Dr. Richard Fachehoun of Public Health is Concerned about the 3rd wave of COVID-19 for the Region3/31/2021
 Dr. Richard Fachehoun, public health medical consultant to the CISSS de la Côte-Nord, at the press brief for March 31, 2021 LOCAL NEWS - March 31, 2021: NORTH SHORE – CISSS PRESS BRIEF COVERAGE A press briefing was held this morning by the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de la Côte-Nord (CISSS de la Côte-Nord) regarding the COVID-19 situation on the North Shore. The press briefing was led by Dr. Richard Fachehoun, medical specialist in public health and preventive medicine, in attendance by zoom. Dr. Richard Fachehoun began by reminding the population that the region is at the yellow alert level, and that the 3rd wave poses a threat. Since March 26th, our region has been at the yellow alert level, thanks to the commitment of people on the North Shore to following the measures in place. Dr. Facheoun reminds that your contribution is essential to keeping the yellow alert level for as long as possible. "I am worried for our region when I see the increased number of cases in Bas-Saint-Laurent, Capitale-Nationale and Saguenay. Also, the proportion of cases related to variants keeps increasing, and variants will be predominant in Québec within two weeks. They are more contagious and more virulent than the basic strain. Based on modelling, only strong adherence to basic measures (physical distancing, use of the mask and handwashing) and screening coupled with intensive tracking and isolation of cases would allow us to avoid a 3rd wave that would be more important with more hospitalizations in people under 65 years of age," said Dr. Facheoun. In order to limit the spread of the variant, a new isolation directive was emitted for people living with a close contact of a case. Therefore, if someone who was in close contact with a case is self-isolating, people in the same household must remain in isolation until the contact receives a first negative test result. During the press briefing, Dr. Facheoun also gave suggestions for safe private gatherings with people from two households:
Stay home and do not receive visitors if any of the following pertains to you:
Dr. Facheoun also took the time to remind everyone that travel outside of the region should be for essential purposes only. If you travel, arrange for tesing on day 1 and day 7, as well as mandatory self isolation for 7 days until you receive a negative test result after day 7. With the upcoming Easter holiday approaching, everyone must also remember that private gatherings should be from two households only. For everyone's safety, please follow the guidelines, concluded Dr. Facheoun. Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  CFBS NEWS BLANC-SABLON - MARCH 29, 2021 - Safeguard your keys with the War Amps! CFBS was speaking with Sofia Benzakour, Communications assistant for the Quebec department of War Amps Canada, about their key tag campaign. The War Amps began their 2021 key tag campaign last month in Quebec, the theme “You Are a Part of What We Do,” marks the 75th anniversary of the Association’s Key Tag program! Since amputee veterans started the Key Tag Service in 1946, more than 1.5 million sets of lost keys have been returned to their owners. Key tags are produced in Canada at The War Amps sheltered workshop, employing persons with disabilities. How do key tags work?
You can order your War Amps key tags by visiting here. Listen to the interviews with Sofia Benzakour and I in English, and with Chrissy Letemplier in French, by clicking on the sound files below (click on the speaker icon next to the sound file and a media player will open up to hear the interview). Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist 
 CFBS NEWS BLANC-SABLON - MARCH 22, 2021 - Alert level changes come into effect for the region on Friday March 26th After months of restrictions be tightened in the region, the North Shore will be returning to alert level 2 – Early Warning (yellow zone), on Friday March 26th, along with Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Northern Quebec. The Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux (CISSS) de la Côte-Nord issued a press release last week to remind the population of the adjustments made to the measures currently in place, and the importance of continuing to follow the health safety measures to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. They ask that the population continue to follow the health instructions and notes that people aged 10 years and over are still required to wear a face covering in interior public places. “These adjustments are the direct result of your respect of the measures, and for that, we thank you. With the increasing proportion of cases related to variants, the situation remains delicate, and we must stay vigilant if we want the North Shore to remain a yellow zone for several weeks or months. Remain careful, get tested if you have symptoms and get vaccinated when it is your turn,” says Dr. Richard Fachehoun, medical specialist in public health and preventive medicine. Here are some of the measures for yellow zones that will come into effect on Friday:
