Nunavut aims to lift public health emergency, COVID-19 restrictions in April

IQALUIT, NUNAVUT -- Nunavut's chief public health officer says the territory will aim to end its public health emergency on April 11.

Dr. Michael Patterson says COVID-19 public health measures will also ease every two weeks until all restrictions put in place during the pandemic are lifted.

Patterson declared the emergency two years ago as COVID-19 first spread across the country.

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Patterson says lifting COVID-19 restrictions will also allow a shift of public health resources.

Starting Monday, gathering sizes can increase across the territory and bars and restaurants can open at 50 per cent capacity.

Nunavut is reporting a total of 472 active cases of COVID-19 and 33 hospitalizations.

“COVID-19 is here to stay, and it is time to move away from life under public health measures,” Patterson said in a release Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 9, 2022.

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  Nunavut's territorial flag flies on a flag pole in Ottawa, Tuesday June 30, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld