Six Nations concerned as some disregard isolation orders after cross-border travel
Members who cross the border are supposed to quarantine for 2 weeks
Six Nations is raising concerns after noting community members are consistently travelling across the border and disregarding self-isolation orders when they return.
Six Nations Police Services receives a list of members travelling from the Canada Borders Services Agency (CBSA) and conducts a check on them to ensure they are abiding by the 14-day quarantine period.
"In addition to the steady stream of community members travelling across the border, Ohsweken Public Health is also noticing some individuals are not staying home when they are self-isolating or under quarantine related to exposure to COVID-19 or because they travelled recently," Six Nations said in a news release.
Six Nations chief of police Darren Montour says they do their diligence to check on members when they get back, but says it can take a bit of time to check on them by the time they are notified.
"To go through all of those people crossing on a daily basis and then public health, sorting out where these people live … It takes a lot of time for that to happen, and by the time it gets to us, then there's only a few, sometimes one or two days left in the quarantine period," said Montour.
"It's quite prevalent and the reasons why, I don't know. I don't know what the reason is for people to go across."
According to Rebecca Purdy, senior spokesperson for CBSA, Canadian citizens, including those who hold dual citizenship, permanent residents and persons who are registered under the Indian Act, can continue to enter Canada by right.
Purdy says all travellers entering Canada are "subject to strict COVID-19 entry screening measures."
A 14-day quarantine is required for members who have travelled outside of the province, whereas self-isolation is a directive that comes from Ohsweken Public Health and is issued when a member comes in close contact with a positive COVID-19 case or they themselves are positive.
Warning of fraudulent vaccination cards
"Each community member must do their part by following the health and safety measures that protect against COVID-19. It needs to be stressed to the community that they should only be travelling for essential purposes," said Lori Davis Hill, director of health services.
While a fine up to $1,000 under the Quarantine Act is possible for those who fail to comply with isolation orders, Montour says they haven't had to give any out to members as of yet.
"We've been trying to make it more [of a] public education in light of everything that's going on with the pandemic, and using enforcement is the last resort," said Montour.
Six Nations also posted on Facebook warning members about the selling of fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards.
Montour said they haven't received any calls or tips about these cards, but issued the warning as a precautionary measure.