A north-central Saskatchewan First Nation is postponing its community Christmas celebrations due to an outbreak of the flu. In a Facebook post Saturday, Beardy’s and Okemasis Cree Nation (BOCN) said its chief and council made the decision after learning about multiple hospitalizations and the death of a local matriarch related to influenza infections. “Due to the rising cases of influenza, chief and council have made the difficult decision to postpone all community dinners (on-reserve, urban, and elders) until the new year when this flu season subsides,” said the statement from the band, located 85 kilometres north of Saskatoon. BOCN leadership says its heart and prayers are with the family mourning the loss of a matriarch. “While we know many were looking forward to these gatherings, the health and safety of our members must remain our top priority,” the post said. “We appreciate your understanding and continued efforts to keep our community safe. We encourage all BOCN members to get their flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.” The First Nation says updates will follow when the risk of infection has subsided.
