Julie Green

Thank you, Madam Chair. The first phase actually we completed last year. That had to do with covering drug costs, and the next phase is scheduled for work this year, but ongoing. There will be a very heavy public consultation component to this review so that we can hear from residents of the Northwest Territories about their expectations for coverage, and we can provide answers to them. For more detail, I will ask the deputy minister to continue. Thank you.

Thank you. I would like to welcome back Ms. Jeannie Mathison, the director of finance. Thank you.

The vaccine is not an off-on proposition. When it enters the body, it creates antibodies to fight off the COVID-19 infection. It continues to create antibodies from the 28th day, from the 42nd day. The second dose is really a booster. Having said that, as the Member is well-aware, this is a very new vaccine, and there is not a lot of information about the maximum interval between doses. What we do know for now is that there is no problem extending up to day 42.

There are jurisdictions that are experimenting with a greater interval than that, but we are staying with the National Advisory...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will ask the assistant deputy minister to answer that question.

Thank you. The department did a consultation with Metis organizations of the NWT about Metis Health Benefits just before Christmas. My understanding is that the results are being analyzed, and for further information, I am going to refer the question to the deputy minister. Thank you.

Thank you. That would be a conversation, I think, for Executive and Indigenous Affairs to have with the federal government, and I'm not aware that they are currently having it. Thank you.

As a matter of fact, that did not happen. The people who are receiving a second dose of their vaccine are doing so within the recommended 28-to-42-day time frame, even though we did receive fewer vaccines than we had hoped at the beginning of February, we have now received plenty of vaccine. In some cases, people are closer to the end of the 42-day time frame, but nobody was shortchanged a second dose because of rolling out first doses.

Yes. Thank you. I will start by mentioning that people who are regular medical-travel travellers are a priority for vaccination, and so there is an effort to ensure that they are not constantly inconvenienced by their medical travel. In terms of the cost of bringing doctors to the NWT, I will look at the deputy minister to answer the question. Thank you.

Thank you. I know it looks that way, but it's not that way. I'll ask Ms. Mathison to fill in the blanks there. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. It's approximately 2,200 people. Thank you.