For more information about the coronavirus and the measures in place, visit Québec.ca. CFBS also asked the CISSS de la Côte-Nord if there would be any changes to the entry protocol to the region regarding travel. Pascal Paradis, Communications advisor for the CISSS de la Côte-Nord, confirmed by email that there are no changes at this time. This means that anyone travelling for more than 24 hours outside of the region are asked to respect the isolation requirement and Covid testing protocol. Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  CFBS NEWS BLANC-SABLON - MARCH 12, 2021 - La Patience du Lichen by Noémie Pomerleau-Cloutier Far away on the north coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence there is a road sign in the middle of the road with the word END: the traveler must stop at this place. However, beyond the limit of the asphalt, there are several hundred kilometers of communities that are accessible only by air, water or ice, depending on the season. We know it well, this is a part of the Lower North Shore. Fascinated since her childhood by the end of Route 138, Noémie Pomerleau-Cloutier came to meet us Coasters and recorded our voices to remake poetry from these fragmented territories and our struggles. La patience du lichen is a poetic testimony of rare scope, a report with a big heart that delves into the history and intimacy of our little-known part of Quebec. You can find the link to purchase the book by clicking here. Listen to the interview with Noémie Pomerleau-Cloutier, author of La Patience du Lichen, by clicking on the sound files below (click on the speaker icon next to the sound file and a media player will open up to hear the interview). Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist
 Addison Letemplier, 11 years old CFBS NEWS BLANC-SABLON - MARCH 12, 2021 - Young lady with Coaster ties wins a gold medal for her Irish Jig As St. Patrick's Day is fast approaching, we think of all things Irish, beautiful music, everything green, as well as Irish dancing. Fast paced, controlled and beautiful, this type of dancing is not as easy as it looks to gracefully kick up your feet! CFBS was speaking with Sherrie Martin, originally from St. Augustine on the Lower North Shore, about the amazing accomplishments of her daughter, Addison Letemplier, who has recently won a gold medal for her beautiful, and well trained, professional Irish dancing. Both Sherrie and Addison's Dad, Darcy Letemplier, originally from Blanc-Sablon, are very proud of what their daughter has accomplished. Here is what CFBS learned about this very talented 11 year old who dances with such composed grace and style: How did Addison get started in Irish dancing? "Addison starting Irish dancing at Costello Irish dance school in January of 2018. She was 8 years old when she started. A competition in Irish dance is called a feis, and she competes in about 5-8 feis a year. Before the pandemic hit she was training an average of 10-12 hours a week as a solo Irish dancer plus she was on 3 dance teams. She was on a 4 hand team, 6 hand team and a 8 hand team." Can you tell us about the competitions that she attended? "She competed in her first eastern regional Irish dance championships in December of 2019, and placed in the top 10. Her 4 hand team and 6 hand team won gold, and her 8 hand team won bronze that year. Her 8 hand team was training extremely hard as they were going to dance in Dublin Ireland at the worlds Irish dance championships last April. However is was canceled due to the pandemic." Has the Covid pandemic affected her training? "Once the pandemic hit, Addison continued to train on zoom online with her teachers and friends. She took to the new online training very well but cannot wait to get back in studio with her coaches and friends. She just completed in her first online feis and did very well!" What is Addison's favorite memory in her Irish dance experience so far? "Addison says that her favorite memory is placing in the top 10 at the eastern regional championships, she felt so proud to work hard and then to be able to reach that goal." CFBS would like to congratulate Addison on her remarkable accomplishments, and wish her continued success in her Irish dancing. Very cool Addison! You can watch a video of Addison's dancing by clicking here. Happy all things Irish for the upcoming St. Patrick's Day, may the luck of the Irish be with you! Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  CFBS NEWS BLANC-SABLON - MARCH 11, 2021 - Protect yourselves against fraud and spread awareness! As March is Fraud Prevention Month, CPA Canada has released the results of its latest survey, which reveals the online security practices of Canadians, banking and consumer behavior, and fraudulent dating. As more of our communications and interactions become virtual due to the ongoing pandemic, CPA Canada is stepping up efforts to educate Canadians on how to better protect themselves against fraud by sharing key tips on how to avoid falling victim to online fraud, identity theft and financial schemes. Canadians cannot afford to let their guard down when it comes to fraud, according to a new survey conducted for Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada). Almost three-quarters (73%) of those surveyed replied that they had received fraudulent messages, and one-third (33%) had actually been victims of one or more types of fraud during their lifetime. is Fraud Prevention Month in Canada. And, good news, 62% of respondents are taking more precautions today than five years ago to ward off the tricks of scammers. “Scammers are always finding new tricks to abuse people's trust and get their hands on personal information; vigilance is therefore required, ”said Doretta Thompson, head of financial literacy development at CPA Canada. “And as our business has been increasingly done online since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to be on guard and protect your confidential data. " CFBS was speaking with David Malamed, a CPA expert in forensic accounting and fraud investigation, as well as Benoit Vachon, a CPA expert in personal finance, about the latest survey results and fraud awareness information. Listen to the interviews with David Malamed in English, and Benoit Vachon in French with Chrissy Letemplier. Click on the sound files below (click on the speaker icon next to the sound file and a media player will open up to hear the interview). Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist
 Team Yukon! Left to right: Dustin Mikkelsen (skip), Alexx Peech (third), Brandon Hagen (second), Robert Driscoll-Mckinnon (lead), Ray Mikkelsen (Alternate) CFBS NEWS BLANC-SABLON - MARCH 10, 2021 - Robert Mckinnon is a part of Team Yukon currently at the 2021 Brier in Calgary! Coasters sure know ice and hockey, but another professional sport seems to be gaining a lot of Coaster interest lately ......... Curling! CFBS reached out this week to Jeffery Nadeau, originally from St. Paul's River but now living in Iqaluit, to speak about his current participation in the 2021 Brier tournament being hosted in Calgary. Imagine, to our surprise to hear that there is another participant in the Brier whose roots are closely tied to St. Augustine, right here on the Lower North Shore! Robert Mckinnon, a member of Team Yukon, is also at the Brier competing for a spot to represent Canada at the World Curling Championships. Here is what Robert had to say when speaking to us at CFBS: So how did your interest begin in the sport of Curling? "I grew up playing in a league, bonspiels and cashspiels. Mostly in the last 3 years is when I really started concentrating on competitive play. Our team qualified in 2019 for the 2020 travelers championships, but was postponed due to Covid." Can you tell us a bit about your curling team? "We are a fairly new team, Brandon Hagen (second) Dustin Mikkelsen (Skip) and I, Robert Driscoll-Mckinnon (lead), have been curling together for the last 3 years. We picked up our third, Alexx Peech, and our 5th, Ray Mikkelsen, this season. It's been a dream for all of us to play in the Brier." How is your team doing so far in the championship? "The Brier experience has been amazing so far! We have been struggling with the ice a bit but it doesn't change the fact that we are at the Brier, and playing against all the guys we idolize and watch on TV. It's very high level curling, these are some of the best teams in the world. We have some tough games coming up tomorrow against Botcher and then McEwen. We are gonna put everything else aside and concentrate on those challenging games." Have you been getting a lot of support from back home and well wishes? 'I have a large supportive group of family that lives in St. Augustine, and the surrounding area. It is where my parents grew up. I haven't made it back up there in quite some time, but when things quiet down a bit I'm sure that I'll be planning a visit. I must say, it is very exciting to see how much support we have received from the east coast! Thanks everyone!' Imagine that, 2 Coasters at the Brier! Could this be a new sport for us to embrace here on the LNS? CFBS thanks you Robert Mckinnon for sharing your story, big cheers are being extended to you from the Lower North Shore, we wish you and your teammates an awesome championship! GO TEAM YUKON AT THE 2021 BRIER IN CALGARY! Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  Team Nunavut from left to right: Greg Howard, Jeff Nadeau, Peter Mackey, Jeff Chown, Brady St Louis CFBS NEWS BLANC-SABLON - MARCH 9, 2021 - Jeffery Nadeau of St. Paul's is a part of Team Nunavut currently at the 2021 Brier in Calgary CFBS reached out to fellow coaster, Jeffery Nadeau, originally from St. Paul's River but now living in Iqaluit, to speak about his current participation in the 2021 Brier tournament being hosted in Calgary. Jeffery was glad to share with us his love for curling and how he became involved in this fun sport: So how did your interest begin in the sport of Curling? Iqaluit "I first stated Curling at the age of 19, only because it was offered at Champlain College in Lennoxville, Quebec as a course. I later moved to Iqaluit, NU in Jan 1991, and started curling once a week at that time, mostly in the mixed league. I curled in the league for about 18 years and then decided that I wanted to play more hockey instead. In 2017 a good friend of mine, Peter Mackey asked if I wanted to curl on his team for the Traveler's Provincial Men’s team which represented Nunavut in Kelowna, BC. I jumped at the chance and since then we have been at the Tim Horton’s Brier in 2018 in Regina, Canadian Senior Men’s Championship in Stratford, ON, Tim Horton’s Brier in 2019 in Brandon, MB, 2019 Senior Men’s Championship in Chilliwack, BC, lost in the play downs for both the Brier and Seniors in 2020, and won the playdowns for the Tim Horton Brier this year after being down 0-2 in the best of 5 playdowns, came back to win 3 straight to win and represent Nunavut in the 2021 Tim Horton Brier in Calgary. We will also be going to 2021 Canadian Seniors Men’s Championship in November which the place is yet to be determined!" What is your greatest memory so far about participating in the sport? "My greatest memory has to be the 2018 Brier in Regina, the crowd was