including safer alternatives to street drugs. Learn more: stopoverdose.gov.bc.ca/ #StopOverdose

The Rural Coordination Centre of BC - RCCbc, one of Northern Healths partners, is asking everyone in Northern BC what a successful virtual health care experience would look like for them take part and share your thoughts! Closes tomorrow (Sept. 9)! https://my.thoughtexchange.com/scroll/567339278 More information: Virtual health care is health care you get by video, phone, or text. Its also called digital health care. The survey is 100% anonymous. Everyone should have a c...hance to share their perspectives and understand what's most important to other Northern British Columbians. Your input will help planners set priorities and inform virtual care opportunities for people in the north. Thank you in advance for taking part! The results will be sharedwatch for details!

BC's North is home to some incredible talent! Our Indigenous Health department's lead, knowledge translation and community engagement Shelby Peterson highlights four musicians and authors for you to check out!