The rollout of the Moderna vaccine in isolated regions of Labrador is set to begin today, and while it is welcome news, one MHA says the prioritization points to longstanding healthcare issues in the region.

Lela Evans, the PC MHA for Torngat Mountains, is thankful that isolated areas of Labrador are being prioritized and is pleased with the way it’s being carried out.

However, she argues the reason why such areas are being made a priority is because they are far behind the rest of the province in terms of healthcare.

She says COVID-19 is shining a light on how vulnerable the six Indigenous communities on the north coast are, owing to what she claims has been “chronic neglect.”

Evans points to access to emergency medical care because there are no roads connecting coastal communities, which rely on medivac services to fly people to the hospital in an emergency.

That is weather dependent says Evans, and residents have to hope conditions are nice enough to let them fly.