amazing and like most sports were cheering for the underdogs!! It was unreal going out to eat at local restaurants and have people recognize you as Team Nunavut and ask for autographs!! The Brier Patch is the bar of choice for all curlers and fans and that gave the fans an opportunity to say hi to most teams, of course Team Nunavut was there every chance we had. Curling against both Canadian Champions and World Champions is and was amazing, it’s one thing to watch them on TV and another to be on the same ice as them and watch their amazing talent up close! We have never won a game at the Brier but just being here is truly amazing!!!" Can you tell us how it is at a tournament this time around with the ongoing pandemic? "This year, like everywhere, is so different with Covid, we are living in the Calgary bubble and have been tested 3 times for Covid since arriving here. All teams have tested negative and Curling Canada has done an amazing job keeping everyone Safe! I have a brother and cousins living here, and I can’t and won’t get to see them. We sure do miss the fans in the building, but I still have to pinch myself every now and again to make sure I am not dreaming! So far here in Calgary, we have 8 games, 0-4 right now, but playing PEI next and they are also 0-4. I just want to say that the fan's support, both from Nunavut and the people on the Coast, has been amazing over the years and I want to thank you all for the good luck wishes. Even though people leave the coast for different reasons, it will always be HOME to me!" CFBS thanks you Jeffery Nadeau for sharing your story, and we will be cheering you on along with our fellow coasters in wishing you and your teammates the very best! GO TEAM NUNAVUT AT THE 2021 BRIER IN CALGARY! Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist Most of Quebec will be in Orange by Monday, Except Montreal and Several Large Surrounding Regions3/4/2021
 Quebec Premier, Francois Legault, at the press conference on March 3rd, 2021
LOCAL NEWS BLANC-SABLON – March 4, 2021: Most of Quebec to move to an orange alert level on Monday, March 8th Most of the province will move to into an orange zone this coming Monday, March 8th, announced Premier Francois Legault during the evening press conference on Wednesday. The areas that will remain as red zones is Montreal, Laval, the Laurentians, Lanaudiere and Monteregie. A move from red to orange will bring a series of changes for regions listed in the change on Monday, such as the curfew moving back from 8pm to 9:30pm, houses of worship will be able to host 100 people instead of the previous limit of 25, restaurants and gyms are open with some restrictions, individual sports in pairs or as a part of a family bubble will be permitted, and outdoor activities will be allowed for up to 8 people. Gatherings in private places (homes) in orange zones remains forbidden, and subject to public health infractions if you are caught. SO WHAT ABOUT TRAVEL TO AND FROM QUEBEC FOR EXAMPLE? CFBS was speaking by email this morning with Marlène Joseph-Blais, Senior Communications and Media Relations Advisor for the CISSS de la Côte-Nord. We asked if the travel recommendations would change for the North Shore when travelling to Quebec city, for medical appointments, for example. This is the response that we had received: "Everyone who enters the North Shore is asked to respect a 7-day preventive self-isolation and avoid social interactions for 14 days. All North Shore residents who travel to another region will be asked to follow the same directives when they get back (exception: you do not need to follow these measures if your travel time is under 24 hours)." - Marlène Joseph-Blais, Senior Communications and Media Relations Advisor for the CISSS de la Côte-Nord Keep in mind that there are exceptions for those who work in the essential services sector. This exception allows for essential workers to attend work if requested by their employer to do so, but no other outside interactions are permitted besides attending their workplace during the preventitive isolation period. Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  Faculty, students and hairdressers participated in the Shaved Head Challenge at École Mgr Scheffer! BRAVO to all! LOCAL NEWS BLANC-SABLON – March 1, 2021: The first shaved head challenge was a huge success at École Mgr Scheffer! CFBS was speaking on Friday with Secondary V students, Madison Letto and Shelby Woodford, of École Mgr Scheffer, about their recent participation in Défi têtes rasées Leucan, The Leucan Shaved Head Challenge on February 25th. Bravo to all who participated as they raised $3000.00, well past their original goal of raising $1000.00! Défi têtes rasées Leucan, The Leucan Shaved Head Challenge, presented by PROXIM, is a major Leucan fundraising activity that mobilizes the community in a spirit of solidarity in order to offer services to families of children with cancer and to invest in clinical research. It is a great gesture of support for children who, during chemotherapy, undergo a change in their body image due to hair loss. Listen to the interviews with École Mgr Scheffer students, Madison Letto in English, and Shelby Woodford in French, about the challenge event and its success. Click on the sound files below (click on the speaker icon next to the sound file and a media player will open up to hear the interview). Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist
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