Current Problems

Health (18-24)

Access to COVID-19 Data

February 9, 2021

Government of BC – A coalition of First Nations and BC’s Provincial Health Officer have negotiated and are signing information sharing agreements that provide more detailed information about COVID-19 case numbers in nearby communities, and will enable the nations to make more informed decisions on safety measures, and provide risk guidance to their members. The agreements’ preamble makes clear that the nations do not view them as providing completely satisfactory disclosure, and they believe systemic change must still occur in BC’s healthcare system Under the terms of the agreements, the Provincial Health Officer will provide the Heiltsuk Nation, Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council Member Nations, and Tsilhqot’in National Government with frequent reports listing the number of COVID-19 cases in proximate communities, and certain thresholds must be met before the nations can disclose the number of cases in a community in their public risk statements