Supporting First Nation communities
The Canadian Red Cross has developed strong, collaborative relations with First Nation communities in Manitoba. Since March 2020, Red Cross has been working alongside the communities as they deal with the impacts of the pandemic. Assistance provided at the request of First Nations including:
- Vaccination support to First Nations upon request. This has included providing vaccinators and site support to assist with clinics in communities. The Red Cross supported 14 First Nations between March and July 2021. In February and March 2022, the Red Cross provided additional vaccination support to three First Nations.
- Supplies for isolation kits such as cots, blankets, pillows and hygiene kits, and would be used if communities had to set-up self-isolation centres for individuals who need to be separated temporarily from other members of their residence due to COVID-19.
- Supplies for support workers in the communities to use in self-isolation centres. These supplies include gloves, paper towels, masks, antiseptic wipes, gowns, hand sanitizer, face cloths, bath towels and thermometers.
- Sending teams to First Nation communities to provide outbreak support upon request.
- Support for First Nations community members impacted by COVID-19 who are unable to self-isolate in their communities, including lodging, transportation, food and other essential items, from October 2020 to June 2021 and from November 2021 to March 2022.
- Support to health responders and community leadership in a variety of areas, including training on personal protective equipment use and prevention of disease transmission education.
- Expertise and assistance, as requested by First Nations leadership, in support of the Manitoba First Nations Pandemic Response Coordination Team.
- Psychological First Aid training to members of First Nations in Manitoba, free-of-charge. The two courses, offered for free in 2020, focused on self-care and caring for others.
Contact tracing
From October 2020 to March 2022, the Red Cross worked with the Government of Manitoba to provide contact tracing and other outreach to Manitobans impacted by COVID-19. The Red Cross team supported the province’s capacity by providing regular check-ins with individuals who tested positive or came in contact with COVID-19. The team also supplemented the province by providing contact tracing support. The Red Cross team received training from the provincial government to provide this support.
Hospital support
In support of the federal and Manitoba governments, the Canadian Red Cross provided teams of nurses to augment or relieve existing staff at hospitals in Winnipeg from May to July 2021 and again from December 2021 to March 2022.
Assisting in long-term care homes
At the request of the provincial and federal governments, the Red Cross supported the needs of residents in long-term care homes dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks.
Starting in November 2020, the Red Cross worked closely with partners to provide support to care homes, as identified by health authorities. This support included providing additional personnel capacity within the home to assist with activities of daily living for residents, in addition to organizing and delivering personal protective equipment and prevention of disease transmission training. This work was completed in September 2021.
How you can help
The Canadian Red Cross is prepared and ready to support Canadians now during the COVID-19 pandemic and into the spring and summer as we anticipate floods, wildfires and other disasters that will affect families and communities. The best way you can support our work is with a donation now to the Canadian Emergencies & COVID-19 Response Fund.
Additional resources