HAPPY VALLEY-GOOSE BAY, N.L. — The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay is calling on the chief medical officer of health for point-of-entry testing for COVID-19 at all entrances to Labrador.
Mayor Wally Andersen told SaltWire Network that town council decided to send a letter to Dr. Janice Fitzgerald after the increase of cases in the St. John’s metro region, and after concerns were raised by Labrador residents.
“There are people from all parts of Labrador travelling to the Avalon seven days a week to access health care, things that can’t be done here in Labrador” he said. “Rapid testing would give people an answer in a couple of hours and we feel that’s the safest and the most effective way to go.”
Andersen said council is asking that people, including essential workers, be tested at all four points where people come into Labrador — both borders with Quebec and the airports in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Blanc Sablon.
Since Happy Valley-Goose Bay acts as a hub for the north and south coast of Labrador, people travelling from and to the other regions frequently go through the town. That was highlighted last week, Andersen said, when there was a false positive in Makkovik. To get to Makkovik a traveller would have to stop in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
Labrador-Grenfell Health flew extra personnel to Makkovik before the case was determined to be a false positive and arranged testing for everyone in the small, isolated community. Andersen said he was impressed at how quickly Labrador-Grenfell Health responded, but at the same time it made council realize how quickly they could be overwhelmed if there were a cluster.
“As good as the health-care workers are, we don’t have the beds and we have very few ventilators." — Wally Andersen
“As good as the health-care workers are, we don’t have the beds and we have very few ventilators,” he said. “That’s what’s on the mind of the people of Labrador right now. If people had to be hospitalized in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, or anywhere in Labrador, we don’t have the beds or the ventilators.”
During the COVID-19 update on Monday, Liberal Leader Andrew Furey was asked if rapid testing at entry points to Labrador is something the government would consider. Furey said Fitzgerald and her team will meet with Labrador leaders on Tuesday to “discuss nuances of the Labrador border and entry into Labrador.”
Evan Careen is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter covering Labrador for SaltWire network.
