The vaccine incentive will likely cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

vaccine hesitancy

LLRIB chief defends costly COVID vaccine incentive

Sep 2, 2021 | 2:09 PM

Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) Chief Tammy Cook-Searson is defending a costly vaccine incentive as COVID-19 cases increase across the province.

Earlier this week, it was announced band members who had received two doses of vaccine and who were over the age of 12 would qualify for a $300 payment. The incentive is only open to band members living in Air Ronge, Hall Lake, La Ronge 156/Kitaski 156B, the Town of La Ronge and Sucker River.

Cook-Searson explained the payments are possible by using federal funds given to the LLRIB to respond to the pandemic.

“The vaccine uptake has really increased,” she said. “[On Tuesday], they were able to do 76 vaccines just outside the Keethanow store. We’ve had a lot of interest. The nurses said there’s been a lot of calls with people booking their vaccine, so that’s our main goal is to have as many people vaccinated as possible.”

The idea for the $300 payment originates from the community of Little Red River, where Cook-Searson noted there was a large uptake in vaccines after it was introduced. Along with the incentive, band officials are also reaching out to members to find out why they are hesitant to receive a vaccine.

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According to available data from Lac La Ronge Indian Band Health Services, vaccine uptake varies widely between communities as of Aug. 25.

In Grandmother’s Bay, 77 per cent of residents have received one dose while 59 per cent have received a second. Vaccine uptake in other communities are Hall Lake with 47 per cent and 32 per cent, Kitsaki with 47 per cent and 27 per cent, and Sucker River with 74 per cent and 54 per cent. The immunization target is 85 per cent.

“The only way out of the pandemic is we have herd immunity, which is having the majority of the population vaccinated,” Cook-Searson said. “We’re trying to do what we can and this is one of the incentives that councillors have put out to the community.”

As of Sept. 1, there were 95 active COVID-19 cases in the LLRIB’s six communities. The majority are in Stanley Mission with 89 cases with dozens confirmed to be the Delta variant.

Throughout the pandemic, there has been a total of 735 cases in LLRIB communities resulting in two deaths.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno