March 11 is Pandemic Observance Day, a national time to honour the lives lost to COVID-19 and to support the healing of communities. It is also a time to recognize the resilience and unity that helped communities protect one another through an incredibly difficult period.
The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) sends its deepest condolences to every family and community grieving the loss of relatives, friends, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers. Many continue to experience lasting effects from the pandemic, and we honour their strength as healing continues.
First Nations in BC and in Canada bore a significantly greater burden of disease than other British Columbians and Canadians. The pandemic profoundly affected First Nations, reshaping community life, health, and wellness. Thanks to community-led vaccination efforts, treatments and rapid testing, COVID‑19 now poses less risk of severe outcomes for many people. However, as COVID-19 is still circulating and can cause serious illness, protecting one another remains a shared responsibility.
Fortunately, First Nations people have always known the power of a unified community, and this was apparent during the pandemic. First Nations Chiefs, health leaders and volunteers mobilized quickly, forming strong partnerships and collaborating to protect their communities. These collective efforts demonstrated what is possible when communities work together with purpose and care.
Communities relied on ancestral teachings that have sustained them spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically since time immemorial. Traditional wellness practices during the pandemic, such as connecting to the land, harvesting traditional foods, cedar brushing, drumming, ceremony, and time with family, anchored community well‑being. These practices remain as vital today as they were during the height of the pandemic, providing pathways for healing, balance and ongoing wellness.
Vaccination also continues to play an important role in community protection.
“The FNHA encourages everyone to stay up to date on COVID‑19 and other routine vaccinations and to seek information from trusted health sources, such as your community health nurse, or local health centre," says Dr. Evan Adams, Deputy Chief Medical Officer. “Personal protective measures such as handwashing, staying home when sick, and [when unwell] avoiding close contact with those who are elderly or immunocompromised, remain meaningful ways to protect others."
Above all, today is a day of reflection. We remember the great personal cost to ourselves and our families' well-being, remember those who are no longer with us, honour those still healing, and recognize the collective strength and resilience that carried First Nations communities through the pandemic.
