“I would argue the issue here was simply - and perfectly understandable, after a long trip, under those circumstances completely out of the blue - it’s impossible for someone to think straight. “I think it was simply a question of conveying those to someone who was very distraught, likely very tired, and obviously under a lot of distress,” said Haggie, who said the situation would’ve been dealt with had Whalen called the exceptions line. He said the guidelines state that in this situation, a rotational worker’s family is their bubble. He said there are flexible arrangements with the funeral homes and flexible guidelines have been worked out to allow visitations during isolation.

John Haggie said there’s no obstacle to reuniting the family of a rotational worker in such circumstances, as noted in the revised government guidelines regarding rotational workers. When asked about Whalen’s situation Thursday at the House of Assembly, Health Minister Dr. However, the situation is more tragic, given the fact that, in his grief, Whalen might have gotten exception had he been aware of the regulations in these special cases. It got a huge response from hundreds of people who expressed outrage at the government’s regulation. Whalen, who has been a rotational worker for 14 years, expressed his frustration on a Facebook post in the Rotational Workers of Newfoundland and Labrador group page, “Can’t even go to the funeral home to see her. She's pictured here with her family (from left) husband Vince Whalen, and their children Brianna and twins Rhea and Ryan. The Whalen family of Queen's Cove in central Newfoundland is mourning the sudden death of Karen Goobie-Whalen (left). “This is an emergency situation and it’s not right I can’t be with (all) my family right now.” “(My kids) only have one parent now,” said Whalen, who is grateful for the help of extended family and friends. Whalen said when he tried to get a quicker appointment, the earliest he could get was Friday. They can leave isolation after seven days if the test is declared negative. The standard guidelines state that rotational workers have to self-isolate for five days after arriving back in the province before being tested. Upon arriving home he wanted nothing more than to be with them, but felt he couldn’t, as he was following the provincial government’s COVID-19 regulations for rotational workers. Whalen worries most about his children after witnessing her death. Vince and Karen Whalen were married for 22 years.

While the cause of her death hasn’t been officially confirmed yet, it’s believed she suffered a massive heart attack.īrianna, a second-year nursing student at Memorial University, performed CPR on her mother, but to no avail. She was only 49 years old … I went downstairs today in her beauty salon and I had to walk out. “I’m still in shock,” said Whalen, who was married to Karen for 22 years and together for 27 years. Karen Goobie-Whalen died suddenly this week.

The Whalen family of Queen’s Cove in happier times – (from left) Rhea, Vince, Karen, Brianna and Ryan. Karen Goobie-Whalen was in the kitchen of their home in Queen’s Cove, near Goobies, with the couple’s children - oldest daughter, Brianna, 19, and 17-year-old twins, daughter Rhea and son Ryan - Tuesday when she suddenly collapsed on the floor and died. Whelan - a maintenance supervisor who works rotational shifts for an industrial company in Fort McMurray - took what seemed like the longest flight of his life home Wednesday after receiving the devastating news about his wife.

Faceboof brianna whalen