NWT residents who work at sites in the mineral and petroleum resource industry can now enjoy the same relaxed restrictions under Phase Two of Emerging Wisely as other residents when they return to their homes.
That change is part of an amended public health order announced on Thursday by the territorial government in a news release.
The initial health order issued in April set out several safety measures specific to resource sector workers when the territory was in the containment phase of its Covid-19 protection strategy.
Until this week it was recommended resource sector workers use food delivery services or online shopping, exercise at home or outside away from others and follow a health self-monitoring plan for 14 days upon returning home.
Now resource workers are free to shop at grocery stores, dine at restaurants and attend gyms.
When these workers return to their homes they're still subject to the same precautions as other residents such as physical distancing and limited capacity for household get-togethers and indoor and outdoor gatherings.
The restrictions for returning to their work sites still apply. These include limiting workers to only the minimum required to maintain operations and regular health screenings and temperature checks.
“This amendment ensures all residents are able to enjoy the ease in restrictions that our territory is awarded as a result of the immediate actions put in place by the Chief Public Health Officer and NWT residents who played their part early on and made sure those measures were followed," said Diane Thom, minister of Health and Social Services.
Workers employed at oil and gas, mining, and other remote sites in the NWT who are not residents must still follow the same restrictions when they aren't on the job site and in their home jurisdictions.