Lessons on COVID-19 from Indigenous and remote communities of the Arctic

Abstract

To the Editor-The Arctic provides unique insights into the COVID-19 pandemic that are of considerable importance to government policies around the world, yet experiences from the Arctic are missing from the global public-health debate 1 . Arctic remote settlements have limited access to healthcare and possess few healthcare resources with which to fight the disease 2 . In addition, Arctic populations often demonstrate higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, tuberculosis, hepatitis and other conditions 3,4 . Despite this, in most cases, Arctic regions have fared better in the COVID-19 pandemic than have

The second year of pandemic in the Arctic: examining spatiotemporal dynamics of the COVID-19 “Delta wave” in Arctic regions in 2021

“…However, some communities were able to capitalise on the “blessing” to successfully fight the “curse”. In particular, observations of the Delta wave, alongside previous COVID-19 pandemic dynamics [ 36 , 47 , 55 ], indicate that Arctic regions, especially remote communities, could have benefited from a three-pronged pandemic response. These three elements include (1) delaying the arrival of the pandemic by using widespread and strict prevention measures, information campaigns, as well as Indigenous knowledge and Indigenous control of their communities; (2) using the time before the arrival of the pandemic to prepare for its eventual onset (e.g.…”

“…It entails delaying the onset of the pandemic, preparing and conducting mass vaccinations, and responding by bringing together medical science and Indigenous knowledge within an Indigenous-controlled healthcare system when the pandemic arrives. Indigenous, rural, and remote communities in other parts of the world have much to learn from the Arctic COVID-19 mitigation approach that capitalises on previous pandemic experiences, traditional knowledge, community leadership, self-determination, and public health interventions to deal with the pandemic [ 47 , 81 ]. The Arctic approach not only reduces fatalities but addresses challenges produced by COVID-19 while also offering an important lesson to cope with future pandemics which will likely be inevitable and more aggressive.…”

“…Within the scientific community, there has also been a focus on the resiliency of Indigenous people that could alleviate the negative impact of a disease outbreak. The Arctic Council 46 ,and Petrov et al Petrov et al [ 33 , 47 ] acknowledged the importance of self-sufficiency (e.g. livelihood based on subsistence activities] and Indigenous knowledge in contending with the challenges created by COVID-19.…”

Evolving perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines among remote Alaskan communities

“…Ongoing monitoring of vaccination rates across demographic groups and by geography as well as ongoing surveys of resident’s evolving knowledge, attitude, and practices will be important to support targeted COVID-19 outreach. Tribal authority to distribute vaccines and drawing on Indigenous knowledge [ 47 ] is an important component of an efficient and locally accepted vaccination programme for COVID-19 and other vaccine-preventable diseases in remote Alaska.…”

The Arctic Highlights Our Failure to Act in a Rapidly Changing World

“…The COVID-19 pandemic created another unsettling stress on Arctic Indigenous communities compounding the already significant challenges presented by the multiple pressures they have experienced in recent decades [26]. Most communities responded with great concern and established recommended social distancing protocols between households, with preliminary research suggesting that such measures were effective relative to regions at lower latitudes [27]. Travel was restricted and involved extended quarantines.…”