Yellowknife (March 22, 2022) – The Office of the Chief Public Health Officer and Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority will no longer be issuing letters to individuals who have recovered from a COVID-19 infection.

Previously these letters were being provided on request to individuals who had recovered from a positive COVID-19 diagnosis that had been confirmed through a PCR test in the NWT. These letters gave residents a 180-day exemption from NWT travel-related self-isolation requirements and screening tests. They were issued by the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer and were valid for use within the NWT; in most cases these letters were not recognized nationally, in many other Canadian jurisdictions or internationally.

Since self-isolation requirements in the NWT changed on March 1, 2022 to not require screening tests and self-isolation after travel these letters are no longer considered a medically necessary service, so will no longer be issued by the health system.

Individuals who require proof of a prior positive COVID-19 diagnosis can request this service from private businesses that offer COVID-19 testing services. In most cases, international destinations that required documented proof of a prior COVID-19 infection to enter their country will only accept PCR test results as adequate proof of a prior COVID-19 infection. Individuals planning personal leisure travel are advised to check local travel requirements and requirements for all connecting destinations to determine what form of documentation they may need.

The usual processes for requesting personal medical information and vaccination records are still in place; electronic proof of COVID-19 vaccination credentials can be downloaded online using this digital self-serve form, and personal medical records can be requested by following this standard process. Individuals requesting their personal medical records should anticipate the standard 30-day response time. At-home COVID-19 rapid test results will not appear on an individual’s medical records, as this test was completed at home and not by a clinician.