Manitoba Metis Federation partners with local firm to create COVID-19 testing site for Mtis people

The organization that represents Manitoba'sMtiscommunityis partnering with a local private bioinformationservices firm to open a COVID-19 testing site exclusively for Mtispeople in Winnipeg and the surrounding area.

Meanwhile,St. Boniface-St. Vital MP Dan Vandal, who is minister for northern affairs, has writtento Premier Brian Pallister, asking that the Manitoba Metis Federation be included inManitoba's COVID-19 vaccination task force and in vaccine distribution.

The Manitoba Metis Federation opened a testing site Monday with the help of Winnipeg-based IntrinsicAnalytics, which will be collecting and processing the test samples, the MMF said in news release.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has been a long journey, and with the number of vaccines being earmarked for the Manitoba Mtis community still up in the air, we are unsure when the light is coming at the end of the tunnel," MMF president David Chartrandsaid in the newsrelease.

"By offering this alternative, our Mtis citizens can now get their test results done faster and return to work and running errands to support their family quicker."

In an interview Tuesday, Chartrand said that part of the motivation for opening up the site was that the federation has been unable to get information from the province on how manyMtispeople in Manitoba have tested positive for COVID-19.

"We do know one thing for sure they're not asking the question if they're Mtis or not not. And so that that tells us the province knows there's [no information] about our state of COVID," he said.

"It doesn't know how many families have it. We know the families that do have it and we know some of them that have passed away. We don't know all of them."

Site 'redundant': province

All symptomatic peoplewill be tested curbside in their vehicle at the MMF's testing site,while asymptomatic people will be tested indoors, the federation's news release says.It does not say where the testing site is.

Test results will be processed within 24 hours of the swab, it says.

People must book an appointment to get tested bycalling 1-833-390-1041 toll-free, the release says.

A provincial spokesperson said the MMF is welcome to offer the service, but called the site "redundant," given that the current wait period for results from provincial sites is about 22 hours.

The province is concerned about how the testing data from the MMF site will be connected to the public system to allow for contact tracing, the spokesperson said.

"It is important to follow up with positive cases so they are able to get the appropriate careand information on how to reduce the spread of the virus. This kind of followup is a key component of COVID-19 testing," the spokesperson said in an email.

Chartrand said that Manitoba Metis Federation will definitely share information from its testing site about positive cases.

MP pushes MMF vaccination role

In a letter to the premier, Vandal said that MMF's "full and active participation" in vaccine distribution plans is needed to ensure the needs ofManitobaMtispeople areadequately met.

"While there have been no large outbreaks in any Mtis villages in Manitoba to date, I am sure you knowand can appreciate thatManitoba Mtis are at higher risk of serious complications with COVID-19 and that an outbreak amongst vulnerable Mtis citizens or elders would be devastating," Vandal wrote.

Health Minister HeatherStefanson met with Frances Chartrand, the MMF'sminister of health and wellness,on Tuesday.

"I thought it was a good meeting," Chartrand said.

"I hope that this meeting is the start of a conversation that will lead to an actual plan towards vaccinating our Mtis citizens in Manitoba."

Chartrand says the MMF wants to work with the province.

"We're going to find out how we can work on ensuring that the vaccine rollout goes to the Mis citizens, whether you live in Churchill, Camperville or Winnipeg," she said.

David Chartrand said that because there is a largeMtis population in Manitoba, and many suffer from chronic illnesses, they deserve to be part of discussions about vaccine rollout.

A provincial spokesperson said that from the start of thepandemic, thegovernment has engaged regularly with Indigenous leadership as part of Manitoba's ongoing response to COVID-19.

"As this work to protect Manitobans continues, so will our engagement with indigenous groups, including the MMF," they said.

Eleven more COVID-19 deaths and 111 new cases announced in Manitoba on Tuesday, bringing the total number of deaths in Manitoba to783.

As of Monday, there were 3,108 known active cases in Manitoba, and nearly half of those cases 1,469 are in the northern health region.Public health officials say, however, that the number of known active cases is inflated due to a backlog in data entry.