Nunavut suspends Common Travel Area with Northwest Territories
News Release
Nunavut suspends Common Travel Area with Northwest Territories
Iqaluit, Nunavut (May 3, 2021) –Nunavut’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Michael Patterson has suspended Nunavut’s Common Travel Area with the Northwest Territories (NWT), effective immediately.
“Following the new announcements on the COVID-19 situation in Yellowknife, beginning today, we will be closing our side of the Common Travel Area with the NWT,” said Dr. Patterson. “Anyone travelling to Nunavut from the NWT, including medical travellers, must isolate at the designated isolation hub in Yellowknife for 14 days before returning into the territory. Exceptions to this isolation requirement include travellers with a same-ticket layover through Yellowknife, critical workers with an authorized travel letter, or those granted compassionate exemption.”
All travellers who departed Yellowknife into Nunavut on or after April 28 must isolate immediately for 14 days from the day they returned home.
As per the current public health orders, when one traveller of a household is required to isolate, all members of that household must isolate as well. This includes households with an exempted critical worker or those with someone who has recently travelled from Iqaluit or the NWT. Those isolating must remain in their home for 14 days and should have groceries delivered or may only shop for food once per week if delivery is not possible.
All non-essential travel, including travel by air and by land, continues to be highly discouraged.
Anyone who believes they have been exposed to COVID-19 should call the COVID hotline at 1-888-975-8601 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. EDT, or notify their community health centre right away, and immediately isolate at home for 14 days. Please do not go to the health centre in person. For more information on COVID-19 in Nunavut, go to: www.gov.nu.ca/health/information/covid-19-novel-coronavirus
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Media Contact:
Chris Puglia
Acting Manager, Communications
Department of Health
867-975-5949
@email