First walk-in vaccination clinic opens in Nunavut

Nunavut's first walk-in clinic opens in Iqaluit Wednesday.

Spearheaded by Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI), the clinic will be held at the curling rink and will offer both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines to adults and teens 12 years old and up.

This is the first time the Pfizer vaccine is available to youth in Iqaluit, an important step in achieving herd immunity, according to NTI president Aluki Kotierk.

"When we found out that vaccination was available for young people 12 years and older, we were relieved because we know we have a young population," Kotierk said.

"It's important for us to be able to achieve herd immunity that many of us get vaccinated."

Iqalummiut who get vaccinated at the walk-in clinic can get taxi vouchers and will receive a $25 gift voucher to one of several local businesses, including North Mart, Ventures, Arctic Survival and Astro Theatre.

They will also have a chance to win prizes provided by the City of Iqaluit: a Distancing Outdoors Prize with a value of $500; a Stay-at-Home Baking Prize with a value of $500; and a Home Cleaning and Sanitizing Prize with a value of $500. Anyone attending the walk-in clinic is eligible.

To raise awareness about the COVID-19 vaccines, the NTI has created a vaccination video series as well. The videos share the stories of residents like church minister Methusalah Kunuk and Asenath Idlout, a registered nurse, who got their COVID-19 vaccinations and why they encourage others to do the same.

The walk-in vaccination clinic is a partnership of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, Qikiqtani Inuit Association, the Government of Nunavut Department of Health and the City of Iqaluit with support provided by Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre.

The clinic is funded in part by NTI with funding from the Government of Canada's Indigenous Community Support Fund.

It will be open from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m from Wednesday to Saturday.