Gone fishing... for vaccines

When the Canadian Red Cross began offering COVID-19 vaccination support throughout First Nations communities last year, responders and community healthcare advocates alike knew they needed creative solutions to help get the vaccines to as many people as possible.

Tiffany Zettergren, a nurse in Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, knows this all too well as she recently helped orchestrate a vaccine clinic at the annual Nelson House youth ice fishing derby in the community.

“I never would have imagined being at a fishing derby,” Tiffany laughed. “The derby is a major event and there are tons of kids [who participate]. They were happy and excited, and it was a beautiful day.”

It’s estimated that the fishing derby saw between 400 and 500 people. To attend, everyone aged five and up needed to be vaccinated, but anyone was welcome to attend if they wanted to get a vaccine at the derby.

Throughout the pandemic, and with the support of the Canadian Red Cross, Tiffany has helped vaccinate people in all kinds of different environments. “Last summer it was mobile clinics to help make the vaccine more accessible. There was one mom who couldn’t leave her kids alone, so we met her outside her front door.”

Tiffany was joined by Canadian Red Cross responder and nurse Shauna Wyatt, who agreed that the derby was at the top of the list for her as far unique deployments.

“It was a lot of fun. It’s nice to see a community in its element like that, just having fun and living their normal lives.”

Shauna explained that several of the kids who came to get vaccinated did so because their friends encouraged them. “It really reaffirms what we’re doing and that we’re being heard.”

In February and March, the Canadian Red Cross deployed two teams of vaccinators to three different First Nations to deliver vaccinations, at the request of the communities.