Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson says there are no known cases of COVID-19 in its communities and the First Nation would like to keep it that way.
On Monday, LLRIB passed an emergency measures bylaw restricting access to each of its communities to residents only.
Cook-Searson said because the virus is highly transmissible, the First Nation wants to take all steps possible to prevent someone carrying novel coronavirus bringing it in from outside.
“We’re just trying our best to make sure our communities health and safety is our top priority,” she said.
Essential services will still have access and non-residents may apply for entry provided they give 24-hours notice to the band manager.
Essential services include such things as health care workers and food, water, clothing and fuel supplies.
A non-resident can still apply for entry to a community with less than 24-hours notice but it will be up to the discretion of security officers to approve or deny this request.
LLRIB communities that fall under the bylaw include those in the La Ronge area, Sucker River, Grandmother’s Bay, Stanley Mission and Little Red River Indian Reserves.
The La Ronge band is one of a growing list of northern Saskatchewan First Nations imposing similar restrictions to their communities over fears the highly transmissible virus will be brought in from an outside community.
These fears are at least partially heightened by the province’s refusal to provide more detailed information about where the 40 cases of COVID-19 in the north actually are.
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations is calling on the provincial government to provide more detailed data so Indigenous communities can safeguard themselves.
Cook-Searson agrees this information would be helpful.
“Our awareness is already heightened as it is but it would be nice to know which impacted communities they are. And, if one of our community members were to have the COVID-19, we would be notified immediately so that we can notify the membership right away.”
The band’s La Ronge reserves are located close to the Village of Air Ronge and Town of La Ronge where many members also live.
Compared to the Saskatchewan Health Authority, The Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority has been much more open about sharing information on locations of those infected with COVID-19 in the regions it covers.
Other northern First Nations, such as the Fond du Lac Denesuline First Nation and Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, began restricting access to their communities earlier this month.
NITHA and PBCN have confirmed two cases of coronavirus are in the northern community of Southend.
(PHOTO: Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson. File photo.)